Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-11-01
VEST ON THE TARIFF.
Senator Vest Delivers Some Plain
Tariff Talk.
The Tallaey OF Protection Tersely Stated-
TAxati0n Beyond the Necessities az the
GOvernment Virtually Legal
Robbery.

Robbevy.
KANSAS CRY, Mo-, Oct. 2&-The wig
wam was crowded last night with enthu- |
Iiastic Democrats to listen to Senator Vest
speak on the tariff question. The follow
ing are some Of the points made in his adj
1ress:
"a few years ago when serving on . sub-com-
mittee on commerce in the Senate heard the
of u gentleman from Boston which
proved to be n volume of Information and argu-
ment in regard to the question Of the carrying
trade OF the United States. He said that he
had visited Lima in South Americ for his
health ana he noticed that in that port tho
American flag could not be seen floating
from the mast OF q single one of the many
vessels that thronged the ports of that
His health improved and Ae
went back to Boston. thankful but philan-
thropic toward men living In his country. and
he determined that his country's nag should be
seen in that port OF Lima where he had drawn
In the fresh breezes of heaven, and the ocean re-
newed life and health. He undertook to build
an iron vessel, called . tramp in commerce.
simply hull and no cabin except for the ac-
OF its Officers and crew. The
commerce OF the world to-day Is carried by
these tramps, and he determined TO build one
of them, put the American flag above It and
carry it to this port of Lima. He undertook
to build 1t in this country. because he loved
the country. He was an American and wanted
to keep at homo every dollar to enrich Amer
lean people. He applied to Mr.. John Roach
and took his estimate as to the cost Of this YES
sell He applied to Holling & Hollingsworth
and took estimates from them, and he found #
would cost him more by e25 to the ton to build
that ship in the United States than upon the
Clyde Not able to meet this additional ex-
pense, he went to England, built his ship for
t25 less ton, brought it back and undertook to
put the flag OF his country upon 1t. He WAS
told he could put that flag upon it, but not in
our ports and not American ship
No foreign built vessel can carry the
stars and stripes into any ocean, known
or unknown, upon the face of tho earth.
He went to Lima. He loaded with
o car load OF notions which he bought in Boston
and sold them out at profit and then under
took to bring back his cargo because sailors Is
well as railroad men know that the ship or the
railroad train that goes loaded but one wa5
goes into bankruptcy and when he undertook
TO load it and bring it back to his country he
found the exports Of that country to be wool
and copper and STEEL He loaded with wool and
copper and started back to the United States,
and when he undertook to enter the port OF this
Government with his cargo he was met with
the high protective tarin and prohibited from
the shores OF his own native land. q per cent.
upon wool, large tarih duty upon copper
and he was compelled to take this cargo
70 England, sell it to the English manufactur-
ers. At the time he gave this testimony he
had his vessel permanently in the trade be-
tween England and South America. And yet
our Republican friends say why not pay sub
sidy to build up the carrying trade. Because
with this tariff we have destroyed exchange;
because with this tariff we have murdered COM
merce: because with this tariff we have vio-
lated the natural and fundamental laws that
obtain with men and nations that you must buy
where you sell; that you must in order 20 OBJ
tain equilibrium between individuals and be-
tween nations, you must give and take In the
ordinary transactions OF business"
s'This IS not . governmental unlimited power.
For centuries the world was stained with blood
for the doctrine Of absolutism. Our fathers
broke away from the terrible tyranny OF priest
and king and established this infant republic
It il tho doctrine OF the Republican party to-
day that Congress Is an absolute monarchy and
can put upon the people OF the United States
every tariff taxation they please provided they
do it to advance tho good and welfare OF the
country. Congress can not take the money Of
John Jones and give it TO Tom Smith. Laugh
teri Congress has no more right to make this
hat cost me d over and above my pro rata
share as q citizen OF this country to support
the Government than it has to say that the
money, u OF il OF George g. Vest shall belong
20 John Smith. Every citizen OF this country
owes allegiance to the Government, and should
pay that proportion OF his tax necessary to tho
support OF the Government and pay its officers
and maintain its army and 0avy and its foreign
ministers abroad, but beyond that Hmitcthe
very minute you cross 1t you enter into the
great unknown ana uuN11C8Dlc exercise OF
power under the general welfare clause Of the
Constitution. Our fathers intended no such
thing. The highest judicial tribune in this
country has declared that no sub poWe. ex-
listed. and Chief Justice Miller, an open,
avowed, aggressive Republican, said that taxa
ton beyond the necessities OF the Government
was robbery under the forms OF law"
but If this speaking OF the marine loSses)
has been the disastrous effect Of high pro-
tective tariff as to the carrying trade which is
n, ,pip H0p ic
OF the commerce OF 3 country, what has been
the effect upon agriculture? Ny friends, am
aware that I subject myself to criticism OF
making sectional appeal. OF attacking the in
terests OF any certain portion Of the Nation.
but shall not be deferred by any such
criticism from saying what I believe to be
the truth [great applausel, that the interest
OF agriculture is the most defenceless,
whilst the men who follow it are the
most numerous; they scattered over vast
extent of territory without organization; they
employ no help except that little ballot de.
posted in the ballot box to protect them and
their firesides and their homes; manufacturers
are found in certain locations and always in the
vicinity of towns and cities; manufacturers
organize they are standing to-day behind this
rampant Of a high protective tariff and in the
name of agriculture and in the name of labor
they are appealing to the people of the United
States to strike down Cleveland as q public
assassin of the prosperity and progress OF
the United States. Now. my fellow eiti
zens, as said before and I repeat
that any system of laws which unduly stimu
lates any great industry OF the country at the
expense OF others is unhealthy. wrong in prin
ciple and deadly in practice. We have estab
hshed this system-this high protective sys
tem-and we have now 347 10 on every 800 OF
imported goods; and what has been the result
on the agricultural interests of the Natfonf II
has steadily declined, and saw in paper yes
terday as came on the train to this city where
by the recent census of Kansas, our neighbor.
ing commonwealth, that the price Of farms had
deprecated in one year $50 1000. and farmers
in Western Kansas were leaving their homes
sacrificed under these mortgages drawing {
per cent interest,""
why, my countrymen, this country would be
prosperous under any tariff and in spite OF II
1t is like the argument that some men make
We talk about the evils of intemperance o,
they say, there's old Billy Brown, been drum