The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-09-14
Col. Pa,terson,s Remarks.

Col. PattersOn's Remarks.
Col. Josiah Patterson was the frat
to speak, aud was heartily welcomed
when he took the stand. lie spoke
fully an hour and half, and was fire.
quently Interrupted by applause. The
greater portion of his time was taken
up with discussion of the tariff, of
the Blair bill, snd with a denial that
he was a henchman of SsIa'or
Harris. He called attention to the
daily reports of strikes all over
the country under a pro ective
tariff and asked if any man ever saw
or heard of tramp before the war.
The tramp he declared to be a man
who had worked for protected capital
Until more than the county waited
had been produced and then he had
been cast off to starve, From
1850 TO 1860 the tariff was
lowest. Twenty.three and a half
per ceut. of the earnings OF tie
country went to labor, and from 1870
to 1880 only 174, For thirty years
prior to 1860 wages increased so per
cent. aad the cost of living l22, and
for the next twenty years wages iu-
cree sed bat "a per cent, while the
price of living advanced 144 per cen
He said he favored equal laws a d
equal rights, platform on which the
great masses OF the people could stald,
but on which there was no room for
the protective classes. Protection
here, by the aid of the corrupt lobby,
benefited the few, ard not the toiling
millions. He wanted to know how the
fouudries could be benefited by pay ng
AZ per cent. on raw material, and
how the man who latoted there
cou'd be benefited, and how
could the farmer be benefited who
bought the goods they manufactured.
Take the painter as he wends his way
along the sidewalk with his bucket,
his brushes end his ladder. How
could he be benefited by paying 35 per
cent on raw material?
Col. Patterson declared he was OF
posed to prote ction, but was in favor
Of deriving only such revenue by
the imposition of custom duties as
would pay the expenses OF the govern
ment economically administered.
When that Is done the government
has accomplished its purpose. l do
not mean that We would wholly wipe
out the tax en- wool, iron, etc.
The Avalanche, newspaper pub
lished in this city, has been the apollo
gist for protection ever since Mr.. Poe
Ian owned it. 1t is in favor OF levying
"such a Gu y as would foster the man
ufacturlng interests of the country"
This is delusive language. Toe adjus-
ment of the tariff is done by lobbyists.
Each wants the tariff fixed 80 rs to
prott C. him in the particu ar branch
of tr, d. in which he is eng aged. They
have gone on and on unul wa have
he present protective ter IF which
hangs like nightmare over the COM
try.
Mr.. Phelan says he is not respons'-
BILE for the te ances of the Avalanche.
When the time comes for all mn 10
account for the deeds done in the flesh
he will be held accountable for the
utterances of his own newspaper
What would you think of Rabbi who
owned Methodist newspaper, or a
saloon keeper who owned a Prohibit
ton journal? II l had a BIRD and he
did not sing to suit ma would wing
mis- neck. Mr.. Phelan booms p ote,-
ton with his money, aud asks votes
with another voice.
As to the Blair bill, / must say l
have not caught ON to Mr.. Phelan's
idea of that measure. He declines to
follow Lis apey. An old darby
preacher whom ! heard one day told
his congregation that the way to
heaven was br ad and narrow aud
hat to hell cro ked aud straight
Wbereupon one of the br ,thers re-
marked that he guessed he'd take to
the bushes. Tha' is where Mr. Phe-
Ian is driven. do not believe this
government ba' the right to tax this
people for the purposes OF edu-
catior. This statement that it is
means of getting rid OF the surplus in
the Treasury is flimsy excuse to i'm
pose tax for edu3st on on the masses
instead OF the organized capitalist.
am opposed to anything under
cover of which the ma iJnal govern
ment may put it's hand into our local
self government, which is the create st
blessing Of this country. l had rather
live uuder bad local laws than good
ones made by the central government.
Ireland does not sop 10 think about
he- laws; she wants her freedom.
l do not belong to any l ish So
cety and have not drop of Irish
blood in my veins. l am every inch
an American, but If / were in Con-
gress / would not hesitate to declare
my conviction that this country is
powerful enough to extend cord al
support to the downttodden people OF
the Emerald Isle.
The European idea is that blessings
come down from the general govern
ment like mamma from Heaven. II 9re
we look on the government merely az
an agency AID rely on our own man
hood tn carve our way through life.
The Blair bill looks to me like the
Freedman's Bureau just after the war,
when the colored people expected to
have government gold rained down
upon them. Give me JeffsIson's idea,
that the national government shall
simply protect the lives, liberty
and property Of individuals, leaving
the st TO the t5wnship, the county
and the State. / am in favor of the
State giving the best opportunities for
general education, and / would advo-
cate the setting apart OF the public d D
main for geaeral educational purposes.
Mr.. Phelan srys | am the candidate
OF Senator Harris. II he means it in
the sense that he favors my candidacy
he is correct, but if he thinks | am
the henchman Of Senator Harris or
any other man be is very sadly
mltaken in his man. | have an in
d vduaity, a conscience and an intel
ligenee Of my own, that belongs to me
aud is swsyed by no man. II is un-
true that in this matter am PLAYING
a role. The Ardidnche tried to put me
ia the attitude Of a dark horse and
now its owner seeks TO put
me in az entirely different
attitude. 1t is untrue that knew Of
The withdrawal of Mr.. j. NJ. Harris.
did not know anything about Il I'M
Ill Is1w it in the papers. He never
3aid word to me about with