Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-07-07

and applauded Cleveland Tor
his courage, devotion, and his steadfast adj
berence to principle. He contrasted the
policy Of repeated Republican administra-
ti0ns with the present one. showing hoH
much reader Democratic President is to
worth and talent in the South
than all the Republican Presidents put to-
gether. lie dwelt al length noon the re-
form instituted under this Administration,
and The satisfactory fulflment Of pledges
made by the party. lie then took up the
great question Of Federal taxation az viewed
from the Democratic platform adopted al st.
Louis.
SHOWING Up PROTECTION.
lie said the greatest political evil OF our
day il the protective tariff. The tOiling
many are made 10 pay tribute to the few
owing to this oppressive and unnecessary
taxation. Those engaged in unprotected In
du,trieS, among whom are the farmers. car
penters, blacksmiths. brickllyerS, &c., num-
Der ten times ~ many as those engaged In
protected industries, the latter being about
1 800, 900. Each family paws SlS in Federal
taxes and about 1915 as State taxes, while
as bouniies, the direct result OF the present
tariff, each family is taxed s12 as It's part OF
the tribute to these protective fayOrites. NO
wonder we fled IL difficult TO educate all the
children Of the Commonwealth. The an
nual surplus OF S10,O00,00O should warn us
how unnecessary this sort OF taxation Is.
What temptation to extravaganza and cor
ruptionl But the tariff lord must be made
rich. You must do without what is neces-
sary: he must have the luxury. The Gov
crnment has no right 10 tax but for its eco
nomical support. We are prosperous in
spite Of the tariff.
LOW vs.. HIGH TARIFF.
The history OF our country demonstrates
that there was greater increase in our pros
perIty in the lOw-tariif period than In the
high.tarif period. Low tariff has been tried
in our country and found highly conducive
to great national prosperity. Here Colonel
Beirne gave comparative statistics OF the low
tariff OF 1SJ0-lSG0 and OF the high tariff OF
1SG0lSS0.
The greatest liberty, the least interference,
are the most successful promoters Of pros
peritv. Upon the 100000 OF farmers fall
the burdens most heavily. They bear the
greater portion 81 the tax and are no whit
benefited. The speaker showed that the
prices OF farm products were higher in the
low period.
THE WORK OF MONOP0LIEs.
The cry OF home competition has been used
by monOpolists to deceive the people. The
tariff for protection is primarily intended TO
keep prices no. These gigantic trusts, the
curse OF our dsy and the terror Of the people,
are made possible bya high tariff. The duty
is not paid abroad, but by our over.taTed
A long list of prices quoted by the
sneaker made TINS very clear, showing
values in the United States as compared
with values in other countries. With our
skilled labor, our superior machinery, and
free raw materials, our products will
EASILY compete with the products OF other
countries in the markets OF the world.
our labor is the most eflicient no nation can
equal us In the labOr-cost OF the manuiac-
tured article. The American operatyels not
paid az much 10 proportion for Whist he
does as the European operative. Colonel
Beiine in support OF this argument gave
statistics OF various countries.
WI ages are higher in frce.trade England than
in protected France, Germany. and other
protected countries. That wages differ in
different communities Of the same country
proves that wages are not dependent on the
tariff, but are an economical question de-
pending upon Q) supply and demand, (2)
the efficiency OF labor, sud 60 on the price OF
raw materials. We have the first and
second. GIVE us the third. Yet we are
asked TO pay bountles for the enrichment Of
the few. we are asked to established class
OF plutocrats.
THE MILLS BILL.
The Democrats have made an effort to re-
Iieve the people OF tile burdens OF taxation.
This is the Mills bill. 1t does not provide so
large reduction as tariff reformefs desire.
An average Of % per cent is enough. The
bill was carefully considered, and removes
the taxes from many articles OF general use
and needed By the people clothing, utensils
for farming and household, glassware. dc.
The reduction amounts to S45,OOO,0OO from
customs revenue. lowering the present duty
from ~ per cent. down to 3S per cent,
saving TO every family S3.75, and four times
that sum by the lower prices of articles.
The bill does away with the restrictions OF
the interua.reyenue laws and removes taxes
upon that trade. Every Democrat should as
heartily support this bill. as Ii Is vebemently
opposed by the Republicans. The Republi-
cans were promising reductions few years
ago, but their own deeds expose hefaiseness
of their Dretences. The Democratic party
has proved its faith by its works, and the
Mills bill will pass the House.
WORD FOR TOBACCO.
The speaker went on to show how the Re-
publjcans defeated the resolution offered by
Henderson, OF North Carolina. providing
for the abolition OFT the license-tax on dealers
In leal.t0bacco. The Democrats are the
friends OF the tohacco-growers. Any care
full student Of political history knows how
the Democratic party has been the opponent
OF the protective scheme Of taxation. IL has
always sealed high tariff with its con-
demnation. Even the Mills bill contains
more protection than would ever have re-
eeyed the approval Of the fathers OF the De-
mocracy when industries bad stronger
claims. Colonel Beirne quoted in support
OF bis statement Jefferson, Calhoun, and
Jackson.
THREATENS THE c0UNTRY's PROSPERITY.
who is so blind as TO think that Andrew
Jackson would have encouraged those who
are trying to defeat the Mills billl The
tariff under the Wing administrations was
much lower than the exorbitsnt demands OF
the present Republican party. The present
tariff threatens the prosperity OF the coun.
trv--enriches a small class at the expense OF
and to the injury OF the many. II makes
tue pcopio supgcVl w Wv eOhhe' " -.
tocracy. IL Is the worst form OF fraternal-
ism in government.
The great question OF the day is. "In
whose interest shall this Goyermest be con-
ducted--tbe few or the msnyf A tax.fed
piutocraey or the toiling masses OF the peo-
pley
HON. ". W. BERRY.
Hon. w. ". Berry, OF Liberty, was next
who, with his usual eloquence
and humor, elected much applause. Alter
commenting heartily the Splendid speech OF
Colonel Rerns and bis record as the fore
most representative OF the young Democracy
he sketched the progress Of American in-
dependence. There were giants In those
days aud they buildsd better than they