Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-08-31
OPENS THE CAMPAIGN
Judge Thurman at Port Huron Fires
the First Gun-His Speech Corker.
He Pays a High Tribute to President
Cleveland and His Cabinet,
And Presents the Tariff Question in a
Clear and Telling Manner.
THE OLD ROMAN.


Delivers Solid Speech.
PoRr HURON, Aug. 22.-In q pine grove
beautiful park that lies between Port
Iuron and Ft. Gratiot a speaking stand
lad been erected, about which large
crowd awaited the exercises of the after
noon. Fully 1900 people, mostly mea,
were present when the chairman
called the meeting to order but
the speech of Judge Thurman, and ell
united in the applause that was given
the speech aud speakers.
Mr.. j. G. 0'Eeil, of Port Huron, intro
duced Judge Thurman, and in dong So
made neat comparisoa between the
grand old man" of England ana "Oid
Roman" of America. Judge Thurman
was greeted with burst % applause
from tho big crowd. After the people
quieted down he began his speech.
Synopsis OF JUDGE THURMAN 5 SPEECH.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: Will you al
low me to keep my hat on COT course,
certainly') am afraid with this cold north
wind it might do me some harm if | went
bareheaded, and although l en- perfectly
willing to uncover my head before the
people, still L do not want to break
down at the beginning of the
campaign. Voices, "keep your cap on".)
My friends, this is the first time in my
life that have had the honor TO speak in
your city. | have been invited again and
again, but have never been able TO accspt
any invitLtion before this esteem
it great privilege to be able
to address you today. (Applause.)
1t is not necessary for me before [ pro
ceed to speak of the president of the
Unitod States and his administration
more than in very few words. | d ely
any man who has any regard for the
truth to say that Grover Cleveland has
not made good president OF the United
States. (Applause.) brave, intelli-
gent, level headed, noble president. He
has had
OLRls, UPRIGHT ARD SUCCESSFUL ADMIN
IsrBATIoN.
applause AID cries, "Hurrah for Cleve-
land."} Four years ago he WIS elected.
In the canvass that preceded his election
his opponents predicted all manner of
evils in case he did succeed, and pray,
what has become OF their predictions!
Where is the ruin that was to
follow the election OF Grover
CIevelandi Where is the disgrace that
was to follow his electiOnH On the con
trary, the country has been moro qnlet,
more paaceable and more prosperous
than it has been for many years that
have gone by. (Applause.) Now, know
the man; know him well; and l tell you,
my fellow citizens, that more upright
and wise man, | do not believe, iweljs
within the United States. (Applause.)
And he has a noble band of counselors
around him, and not least among them Is
this distinguished citizen OF your state,
Mr.. Dickinson. (Great applause.) Mr..
Cleveland knows not only how to rule
himself, within the limits of tho con
stitutiou, but he knows full we'll how to
choose good constitutional advisers.
(Applnuse.) Now, my friends, having
said this much about the administration
let me proceed to taat question which
is commonly called
ruE TARIFF QUESTION.
presume there is not person within
the sound of my voice who does not know
what il meant by tariff, and yet 1T may
aid US to day if give a clear ana precise
definition of what tariff is. Tariff, my
friends, is nothing in the world but tax,
levied by the general government upon
articles of commerce that come into the
United States, and that are intended for
sale within her borders and which Incl
dentalIy -aises the prices, and therefore
becomes law or burden upon every
article of domestic manufacture OF like
nature with these which pay the tariff.
THE SURPLUS.
Now we have at this moment, accord
ing to last advice | have seen, about
$l16, 100000, called the surplus revenue,
that is taxes collected from the people
beyond the necessities of the govern
nent. Those dollars, 115,000,000, are ly
ing perfectly idle in the vault of the
treasury of the U. s., of no service to any
human being, drawing no interest, earn
ing no profits but taken from
the pockets OF the people where
they properly belong, and if they WIRE
found there thousands and tens OF thou
sands and hundreds of thousands of
people Of the United States would pat
tnsm to good use, and improve their con
dition and prosperity. Now, the demo
cratic party says, that this is wrong
condition OF affairs that that money ought
not to be like the talents OF the men We
are told of in the scriptures, buried in
the ground, but that this Is very poor
use to make OF the money OF the
| people, and therefore the democratic
! party says that this surplus
revenue which ia produced in the main
by these tariff taxes ought to be reduced
and that the taxes should be reduced so
| that this surplus will not continue TO in
crease. (Applause.) Our opponents, on
the other hand, say it is better to let the
surplus accumulate it is better to take
the money from the pockets OF the peo-
| pie; it is better to pile it up in the vaults s
of the treasury department. Although it
| does no good whatsoever, and is great
| harm, it is better to dc that than 20
! touch the tariff laws OF the United
| States. We say, on the contrary, to re-
| lieve the over taxed people is to reduce
| the taxes. We say the way to treat the
people honestly, fairly End wisely = to
take no more taxes out of their pockets
than the government actually needs for
its expenditures. (Applause,)
run ISSUE.
The issue is fairly made up between
US; it is between high taxation on the
one hand, and reasonable taxation on the
other. 1t is between taxing the money
of the people out of their own control
ont of their own pockets, and burying il
in the cellar of the treasury department
or leaving the money where it belongs
in the pockets of the people, to be used
by them as their wants require, and q:
their intelligence and honesty may direct
Now, my friends, in the long political
life that | have led, have heard 8 grea
many false pretenses preached to people
a great many intended to deceive anC
deluac them, but in sll my life
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