Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-10-16
TARIFF TOPICS.
Able Exposition of Campaign Issues
at ArmOry Hall.

Antefes'bS anu convincing Al.
dresses by VI. }. Nc tniry and E,ec-
tor Scofield---Kevenue Reductions
Pensions--.A Word: for Our Next
Congressman.
1t does not take brass band and a |
monkey to get out sufficiently large
audience to hear campaign issues intelli- |
gently elucidated. 1t was unnecessary
to march band of musicians about the |
streets last evening for an hour or so
previous to the democratic meeting in
order to congregate enough citizens to
make respectable appearance. The an
nouncement that Hon. T. J. Scofield, of
Carthage, democratic presidential elector
for the Eleventh congressional district,
the talented orator of Western Illinois
and Mr.. NJ. J. McEn;ry, the eloquent
young lawyer, were to speak on the
issues of the hour, was sufficient to bring
together large assemblage of intelligent
men at Armory hall. who were entertained
and well pleased. Mr.. Jos. H Kerr pre-
sided and introduced as the first speaker
Mr.. M. j. McEniry, who commenced bis
remarks by allusion to the fact that it
was nearly four years since he had adj
dressed political assembly in the city of
Rock Island. Then it was that
he spoke on an occasion of res
joicing over the election of Grover
Cleveland as president of the United
States. Previous TO that great national
triumph at the polls, the prediction had
been made that in the event of Mr.
Cleveland's election to the presidency
certain. reforms would be inaugurated.
This promise and prediction has been
fulfilled far beyond our expectations.
The democratic administration of nation
al affairs has formed q record to be proud
of, and all people now recognize Grover
Cleveland as great statesman and pure
man. The speaker made mention of the
notable absence of republican TRADES
| against Mr. Cleveland in this campaign
and spoke of republican assertions and
predictions four years ago that in the
| event of CievelandS election great ca
| lamities would befall this country such
as the payment of the rebel debt, the re.
| endorsement of slaves. etc The demo-
cratic party has proven the nonsense of
these accusations by the pure reign of
Grover Cleveland, an administration de-
void of corruption, and in this respect in
marked difference and contrast with the
republican administrations of many years
standing preceding it. On the contrary
the democratic administration in its exist
ence OF three years and half has taken
from railroad corporations and returned
to the public domain 10000, 900 of acres
for actual settlement and has recommends
ed that So 000,0 600 acres more of such
land be returned to the pubic domain
where it belongs. The democratic party
in its work Of reform of national affair.
and measures has gone still further ant
recommended that revenues be returned Il
revenue basis. He ridiculed the idea tina
the tariff revenue Is not q tax. He spokt
of the forty -seven per cent tax on fou
thousand articles in our revenue laws, ant
vet in the face of this we are confronted
with an overlooking treasury of 500
900 900 that we have no use for. The ia,
which the republican party seeks to main
tain is tax for protection and not TO
revenue, and is contrary in every respect I
the fundamental system of our govern
ment The democratic party asks for
| reduction of revenue in so far that ther
be only so much derived from this sourc
of taxation as will meet the wants of tn
government economically administered
The republicans had accused the demo
Gratis of free trade tendencies because the
asked that the taxes borne by the peop
be reduced to a revenue basis and that tt
money be sent back into circulatio
which is now boarded up and accumula
ing in the treasury. Gen. Harrison ha
suggested that as remedy for th
] stn Of Of af- hat hn no
bonds be purchased The people of tn
country have paid out Sl3,0O0,000 {
government bonds as premium in Il
past five months, and it is the policy
! the democratic party that the reason f
paying these eyorbitaut premiums sh,
cease to exist. Allen G. Thurman h,
said in his Port Huron speech that Il
common people of this country had pa
one billion dollars to the protected indu
tries of this country.
Mr.. McEniry after dwelling furth
upon the unjust discrimination of t
protective ideas as in favor of the W
provided for few. and against the int
ests of the many and the masses of
people, turned his attention briefly to I
Mills bill, producing evidence to sh'
that it was not as charged, a lot
: measure or free trade measure, and Il
the republican idea of asserting that
VI was bill in the interests of England, a
whatever support it received W ould be
the interests of England, was an insult
the American people and AmeriC
voters, an appeal to the passions of n
and not their intellect. He alluded
the attempt of the republicans to max
great deal of political capital out of
fact that this government had recen
purchased 1900 army blankets from E
wv land and took occasion to say that he
written the secretary of war on the s
iect, and Secretary Endicott's reply ,
. that the laws governing the purchasin!
such articles, distinctly specified that t
| should be purchased of the lowest
u sponsible bidder in the open markets
the world. That the secretary of wa
President Arthur's cabinet had tounC
profitable to the government to purct
+ 1900 army blankets of the same Eng
! firm and each secretary before ii had d
- the same thing and no crv Wss m