Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-08-01

VI. VI. Strong, who previously spoke upon the
tariff question, and said that forty years ago he
had the pleasure of listening to him present the
merits of tariff reduction. Mr.. Gray arraigned
the republican party for giving away vast areas
of land to railroad and other corporations. The
first grant to railroad was made by the demo-
Gratis to the Illinois railroad in 1850, but safety
| fund was reserved out CT this grant of seven per
cent. on the gross earnings Of the road and no
state tax had been collected for years in Illinois
and that large future annual income from the
road was secured to the state, which is estimated
at $3.50, 900. The republican party had voted down
measures in congress to incorporate like pro-
vision in grants made to railroads in Wisconsin
and other states.
The speaker then turned his attention TO
Mr. Blaine's letter of acceptance and dwelt at
some time Upon it. He showed the incorrect
ness of the figures given by Mr.. Blaine in support
of the argument that protective tariff was the
cause of our increased prosperity The wealth
lay in the productive soil of sparsely settled
states and territories. This land might be held
at no value al all. but the moment it was settled
upon and cultivated that moment quarter sec
ton of it would bring from a thousand to fifteen
hundred dollars The protective tariff has had
nothing to do with increasing the value of land
and has been hindrance rather than an aid to
our prosperity. God never intended that sugar
should be produced in the United States, and
it cannot be produced here except at loss
whilst it can be manufactured in Cuba and laid
down here for less than one half what it costs
The protective tariff prohibits the shipping into
the country of very many things by which great
injustice is done to all classes of our people.
Mr.. Gray next referred to the promises made
by republicans of reform within the party, and
showed that these promises were no sooner
made than they were broken. The republican
platform declared that appointments by the
president to office in the territories should be
made from actual citizens and residents Of the
territories where they are to serve, but within
less than twenty days after this declaration was
adopted President Arthur had taken man out
of a newspaper Office in Chicago and appointed
him to high office in the territory of Dakota,
which he was in no way qualified to fill. The
speaker referred to the efforts which the re-
publicans are making to reduce the surplus
revenue, and said that if the same methods
were resorted to that we're employed by the
republican party in Indiana in 1890, he had no
doubt tDey WOulu succeed III CONSIDERABLY re-
ducing the revenue before the present cam
paign is over. He dwelt upon the decline of
our merchant marine. He saw departing from
the port of New Orleans thirty-four North
German steamers, but not single vessel car
rying the stars and stripes.
Mr.. Gray is very able and finished speaker,
possesses a good voice and pleasing manner;
and his speech was very convincing one.
On the whole the meeting was a
decided success, and although the
evening was exceedingly warm, the
large audience remained seated to
the close and manifested great in
terest throughout. At about half
past ten o'clock the meeting adj
journed, and thus ended the first
grand democratic rally in our city
for the campaign of 1884.