Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-11-18
IROQUIS CLUB.
A Number of Prominent Democrats Pres.
ebt-Letters OF Regret Received From
President Cleveland and Others.
CHICAGO. Nov II

Club was given tonight at the Palmer House.
Among the best known democrats present
were John G. Carlisle, Senator j. B. Beck
and Edward S. Bragg. Letters of regret
were received from President Cleveland.
VIM. c. Endicott, Abrsm S. Hewitt Rowell
Flower, S. S. Cox, Gov. ID B. Hill, A. G..
Thurman, Fitz Hugh Lee and others.
After the banquet, at which between 250
and 800 members of the clubs and guests SAT-
down, the following toasts We're made and
responded TO indicated:
american industries, their growth and
prosperity cannot be promoted by unneces-
sary or unequal taxation. John S. Carlisle,
THE treasury surplus and the tariff y.
B. Beck
''The public lands and the peoples heri-
tsge for homes w J. Sparks.
"The great republic. M. w. Fuller.
The President of the United States
Edwafd S. Bragg.
"Monopolies shall not rule"-J. Sterling
Morton.
The Sancity of an American home the
safeguard of American liberty. jas. Doo-
little.
democratic party"-L. t Kinneo.
The young men in politics"-F NJ. Leh-
man.
Among other things, Carlisle said:
Taxes do not create wealth-they destroy
il. All taxation, whether il be direct or ndi-
rect, no matter how it may be disguised or
in what manner its payment may be enforced,
it is ultimately charged on labor, while its
immediate and nvariable effect is to with
draw full amount of exaction from the pro-
ductive industries of the people. An abso-
lutte equality in the adjustment rates of taxa
ton and in the designation of articles upon
which it shall be imposed, is not TO be ex
pected, aud in fact not attanable, but a sub
stantial equality and uniformity are essential
elements IN every just revenue system. The
! policy of protection, inaugurated nearly three
| quarters of a century ago, has added largely
to the cost of production, BY increasing the
price of machinery and materials aud neces-
sites of life II has confined the products of
| the so-called protected industries to the home
market exclusively, so that the amount OF
production must be regulated by the domestic
demand and operations must be suspended
when that demand is satisfied. 1t has OBJ.
structed international exchanges 1t has
! provoked other governments to resort to re.
taliatory measures, discriminating against
our products and trade in their own ports
and markets, and giving preference to the
products and trade of our most formidable
rivals and here. at home, by encouraging
/
profits rather than their own capacity. 1t has
greatly impaired the spirit of indepen-
dence and enterprise, which is absolutely in
dispeBsible to the prosecution of business in
this age of improvement Mt and progress. These
are only few of the evils which the existing
system of taxation has inflicted upon the
country. Many valuable industries, which
would have tlourished without it, have beer
tortured to death by its unt quail burdens ant
unjust determinations, while thev have been
crushed by the combinations and monopolie.
which it creates and sustains. Some have
prospered in spite of it but the sum of the
peoples wealth aggregate the accumulation
| of savings in all branches of industry is un
doubtedly much less than it ought to have
been and would have been under a more
equal revenue system and more liberal com
mercal policy, A few have become very
rich, but many have become very
poor and gulf between luxury anC
penury is growing wider and deeper day by
day. This unnatural and dangerous condit
ion of affairs could not possibly exist in
young and rapidly developing country like
ours if the laws and regulations affecting
creation and the distribution of wealth were
Just and equal in operation. With a fertile
sell and friendly climate, with inexhaustable
stores of coal and iron, two of the most pow.
ertul material agencies IN our modern civ
| iliZation, with vast extent of unoccupieC
and undeveloped territory. with free Dstitu
tions and intelligent, Industrious and enter
prslng population we ought to be exempt
from social and political diseases which afflc
crowded nations of the old world and we will
be exempt from them when we tax all alike
and protect all alike. Living in such coun
try and surrounded by marvellous achieve
ments OF the most wonderful halt century ir
the annals of the human race if the people
continue unDr0sperous and discopteuted, if
wealth continues to accumulate rapidly in the
hands of the idle few while hunger and max
edness increase in the very homes of industry
and invested capital remains uneasy and in
secure and labor dissatisfied it will be the
burning disgrace to statesmanship of the ags
and terrible weight of responsibility will
rest upon those who reject all measures OF
relief and cling with stubborn teuacitv to the
worst features of the system under which
these evils originated and attained their pres
ent proportions. While free trade is imprac
ticable industrial and commercial emancipa
ton can and will be accomplished by wis,
and moderate measures of reform, withou
interfering with any private enterprise or in
Juring any public interest. Whether in pub
lie or in private life | shall stand b,
that pledge to The extent of my ablitie,
and opportunities, contribute in every wa'
to the early and complete triumph of revenu
reform.