Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-09-22
ar -9-lf1cE5 GzAzs
THE TARIFF sor A TAX.

g IN this tariff question. As a matter of
act We are not taxed. AS q matter of fact
is such an indirect taxation that like the
ressure OF the atmosphere upon Us, which
cientists tells Us Amounts TO fifteen pounds
the squaoe men, seemingly enough to
resh human being as he walks around,
-et it is SO fitted to cur form and to cur
leeds that we feel it not, save that 1t gives
Is strength and life. And so with the ln-
lirect taxation of the tariff. K oppresses
lone, save Democratic politicians and |
,ratcss. 1t oppresses no mar and no IL
ius.Ty, but il gives strength aad hfe-blood !
o The nation and enables il 10 surmolnt |
ts difficulties. tApplause.l
As listened TO Colonel Irish and the man |
Ter in which he depicted a man being !
axed and said that it was the result ef tariff |
axation. | thought of story | beard in |
ny younger days in the State OF New York. |
before the war; before there were national
banks. when State banks were the rule, and
when State bank was liable to start
0ne mouth and break the next. 1t
was said of man that he read
N newspaper that the Erie
Bank had failed and the bills were worth
nothing. He Immediately started for
home, fearing be was q total wreck finan-
cially, and hunted the house all over and
found that he had no bills Of the Erie Bank
nor of any other bank. Laughter So
the individual vino felt himself heavily
taxed, as he listened to Colonel Irish, if he
viii take the trouble 10 look into the mat
ter viii find that he is not taxed under the
tariff in the slightest degree, except as he
derives & benefit from it, and which 1epays
him by repaying the nstion.
PROTECTION AS INCIDENT To THE TARIFF.
From the commencement of the Govern
ment, from the very initiation of this enter
PRISE OF iree government in America, the
revenues OF the nation have been derived
from the tariff collected in the custom
houses. That | may not be misunderstood,
that | may be perfectly safe in stating this,
let me read TO you from the platform of
national party, setting forth its views upon
this proposition:
From the foundation of this Government
taxes collected at the Custom House have been
the chief source of Federal revenue. Such they
must continue to be.
That is the Democratic National platform
of 1884, which has been re affirmed bv the
Democratic National platform of 1883.
Certainly ii ought to be good authority for
Colonel Irish and other Democrats. Now,
that shows that the proposition that / ad-
vance, namely, that from the beginning OF
the Government the chief revenue-almost
the whole revenue of the Nation-has been
from tariff duties collected at the custom
houses. Under this tariff, under this prin-
ciple, by reason of this practice, protection
has naturally occurred to the infant indus
tries of the nation and manufactures have
spread themselves abroad in many States
in the Union, relying upon the tariff which
has been levied by the United States to
protect and insure their continued existence
and prosperity. Now, that l may not be
mistaken in this, the Democratic National
platform proceeds to say:
Moreover many industries have come TO RELY
upon legislation for successful continuance. 50
that any change of law must be at every step
OF the labor and capital thus involved
The process of the reform must be subject in its
execution to this plain dictate ofjustice.
This is the Democratic doctrine an
ncunced in 1884 and 1888, and read it 10
you as being the highest Democratic au-
thorlty in this world, and to show you that
the second proposition that / advanced aud
that l ask you TO consider with me, is true
namely, that by reason of the collection of
this tariff duty through the Custom-house
for the purpose of raising the revenues of
the Government, which course has been
adopted from the time the Government was
instituted, and is indorsed by the De-
moeracy as correct, protection has been a
necessary result, and that protection is
Recognized as part Of the governmental
policy OF the country, and tina; the Demo-
Gratis say that it ought not TO be, and the
Republicans say that it shall not be, dis
tur6ed this year. [Applause
The Democracy. in their speeches.
through their platform, and through ths
letter OF their Presidential candidate. dis
dlnctly deny that they ere for free trade.
They distinctly repudiate the idea thatth
ever favor free trpda IF thaA ho - :
the end of the argument upon the PROPOSE
ton as matter of argument, for they con-
cede every TACT that we ask; they concede
the necessity of the tariff: they concede
tnat the tariff must necessarily be protec-
i've, and they say that they are opposed to
free trade. Then what do they stand upon
They only resource left to them is that
which has been named by Colonel Irish
upon this platform that the Mills bill
Is a bill to reduce the tariff, and not
to make free trade. That they have
no desire to injure any manufactures.
Ihat they desire to reduce the taxes On the
necessaIles OF life. That they desire to re-
duce the taxes on the raw material and
that they desire to help the poor peo.
PIE and the plain. as Colonel Irish and Mr..
Cleveland term them. | shall endeayer 10
show 10 you from Democratic AUTHORITY.
and democratic authority alone, that every
one OF the claims made by Colonel Irish ia
destitute of foundation in truth or in fact
| shall show to you, l believe, from the
history of the party and the history of the
question, from Democratic authority. that
the Mll!s Dill IS direct shot at New Eng
lanu ana New ork. 1t is direct attempt
10 90 what they tried to do, and did do
almost, IL 1897, when they passed the last
Tree trade law known to the countrv Tt
would be sufficient general answer to this
proposition OF his and all other Democrats
speakers, that we need reduction in tox-
aion and that we are over-burdened and
over-taxed, to point to
THE CONDITION OF The COUNTRY.
Never before was it SO prosperous. Never
before were the people so contented. Never
before in the history of the world can he
shown the record OF country that fought
a war so long, so bloody and SO costly as
ours, that came out of it with q million and
a half OF soldiers and absorbed them into
peaceful pursuits of life without disturb
a1ce of any OF the financial or social or mo-
litical centers of the country that has re-
duced the debt nearly one-half; that has
reduced taxation over one-half. and that
to-day possesses 60,000,000 of free. happy
and prosperous people, all owing to the do
lngs, to the principles, to the votes and to
'ho iapOi oi tnS hepuOllCaD party OF the
nation in carrying out the American pro
tective system. [Applausel
As i sat in the audience and
listened to Colonel Irish telling the manner
IN which a man was taxed in the United
States; how he was taxed upon this and |
taxed upon that: how he was taxed when |
he was born, taxed when he was sick and |
axed when be was dead-as heard him |
ell about the wages of the iaborers of Mas. |
'achusetts being lower than the wages in |
England, / felt bad. I thought 'aMy conn |
ry is going down hill," if he can prove |
he truth of those statements. The next |
lay l examined the newspapers and the |
'eports, andiL could not find that one soli- |
AIRY laborer had left Massachusetts for |
England, notwithstanding his high taxes
md low wages, but found that hundreds of |
thousands OF laborers were leaving Eng
and, with its,setter wages and lower taxes.
md coming 20 the United States. where
Jolonel Irish says the wages are lower and
axes higher. .EApplause.l Facts speak
ouder than theories. Facts show that he !
aust be incorrect. Men do not leave the
country of their birth; they do not brave
he tempestuous Storms of the Atlantic in
q order to injure their condition nor to re-
Luce their wages. But as listened 10 him
thought that il be-would speak to some os
hese English woraiagmen that were leay.J
to come 20 this country end toll