The Russellville Democrat., 1888-05-03

discussion OF the tariff iniquity. 1t
was q mastery argument and demon
strated clearly thewisdom Of the dem
ocratlc position on this question.
He closed amid great applause.
Col. EAGLE
was next introduced and spoke sub
stantially as follows:
There have been two great parties
in the country ever since the govern
ment was founded, and these parties
existed One of these parties looks
to the government for parental pro-
lection and seeks a centralized power.
The other encourages the people to
depend on their own efforts and look
more to their own strength than to
the government.
The republican party represents
Capitalization and the democratic
party represents states rights and
individual rights. / oppose the Blair
bill because it is not in accord with
my idea of democracy. | do not
think the government has the right
to take the peoples money by tax
alton and then appropriate it back to
them in this way. The trainers OF
the constitution did not contemplate
such legislation. 1t wonld interfere
with tariff reduction. The govern
ment should use the surplus in the
treasury in paying her debts. The
Blair bill tends to parental govern
ment. The children educated with
such money would grow up in favor
of tariff and then the tariff idea would
control this country. The republican
party should be displayed because it
favors and continues the protective
tariff. The great fight now is wheth-
err we shall have protective tariff or
the democratic party opposes it aad
the republicans favor 1t. All the
other candidates oppose the Blair bill
except Col. Fletcher. He says he
will accept the money if the bill be.
comes a law. i would do so too, be
cause if other states receive the
money Arkansas should get her part.
l favor the free school system. Top
pose a constitutional convention.
The present constitution is about the
best one IN existence. Some say it
is too narrow. | think the rights of
the people are better protected under
it than any we would likely get.
Taxation is limited. This prevents
speculation in bonds and scrip. This
has brought Arkansas out of bad
state of insolvency. 1t is danger
Gus for the state and counties to issue
bonds. The present. constitution
prohibits that. 1t also protects the
people against oppression by the
railroads and other corporations.
There are things In it that should be
changed but it can be done by
amendment. l am in favor of pro-
tecting the people against railroads,
yet / am in favor of fostering the
roads and encouraging the building
eff others. | am In favor of regulat-
ing freights in a way that will be
fair to the people and just to the
roads.
Some of you remember fifteen
years ago the condition of the peni
Tertiary was costing thousands upon
thousands and nothing TO pay ii
With. All the legislature could do
then was to lease it out so it would
be self sustaining. Wrongs have
grown up under that system and pre-
sent such scenes as those at Coal
Hill.
Arkansas seems stepping out into
a new existence. We have come in
to the notice of the north and east
The last two legislatures provided
for the development of our state.
look for grand forward soon. We
have the soil, the climate and the
mineral to make this one of the fore.
most states in the union, and | would
like to be its governor,
think Gov. Hughes should be
allowed to rest He has made q
most excellent governor, but let him
rest and let Eagle be governor for
awhile. Rector is young man and
can wait. | would not care if he was
governor after am through with it.
Col. Eagle was frequently cheer
ed
Col. RECTOR