Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-09-05
THE DEMOCRACY.
Hon. John p. Irish Discusses the Issues
of the Day.

| Hon. John p. Irish Discusses the Issues
of the Day.
Last evening large Democratic meeting
at the Clnnie Opera House was addressed
by the Hon. John P Irish, of San Fran
cisco. M. Irish is one of the finest stump
speakers in the State, and he held the inn
mense audience for nearly two hours. His
address was argumentatiye, full of good
points, well received, and frequently inter
rupted with applause
The meeting was called to order by Matt
+. johnson, who introduced the speaker of
the evening.
Mr.. Irish said the issue was not between
free trade and protection, but between low
taxes and high taxes. Both parties pledged
themselves in 1884 TO reduce tariff taxes
500, GOO 900 year, to the amount of the an
nusl surplus in the Treasury. Each party
had left that pledge unredeemed until sum-
moned TO its redemption by the Presidents
message last December. Then the Repub-
lican leaders changed their policy and de-
Hounced the tax reduction which they had
pledged their party to effect. The Presi-
dents policy, crystallized in the Mills bill.
Is simply an honest effort to perform the
promise made by both parties in 1884
This issue is now under debate 10 De de-
clded III November. The Republican case
was put before the people last Saturday
night IL California. General Barnes, speak
ing in San Francisco TO an audience oi con-
sumers, claimed that the present protective
tariff had cheapened every article which il
protected, and therefore, was the proper
policy for the consumer, and therefore is
the right policy. Mr.. Estee, speaking the
same night in Sacramento to an audience
nTOdnPprz pla hot
tective tariff has raised the price of every
article il protects, and therefore, is the right
policy for the producer. Leaving these gen
tlemen to reconcile their irrepressibIe con-
hict between high prices and low prices of
The same articles, covered by the same sys-
tenn of protection, MIR Irish said he would
present the issue as il is-simply a question
of reducing taxes down to the actnal needs
OF the Government by reducing or repeal
ing taxes upon the necessaries of life.
The Treasury surplus may be reduced
by lowering the tariff taxes upon the
necessaries of life, which are involuntary
taxes, or by repeating the whisky and
tobacco tax, whichsis a tax upon the un-
necessaries Of life and is voluntary tax,
paid only by those who use whisky and |
tobacco. The difference between an invol- |
untafy and voluntary tax was made |
plain by copious illustrations. The Mills |
bill makes wool free. He proved by Re- |
publican organs admissions and statements !
that the tariff has never raised the price of |
American wool. 1t simply compelled The |
people to buy foreign woolen goods |
that will be manufactured at home
when wool is made free. We produce
only half the wool we consume. Let us |
import the other half in raw wool aud en-
ploy our own labor in its manufacture.
1t is said that to reduce Federal taxes will
impair the wages of labor. He proceeded
to prove by Republican authority that the
tariff has never added penny to the wages
of American labor. Wages are fixed bv
the law of supply and demand and by the
productive power of labor. He proved by
Blaines own report as Secretary of State in
1881, that the wages of labor in Massachu-
sets cotton mills are only Is cents an hour,
while wages in English cotton mills are IA
cents an hour. This proof was read from
Blaines original report signed by his own
name. This report also proves by Mr..
Blaine's own figures that the labor cost of
American cotton cloth is far below the
labor cost of English cotton cloth, but the
total cost of American cottons is made
higher than the English cost, not by higher
wages here, but by tariff taxation on
American dye stuff, coal, etc.
Mr.. 1rish's facts, figures and illustrations
then were compounded to cover the whole
field OF American industry, with the con-
clusion that the labor cost of American
production is the lowest in the world. hence
with repeal of excessive taxes we can
compete at home and in the markets of
the world with any civilized labor on
earth without reducing the wages of our
workingmen. The features of the Mills
bill were explained and vindicated, and
affirmed in the interest of American labor
and the cohesion of American commerce
ana profits.