The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-10-20
the monopolist: How is trade in your

the largest boot and shoe man
ufactory in the United States, if rot in the
world. We make as many boots and
shoes in eight months as we can dispose
of in twelve months. That is we supply
the entire market with eight months
labor. The speaker asked him what he
did with the workmen "Oh, we turn
them out" was the answer, eve get a
years work out OF them by working over
time in the eight months" The speaker
SAID he asked the gentleman why he did
not extend his trade to foreign markets if
the supply here was greater than the de-
mandH Why doyou not supply the home
market, and then go over into Europe and
supply that market and keep your men at
work? l asked him." said the senator
Simply because, came the reply, eve
cannot compete with foreign manufac>
turc because of the high protective tariff.
Our findings, morocco, etc, cost us more
by importation than the price of the boots
and shoes do the European manufacture
ers. therefore we can not enter the trade
against them"
Some time ago the speaker said he en-
tered merchant clother's store in lndi-
annapolis The merchant had just recciv
ed a bill of imported cloth. Said the
senator to him; Glow much did your
goods cost you in London" Six hundred
dollars, was the reply. How much tariff
duty did you have to pay upon the LOTT"
-Four hundred and fifty dollars, said the
merchant. That is considerable to pay
for SO small an amount of goods, said
to the merchant, resumed the speaker.
Yes, said he, "but | don't pay it. When
you and others get your clothing here YOU
pay this tariff, not I. F."
The speaker took pig iron as the basis
for an argument on the cost of various
implements manufactured in this country
and Europe. Pig iron is the raw materi-
al, and the speaker proceeded to show the
different prices of articles made from it in
America and Europe He showed that
the high protective tariff of these articles
was detriment instead of a help to the
people, The speaker declared that he was
opposed to tariff because it is unconstitu>
tional. unjust and impracticablc There
was the whole matter in a nut shell
But what became of this high protective
tariff? 1t went into the pockets of the
republicans. Over here in Illinois how
many men are there who are dreaming
how to get their hands into the treasury?
The republican platform says the balance
in the treasury shall be reduced, but fails
to say how. 1t is for the people to say
how this shall be done There are two
ways to do this. One is by lowering duties
on imports and the other by increasing
them. The duty should be high enough
so that importation will be stopped, and
revenue cease. Or, if there must be a
duty, get it low, and importation will be
low and goods will be cheap, and the PEG
pie will TINS be relieved of paying such
exorbitant prices. The republican party
has taken stand squarely for high
protective tariff; the democratic party
wants tariff for revenue only. The re-
publican party has been in power since
1861, and its protective tariff has pre-
vailed in violation of the constitution, fol
, high protective tariff is uuconstitution-
al, rs before declared. The speaker then
gave another practicable Illustration. A
gentleman whom he knew bought suit
: of clothes in London for S22 His friend
went to a tailor in indianapolis and
asked what he could duplicate the suit
for and the tailor said S45. There was
another result of high tariff Suppose any
4 man in this crowd, the speaker said
should want a suit of clothes and should
consider that $50 was all the money he
: could invest in the same, would he not
c think it an outrage if he was compelled
to go and pay some tax collector Sl5 fol
the privilege Of buying his clothes?" He
most certainly would and yet the tariff
r duty on clothes imported from Europe is
rs cents on the dollar
Next the speaker paid his attention fol
: a few minutes to the star route frauds
He said there might be some peo-
pie in the audience who did moi
9 fully understand what a star route was
: Star routes are routes on which the Unit
p ed States mails are transported without
e the aid of the railway. They include The
n steambots, hacks and mounted mail ser
n vice. When, some time ago, the fraud
I in the management of these routes became
s so glaring that that they could no Longer
G be overlooked by the republican congress
4 an investigation was ordered. An attor
r MY was hb u vi V~bO ~
q day He managed to let the matter res
o for two terms while his salary went on
Finally the trial begun and continued
+ until everybody in the country became
disguised and one of the defendant
r pleaded guilty. Then the jury disagreed
G Another trial ensued with "a new jury ant
i they found the whole party not guilty
f even the one who had pleaded guilty wa
p discharged. And that was the result o
" republican misrule.
q The career of James G. Blaine wa
v next touched upon. The speaker knew
. him well. He is professional politi
n clan and has been for years
Q He first entered public life as member
y of the state legislature of Maine. The
4 he went to congress- next to the senate
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