Huntsville gazette., 1888-10-20
who follow me to elaborate it as much as you

the people, ana When IL is levied for the pur
pose, and for no other purpose, of furnishing
the revenue to carry on the Government OF the
country no member of our party makes any OBJ
lection to it; but when it is used, not for the
purpose of raising the necessary revenue, but
for raising millions, and tens OF Millions and
hundreds of millions Of revenue for which the
Government has no legitimate use, the
Government puts its hands in your pockets
and takes from you a portion OF your daily
earnings. say it is a tax, but it 10 tax paid
in a most enequal degree by the poor men OF
the land. How is this tax paidf 1t is not paid
to the tax-gatherer who comes to you and de-
mands it of you on your farm or in your work.
shop That is not the way. 1t is laid upoE
every article et foregh manufacture that Is ifns
ported into this country for use. 1t is collected
in the eustom-houses of the United States II
is fret paid by the man who brings the goods
here, the importer. and then, OF COURSE
he puts that tax on the price
which he paid for the goods and sells
il fer that increased price, when he disposes Of
it to the merchant, Then when the merchant
sells it to you here in this City of Shelbyville.
he must add on that tax in the price tshich he
Charges you or he could not carry on his busi'
mes S for twehty4four hours. He would neces-
sarily break up if he didn't put that tax on to
the price when he sells the goods 10 you. So it
Is true, and literally true, with some few ex.
ceptions, that upon all that you wear from the
crown of your head to the soles OF your feet,
you have the burden OF this tax laid upon you
in the price that you pay for these goods.
There is this about this tax: That so long as
the price Is raised on goods brought from
abroad by the tariff it is raised on all goods
manufactured in this country that come in
competition with the goods imported. SO
about four or five times as much money is col
lected from the people in the increased price
paid for their goods and goes to privileged
slas- in the United States and don't go into
the treasury at all
My friends the effect OF this has been to col
lect surplus in the treasury OF the United
States On the 3lst of August last the amount
of surplus iii the vaults of the treasury was one
hundred and thirty million dollars Owing
to payments out of the treasury aince then it
has been slightly reduced. There was that
immense amount in the vaults of the treasury.
I suppose that amount is.one hundred million
dollars of your money. taken cut OF your
pockets and lying idle in the Vaults Of the
tfeasurv of the United States for which the
Government hts no use whatever. This is so
much money taken out 0f Circulation; this is SO
much money the people could use IL their busi-
ness, and in supplying their wants, but there it
lies useless.
Now, my friends, the Democratic party says
that ought not to be. The Democratic party
says it's right enough to pay taxes to the Gov
eminent to the amount the Government needs
to carry ON the affairs OF the Government, but
it is fionstrous TO tag the people to the amoun
| of one hundred million dollars in order that
| that amount of money may be taken from the
! business OF the country and locked Up in the
vaults OF the treasury:
You see my friends, am in poor condition
| for me to speak to you to-day. and it is about
| time for me to stop. A voice: go on |
| You're a Democrat, know. Now, my friends,
| our opponents say this is for the benefit of the
| tatottng man, this high tariff, as though 1T
| cotld possibly benefit the laboring man to tax
all he wears, I'd Uut d tax on all his tools and
implements and when he dies c4rry him in a
taxed coffin and bury him in a taSed grave.
No, it is simply an absurdity nothing morti
| nothing less The idea that nation can be
| made rich by taxing the people far beyond the
| requirements of the Government; the idea that
| q man can be made rich by taxing him on all
| the necessaries of life, is an absurdity.
They say the Democrats propose to break
down the manufacturers of the country. We
mean no such thing we mean TO give the
manufacturers fair chance for an honest liv-
| ing and when we do that we do all that an
hortest man can ask. They talk about us being
| the enemy OF the idborirg man. OF what man
| ner of men is the Democratic party composed?
l have belonged to it since was knee-h1gh TO
duck" as the saying goes. [Laughter] l
have watched its course for years; have been
many different Administrations snd always
have seen that nlnety-nine one-hundfedths Of
| the men that belong to the Democrrtic party
| are laboring men. Applanse.l
Now, my friends, l believe that, considering
the 1nclemency of the weather, and considering
| how many there are to come after me, will,
| aftet thanking you Kindly for the attention
with which you have listened to me. ask
| you to allow me to withdraw with this ddmoni-
tion: That upon your State may depend
| whether we shall continue to have a good,
| honest Democratic Government in the United
| States, or whether we shall be opposed by a
| course and policy that robs the people for the
| benefit Of tTionopolists and extortionists.
| thank you for your attentions and now bid
| you goodbye.
| At the other stands Senator Voorhees,
| and Assistant Postmaster General Ste
venson were the principal speakers.
| Judge Thurman left at six O'Clock for
| Indianapolis, and spoke in Fort Wayne
on the afternoon of the 18th.