Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1886-07-29
.A...AasiTAYLOR.
HIS SPEECH AT KNOXVILLE.


hcpuullCitnS anu bciiiuCiNtS hiihc lIOlil
several East Tennessee counties were
present to hear the Hon. A. A, Taylor
discuss the living political issues of the
day. and all who heard him at Staub's
theater went away well pleased.
The theater was comfortably filled,
many ladies being present. AT half past
o'clock the speaker was introduced by
Hon. o., P. Temple
Fellow citizens of Tennessee, I thaak
you for this reception. / take it, that it
means, the Republicans of Knox county
and adjoining counties are united and de-
termined upon Republican victory this
year We have known that as the minor
ity party of this State, we must be united
in the coming conflict and have no fights
or petty jealousies inside the Republican
ranks, and so be able to spread harmony
among the Republicans this year, that
they will put their shoulder to the wheel
with determination, that will return the
Republican party once more to power. /
am here, upon your invitation, to address
you upon the issues Of the present, and
when I say this, mean 1t. will not
stop to inquire who was right and who
was wrong in the great struggle of TWEEN
ty.fve years ago, but am here to consider
the welfare now of the people Of to-day.
The speaker here alluded eloqlently to
the confederate soldiers who, twenty-five
years ago, followed the flag Of the lost
cause in tatters and rags, with the blood
of shoeless feet marking the ground over
which they marched, and said that they
did not do 1t, for the paltry sum of six
teen dollars per month in confederate
money, but because they believed they
were right. But he sympathized with
those who followed the stars and stripes,
although loo young to be among them.
He still sympathized with them and be.
lieyed they were worthy of all recogni
tion.
He then proceeded to arraign the Dem
ocratic party for failing to redeem Its
pledges made TO the people and for Its
unstable character, having been on al
sides of all public questions in the past
twenty five years. He said:
But has the prosperity of this country
this country, whether the Democratic
party has redeemed any Of their pledge:
or mott Are you as prosperous as you
were2 How Is it with the clerks aud EN-
ployees! are your wages increased or GU
down? How is 1t with the business mer
Of Knoxville and surrounding country
are you prospecting and happy? How il
. it with the agricultural interests of thil
country, have you got an improved
market for your productions? DO you re
ceive the cash in hand and can you max,
more ready salcs of your productsi How
is is with freemen In every department o
life. How is it with the laborerY Is /
to his advantage in providing for neces
sary expenses and was there ever the tim
since the republic existed that you fount
itso hard to get employment.
want to talk to your good reason ant
Judgment. Iwant to tell you the trutl
and then you say whether Democrac,
has redeemed its pledges. Doesn't it ap
pear like their doctrine was tomake th
rich richer and the poor poorer2 Ha
this party redeemed a single pledgeY
answer that theyIhave been the means o
making reduction Of at least 20 pc
cent. in values In every. instance sine
their party came into power, and eve
Democrats have taken the party to tasl
for the methods and ways they have ia
ken care of the man who depends upol
his muscle and labor for the support o
himself and family. The speaker the
referred to an editorial in the Louispill
Courier -Jomnal of May nth, 1885, i
which it gave their party leaders
thorough overhauling for the way the
have managed national affairs.
The leading question our friends, tn
Democrats, seem most eager to press, @
this time, instead of letting it alone a
the best interest of the country requires
as we Thinks the tariff question. The
seem determined to redeem their oft re
peated pledges to tinker with this subjec
and 70 this fact may be justly attribute
much Of the widespread distress result
ing from the general stagnation OF bus
ness throughout the land-as shall b
able to show you. Without dispositio
to evade this or any other matter of pul
lie importance, ] unhesitatingly here an
now re. declare and re.affirm my faith |
the doctrine Of the Republican part
upon this question. mi a'a
Tariff means, literally, a list or table {
duties, imports or dues In our. polite
It signifies simply the duty or charge r,
quired by government upon commoditit
exported or imported, whether domestl
"a. is pro ..u'd at home, or foreign tht
Is s.ploduced abroad. In this discussio
we use the term in reference to dutit
charged upon foreign products Thel
are two principle methods of sustainin
the national treasury in this country
recognized by all parties as constitution
--one is by tariff on foreign product
the other Is by direct taxation. The pla
of direct taxation is regarded by ever
body. almost, as peculiarly burdensom
expensive, nvenient-offcnsive-
only justiiiable when demanded by Il
pressure of extreme necessity. I'll
tariff then, that is duties or imposts, CO
lected on foreign importations, is recoi
nized and adopted by all political parti,
here, as the most convenient. inexpensi,
and the least onerous and therefore Il
most desirable source of revenue avail
BILE for our government. The diiferens
Of opinion which makes an issue betwee
the parties is this The Democratic pla
form declares for % tariff for revenl
only. The Republican creed is 30 ia
iff' not for revenue only. but so adjuste
as TO protect the American laboringms
wherever possible, and to encourage e.
terprise and capital to develope the +
sources and bring into available use Il
dormant wealth of our country. Our o.
ponents tell us, In arranging your tariff
charges on articles of foreign import, yt
must have in view revenue only, W
must not look 10 ascertain whether Il
charges you are fixing upon the articl
from England, France or German
will help or hurt the manufacturer, m
chanic or farmer Of America, but simp
and only how much money can v
squeeze out of 1t into the United Stat
treasury. On the other hand, we belize
1t to be the privilege and the sworn du
Of the American legislator, in fixing Il
tariff on all imports, to intelligently al
wisely discriminate always and to so a
lust charges upon the imported commo