The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-07-18
night and viii speak for himself better than
anyone can speak for him.

anyone eau speak lot hlu'
congratulate you, therefore, fellow citizens
and democrats, upon having a glorious ticket !;
ticket made strictly in compliance with the
demand OF the people, and without the
slightest faint OF corruption or political
trickery. The ticket is all right. The platform
Is all right The election will be all right, and
what will result from il will be all right, for
have not particle of doubt but the success OF
the democratic ticket will best promote the in
terests OF the people and the prosperity OF the
whole country.
Four years ago the republicans told YOU
what terrible mischief would happen If Cleve-
land should be elected president. The result
shows that these doleful prophecies were totally
untounded, and that the persons who made
them were false prophets-were prejudiced
partisans of unsound Judgment.
President Cleveland came into power with
these doleful prophecies hanging over him,
and with many difficulties 10 encounter. Some
OF these | will briefly enumerate:
l.. lie had a political majority against him
IN the senate, q body which could reject his
nominations to Office, as well as defeat all DEM
ocratic legislation
2. The then house of representatives was so
constituted that important revenue reforms
which he favored could not be passed even by
that body.
8. Republican ''false prophets" and secret
enemies were in possession OF the federal offices
everywhere.
4. He was embarrassed by laws, not of his
own choosing, which he could not properly
disregard.
8. He was sorely pressed by a great multi
tude of his own political friends eagerly de-
handing Office. Many of these were worthy
some not. All had been crowded away from
the public crib by the republicans for twenty
four years, and had been wandering, as il were,
all that time on the commons with dry weather
and distressingly short grass. Naturally enough
the poor fellows were exceedingly hungry.
They were not ignorant, either, oil their own
Importance, and were seriously apprehensive
that the country would be irretrievably ruined
II places were not provided for them immedi-
ately.
1t was hard for them to realize that there were
numerous applicants for the same place; that
In any event many had TO be disappointed;
that important interests were involved, of vari-
Gus kinds which made great care and delibera-
ton an absolute necessity
Now, fellOw-citzens have had some little
experience, in my day, in the distribution of
patronage, and am sure but voice the judg-
ment of every man of thought and experience
when say there is nothing more delicate and
difficult. If there is any greater, more per-
picking and difficulty duty to perform on this
earth than the proper distribution of the i'm
mense patronage of the government OF the
United States | do not know what il is.
The greatest consolation that can be offered
Gen. Harrison is that he is not going to be
troubled with it.
1t was never more difficult than under the
circumstances existing when President Cleve-
land came into power; yet with all the diff
culties TO encounter which have mentioned,
and many more which only persons familiar
with this vast government OF great and varied
interests can understand, this man, Grover
Cleveland, himself in the beginning not famil-
lar with the machinery of the federal govern
ment, so met them all, in less than four years,
as TO win the unanimous Endorsement of his
own party, and the respect of all fair-minded
IL,
where; A man who could do this
must have in him all the elements of an in
dustrious wise and sagacious executive.
Suoh a man deserves to rank, and will rank
with the best and most successful statesmen of
the age. lie deserves charitable judgment,
all respects agree with him, for certainly he
has honestly tried TO do what was Just and
right in the administration Of his great office.
Such man can safely be trusted. 1t would
be folly to turn him out of Office at this crisis
OF his career of usefulness To do so would
prove the sovereign electors of this country un-
just and ungrateful, as well as unwise.
The country is enjoying unusual prosperity
under his rule. and il would be the height of
folly, at this time, TO risk the hazard Of
change.
Especially is this true now when he and his
party are endeavoring TO reform most vicious
and oppressive system of taXtion-a system
which was fastened on the people by the re-
IuDllCHn party. ana &c sui defended by fhpm-
Under the most deceptive and unfounded pre-
texts. One of these is that il is TO protect
American labor from foreign pauper labor.
This claim is very thin in many ways. For
instance, when ii was proposed 10 protect
American labor from its worst competitor
Chinese labor-you all know how the repub-
lican candidate for president voted, and the
position that party occupied. What protection
the tariff law gives goes 10 the benefit of the
owners, and not TO the worlSmen. 1t goes to
the few and is taken from the many. 1t comes
off the necessaries of life which we all have
TO use and increases their cost. Stock
holders and owners gobble up the profits of q
tariff in dividends and otherwise. No consid.
cradle part OF IL ever goes to the workmen, and
you know it, III only enough was raised to
pay the expenses of the government, eeonomi-
cally administered, il would not be so bad, but
under this republican law a vast sum is raised
every year. beyond the needs of the govern
ment. This is taken out of the pockets of the
people and the channels of trade, and goes
into the treasury of the United States and be-
comes dead capital TO the great injury OF the
business OF the country. IL is very injurious,
too in encouraging extravagant expenditures,
and is gradually corrupting and undermining
our government, which was intended, by its
founders, should be plain, economical gov
eminent. The parties benefited by this
tax are the lobbyists. the monopolists and the
owners of manufactogies. The consumers of
the articles taxed are the ones who pay the
fiddler, and they are the great mass OF the peo-
Pile 1t is absolutely and unqualifedly untrue
that the democratic party is in favor OF free
trade. The low-dOwn republican who say this
simply lies-the position of that party is that
q tariff tax should be laid on imported articles,
but only enough, with the other proper
sources OF revenue, to pay Legitimate expenses
of the government, and that il should be laid
on luxuries used mainly by the wealthy, who
can afford to pay, rather than on the necessar-
les Of life, which everybody must
of reducing the tariff 10 this standard.
The republicans oppose ii, but would take
the tax off tobacco and whisky. They arc for
cheap whisky for the laboTing man, but for
dear clothing, tools, fuel and food. That is
what we claim is the effect of their policy. The
issue then between the two parties on this tariff
question is, that the democrats wish to reduce
taxation in the interest OF the industrial classes
and of the whole people, and the republicans
wish 10 keep it up in the interests OF corpora
tions and monopoies, as well as those who
fatten on extravagant government appropria-
tons. And now, fellow citizens and democrats,
with such principles and candidates, is there one
solitary reason why you should not support the
democratic ticket?
The republicans ask you to desert your party
and your principles because their candidate,
Ben Harrison happens to live in Indiana.
When did they support one of your candidates
for such a reason? Why | presided over the
ratification meetings in this city in 1876, and
again i'm 1884 on both of which occasions the
same citizen of Indiana was on the presidential
ticket-our dearly beloved Thomas a. Hen
bricks. Did our republican friends howl for
Hendricks on the ground OF state pride? /
heard 'nary a howP of that kind. Neither
did any of you. They can't say the reason was
because Hendricks was n native OF Ohio and
not of Indiana, for that is exactly Harrison's