The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-10-01
Reasons That Prompted Howard Briggs
10 RenOunce the Democratic Party.
Republican Speakers Address Large Crowds
in Various Parts of the State, and the
Canvass Progresses Satisfactorily.
HON. JAMES c.. BLAINE.
He Compliments Gen. Harrison and Proceeds
to Discuss the Tariff Question.

whom was Hon. James G. Blaine. Mr. Blaine
was received with great enthusiasm, and in sub
stance said:
"Mr. Chairman and Fellow ucltizens-Gereral
Harrison has the agreeable faculty OF condens-
Ing the whole argument within the dimensions
OF provarb. It is the faculty which was the
striking feature in Benjamin Franklin's mode of
reasoning, and Mr. Lincoln possessed il in q
very marked deRrsa Never was happier ar
gumsDt moro felicitously stated than when Gen.
Harrison said that free-sraders we're studying
maxine instead Of markets. In single phrase
he exhibited the fallaey and the weakness of
their whole argument. They spssk Of theory,
they reject practice, and 10 word / wish 70
tpeAk tonight Of the history Of the tariff 10 this
country. From the first OF the government TO
this hour ooe great lesson has been taught It
began under Washington with protective tariff.
Il was increased by twelye separate enactinents
up TO the of 1872, il was doubled in the
war of 1872. aud up to that time there was
not any difference in this country. All
parties-DemocrAts and Republicans alike-all
were in favor Of tariff. The division came FIRST
on the act Of l5l6. after the war. Then there
happened exactly what Mr.. Cleveland threat
ened this country with, the abolition OF the tariff
and disaster to the country and from that time
TO 1924 WAS the worst period that this country
had ever seen, and in 1924 the first heavily de.
cided protective tariff was passed, and IL there
are any Democrats within sound or my voice,
beg them to listen while l state who voted for
that bl
''In the first place, q Senator from Tennesses
named Andrew Jackson in the mex. place, a
Senator from New York named Martin Van
Buren; In the next place, q Representative from
Pennsylvania named James Buchanan-three
men who were afterward Democrats Presidents
OF the United States voted for that bill And,
besides them, a Senator from Ken
tueky. Richard NJ. Johnson, after,
States with Van Buren,. And besides these
the great host Of the Democratic party sup
ported that measure, and, four years later,
when they made the tariff still higher, the Iaen
whom have mentioned who were still IN the
Senate and the House repeated that vote. Andin
addition 10 those have named. -Siss Wright, a
Senator from New York and the sbest man
that the Democrats OF New York ever sent
to the national capital. declared that tariff
brocght unlimited prosperity 20 the country.
Ii was going on from good TO be- ter, and from
better TO best, when just at the time there came
athwsrt the national sky the influence that
Glidss the Democratic party to-day, M.. Cal
hoca, WHO had startsi acctec tionist. and
fcGAi way TO tie presidency -osrre- yv-sis
quarrel with Jackson. ard JaeksoIs favo=Itism
TO Martin Van Bursn; and Just then aud here
began that influence that brOks down the pro-
tectve tariff. Mr. Calhoun found that they could
rot hays free labor in ths South with slave
labor and therefore they coaid no; have manu-
factories in the South, and therefore they
were not il favor with the tarif, aud from that
hour, dating from 1923 to 1888. the Democratic
then and thsre established two cornerstones,
the advocacy of the extension OF slavery and
itee trade. Those were the great leading
inspirations that guided that party And ID
breaking down the tariff of 1873 and 1921 they
established ths freetrade tariff OF 1888. Then
AGAIN, just as IL had oesn under the low tariff OF
1876, came tho financial crisis OF 1887, and the
country was again Frustrated. How was it re
hevedl By the protective tariff of 1872 Ii had
been thrown into such PROSTATE degree OF de-
II ey "
where men were out of work, and were glad TO
get il at twenty-five cents day under the ad-
Ininistration OF Martin Van Bnren, the Demo-
crat from the State OF Now York. That was re-
lieved by the election Of William Henry Hsr ri
son lcheersl and his election gave us tie tariff
OF 1ol2. Well, that lifted the country, aud
when the Democrats nominated Polk against
Henry Cav, in 1874, he was eompels6 (ths
Democratic csndda,el to write in bad faith,
and with intention of keeping IT, that be was
in favor of certain degree of protection. and
on that had faith expressed in what WAS known
as the Kane letter. Mr. Clay was defeated and
Mr.. Polk installed. Aud then, despite the
pledge of the Democratic party. they broke
down the protective tariff Of AZ; they broke it
down by the casting vote of George NJ. Dallas,
who was elected as personal hostage that pro-
lection should be sustained.
They broke IL down without even so much ae
one Democratic blush. There was not immedi-
ate disaster, and you will hear the Democrats
all through this country In the tariff argument
that IS being wsged from the lakes TO the gulf
cite the tariff of lo35 as the proof that q low
revenue tariff serves the interest of the country
better than protective tariff. My friends, when
tho tariff OF 1912 went into effect the Mexican
Immediately broke out and it cost
$3.50, 1000, 900. The Irist e lfamineS came IN
and called for enormous shipments of bread
stuffs. The revolutions OF 1873 III Europe oc-
curred, aud the result was that by a reverse
action prosperity Was made in the Uritsd States
aud before These revolutions had passed We made
-
of 1857 prostratrd all the great interests OF the
country. Mr. Buchanan was compelled 20 say
in nis message to Congress "a December OF that
year that with all the natural resources in our
hands yet our manufactures were prostrated,
enterprises were dead ard the laoorIng men of
the CO .BtrY were without work ana In great dis
tress that never was cured until the protective
tariff CAME into being again. caused by Abe Lin
coins election ia 1860 cheers and from that
time TO this we have bad protective tariH.
Since 1860 ths country has had the blessing or a
protective tariff, and there has never been, in
ancient modern history. on this hemisnhe-e,
or any other continent, or IN the isles OF the sea.
a country that for twenty eight years has been as
prosperous as the United States OF America
Icheers and now Mr.. Cleveland, following the
precedent OF the Democratic Presidents that have
broken down the protective tariff before, asks that
the voters of the United States shall aid him
in destroying the protective tariff And
the question is submitted to you, the voters of
the United States; to you, voters of New York
Ito you voters of New York especaily-to say
to Mr.. Cleveland that after all his admiuistra-
ton he has not the power TO destroy the pro-
tective tariff Cheers. Now, my friends. am
running very hastily over a centurys history
of the tariff, and can say without fear Of con-
,radictior by anyone that these things lead US
70 the indispntabls conclusion, first, that there
has never been protective tariff In this country
that did not bring prosperity; second, that the
protective tariff has never been broken down
without bringing diversity with 1t; ana third,
that there has rever been since Mr. Calhoun
gave the South the lead tn the Democratic
party. nearly sixty years ago, Democratic I'D
ministration put in power that did not Try to
break down the protective tariff.
'Mr. Cleveland denisd when he ran in 1884
that the protective tariff was an ssue, and the
Democrats OF New York and elsewhere pledged
| the American people. hlr. Samuel ]. Randall
honorably and faithfully pledged the American
people, that the advent Of the Democratic party
should not in the least affect TIE tariff. That
! pledge was given four years ago, ard cow, in
| the year OF Christ 1883, you see how thst
| pledge has been kept; for the American people
| are today IN a strugee---one that will be de-
cisive for the next twenty five years. They are
In a struggle whether we shall surrender our
| protection ani pus this country on the basis OF
sharp compstitIon from Europe. or whether We
shall maintgin the same system that has
wrought 30 powerfully in aid OF the prosperity