St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-10-23
THETARiFF DISCUSSED.
Menagess Hall We'll Filled and
Many Important @ uestions Dilated

JpOR.
The audience at Manages hall, in the
Fourth ward, was not as large as could be
wished last evening owing to the failure to
properly advertise the meeting. The hall
gradually filled up. however, and before
the meeting was over there was good
house. Seagrave Smith, the chairman of
the evening, was the first speaker. He
said it was good thing for men to gather
together and discuss the political situation
and give all the principles represented by
the two parties a fair and impartial
hearing. The present time, he said,
had never been equaled since the govern
ment was organized, and there must be
some reason for it. And this reason was
because few men had been becoming
richer and richer while others became
poorer and poorer. This. he said was due
to the policy pursued by the Republican
party, which had been in power over twenty
wears. The increase of wages was not so
great as some might think. he continued.
when it was known that the cost of living
was also increased, and in larger proper
ton than wages had been. Different au-
thorities were quoted to show this
to be fact. The manner in which capital
was arrayed against labor was simply ap-
palling and would continue TO remain SO
until the masses took the matter in their
own hands and elected men who were not
monopolists. The salaries of the railroad
presidents really belonged to the laborlng
men of the country, and the time would
come when every man would get his due.
The manner in which public lands had
been given to the railroad companies
was spoken of and the result
of it pictured in eloquent terms.
This country would never be really pros
porous until the laboring men were pros
porous, and not only a few men. The Re-
publican cry that the Republican party had
protected American property was de-
nounced as false in every particular. Mr..
Smith rected numerous cases where cor
porations had imported cheap foreign labor,
and wanted 10 know if this was protecting
American labor. The tariff question was
discussed at some length by Mr.. Smith
and the evils of protection pictured in a
manner that called forth applause
from the audience. The speaker showed
how the levying of tax worked
against the interests of the laboring
men by causing home manufacturers to
raise the price of their own home-m ade
goods the amount of the tax in addition to
the regular price. This was due to the
Republican party. who had made these
laws in order to enrich few monopoies.
The plan of the Democratic party would
be to reduce the tariff to a revenue basis;
remove the tax on the articles used by the
laboring people and put it on the articles
used by the rich people. Gilfillan's course
in congress was reviewed, and the speaker
said that in it he found nothing to com
mend, but much to condemn. McGill was
held up as the tool of the monopolsts and
proved to degree that would
convince the most unbelieving. No wonder
the men composing the Democratic party
were poor. said the speaker, no wonder
they were poor when they had not been
stealing as the Republicans had for many
years Many of the speakers who were re-
Wiling the Democratic candidate, said Mr..
Smith. were not fit men to make charges Of
that kind against any one. Had any one
ever charged Dr.. Ames with being
dishonest or incapable? No. not one. and
no one could be found who would dare
bring that charge against him. The APP
plause that greeted the mention of Mayor
Ames was tremendous and demonstrated to
q nicely the feelings of the audience
Mayor Rice. of st. Paul, was paid high
compliment and held up by the speaker as
one of Gods noblemen.
Thomas Lucas then took the stand and
spoke at some length on the platform of
the Republican party. He said he stoo
there not as Republican nor Demo
crat, but as an American citi
zen. Minnesota had, he said, no
prosperity that had been brought by the
Republican party. Minnesota, when the
Republican party took hold of it. was in
state of nature and all men could then
make money. Now it was only few men
that made any money, and the labering
men were obliged to work to a certain ex-
tent into the hands of syndicates of rich
men. The monopolies Of the state