The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-05-02
AsTRoNG POINT WELL TAKEN.
4 Contest Between the DrunIxard's Ape
tite and the Poor Mans Back.


New York Herald.
Mr.. McSlillin OF Tennessee, put the whole
tariff discussion ina nutshell yesterday. His
summing up OF the case between the republic
cans and the democrats was done in 4 single
sentence, which the workingmen of this cOun-
try would do we'll 10 keep in mind.
We are so situated just now that we must
choose between the two horns of dilemma, as
Mr.. McMillin said-namely, whether we will
reduce the tax on whisky or the tax cloth
ing-in other words, reduce the tax on that
without which men can live and prosper, or on
that which is essential To their existence and
comfort" lie then added, crowdng the ques-
ton at issue into terse and forcible statement
of fact that the matter ''narrOws itself down TO
q contest between the drunkard's appetites and
the poor mans back"
The point is well taken, and 1T cant be
eyaded This is the poor mans country, aud
ours is the poor mans government. IT there Is
any merit in our institutions it consists of the
jealousy with which they guard the rights of
the laboring classes, in the opportunities which
they afford them to improve their condition,
educate their children and surround themselves
with those domestic cOnyenienceS which no
other people on the face of the planet are per-
mitted to enjoy. The legislation which inter
feres with this benehcent purpose Is radically
unjust and intolerable. To foster capital ms
against labor is to run against the grain of our
peculiarly of the republic. To protect mo-
nopoly, combine which seizes the market by
the throat and lays every wage Garner in the
land under tribute to his avarice, is a step
away from true democracy, a step toward an
aristocracy that spurns the laborer with its
foot and degrades him with sneer OF con-
tempt.
With a huge and increasing surplus in the
treasury therefore, the business of congress is
TO bS Just 10 all and so respect the rights of that
great majority with its sleeves rolled up for
daily toll. In cutting down the revenue its
prime duty--of which the republicans naturally
enough seem TO have lost sight all together
is 10 give the masses the necesSaries OF life at
as low n rate as possible. Our lOOOo0OO voters
will hold their representatives at Washington
responsible for the performance OF that duty.
In "a contest between the drunkard's appe-
titeS and the poor mans back" there rs, then,
no room for hesitation Cheap blankets, cheap
clothing arc 10 be preferred to cheap whisky.
The policy which the republicans are pursuing
with inc0nceivable blindness, deliberately
choosing cheap rum i'm place of cheap over
coats, is only another proof that they have lost
the breadth and patriotism which used to gov
em their counsels and become decrept and
senile.
Mr. Mills in his opening speech showed, TO
the chagrin of republican leaders, that the
party of Blaine and Sherman slipped the taxes
OFF of the shoulders of capital as sood after the
war as was possible, but left them on the hum
BILE home OF the working classes, where they
remain to-day.
Mr. McAiiilin followed with Il statement of
fact as cold as ice and as sharp as the point of
a spear-namely, that this question OF tariff
reform 'narrows itself down te contest be-
tween the drunkard's appetites and the poor
mans back"
The country will vote in favor of "the poor
mans back"