Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-10-17
CEN EAIRcHlI ms SPEECH.

had large and enthusiastic audience,
and his speech was well prepared.
He opened up by trying to arrange
the parties as he would like to have
them, CHASING all republicans as loyal
and all democrats as disloyal. After
having accomplished this to his own
satisfaction, he became funny and
complimented the democrats on their
staying qualities and their ability to
endure defeat. He said that no matter
how badly they were beaten at an
election they would come up smiling
and Growing the next time, saying
"now we got YOU" After getting as
much fun as possible out of democracy
he remarked that politics had also a
solemn side as well humorous side,
and then proceeded to seriously con-
slider the issues of the day.
He said that he would give the
main points OF two democratic speeches
he had heard recently, and then take
exceptions to them. His chief objec-
ton was not that they were not true;
but that they did not oDtain the whole
truth-did not 60 far enough.
Let us take few points in Gen
Fairchild's speech, and apply to them
his own objection-that they did not
contain the whole truth. He spoke
of the surplus of S400,O00.000 in the
treasury. He said that it had never
been charged against the democrats
that they ever had surplus revenue
He also claimed that no great sur,
plus really existed-that there was a
large amount of cash in the treasury
but that it was not greatly in excess
of demands which might be made
upon it at any time.
Now it is not true that democrats
charge republicans with causing a
surplus revenue; for the simple reason
that the republican party never did any,
thing of the kind. 1t was only while
| the democratic party controlled the
lower house of congress, and the purse
strings of the nation, that the rev.
enue exceeded the demands upon the
| treasury. When the great tidal-Waye
of 1874 elected a democratic house OF
representatives there was no surplus
revenue in the treasury. Back-pay
salary-grabs, Credit Mobellier schemes
ETC., had left the public crib bare
enough. When the forty-fourth con
gress met, the secretary of the treasury
reported that the revenue would IL
all probability fall short of the appro
priations several millions. The dem
ocrats controlled the purse strings
for six consecutive years, and when
the forty-seventh republican, con
gress assembled, the president reported
surplus of one hundred and thirty
millions. This was sought to be got
rid of-not by reducing taxation, but
by sinking it in rivers and harbors
The country rebuked this sort o.
financiering, and returned the dem
ocrats to power in the forty-eightl
congress by nearly two-thirds major
| ity. No, we do not charge the repub
lican party with creating any surplus
What we do complain of is, that TIT
republicans solidly oppose every at
tempt to reduce taxation after dem
ocratic frugality, in spite of eXtraV
agant officials and IA perverse senate
has made high taxation no longe
necessary. And it was simply ride
ulOus to claim, as he did, that tn
surplus revenue does not amount t
much after all. Why, the presiden
has called the attention of congress
to it in two annual messages, ant
statesman Blaine and statesman Lie
gan have submitted separate plans t.
prevent redundancy!
He said that the democrats make
great deal of complaint because W
have no merchant marine. He SAT-
this was owing to the war-that dem
ocratic gunboats sank some vessel
drove others off to foreign countries
But he did not tell his audience tina
of all vessels entered at the ports o
the United States in 1865, after tn
closing of the war. AZ per cent. wer
American, while of the vessels entere
last year only II per cent. wer
American; or. that the per cent. o
decrease has been greater since thai
during the war.
He made one statement, however
which we cannot judge by the stand
ard he laid down; because CHART
would verge upon falsehood were W
to admit that IL contained any trutl
whatever. He represented Blaine ant
Logan as truly good civil service re
formers. 1t is known of all men tina
they are both practical" politicians
and both sneer at all attempts t
, reform the civil service. But here ais
he was guilty of suppressing the truth
He did not tell his audience that Grove
Cleveland is practical civil servic
reformer, and that the only opposition
to him which exists in his own stat
comes from hungry Office seekers
and also that Thomas y. Hendrick
advocated civil service reform befor
the formation of the league whicl
bears that name. He had the audacit
to declare that republican admins
tration gave civil service reform a fai
trial President Arthur did, we be
lieve; but the party threw him over
board and can claim no credit for an,
act of his. And it is notorious tina
secretaries Chandler and Teller hitterl,
fought the commission. and did ever,
thing in their power to thwart it.
He denied that the presidency wa
stolen in 1876; but forgot to state tina
his assertions were controverted 10y
every history of the United States
published since that date.
He sneered at the attempt to reduce
the surplus revenue by the Morrison
bill; but did not refer to the bill
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