Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1888-08-04
A PROHIBITION TALK.
The PrOhis Raise a Flag, and are
Warming Up for the
Campaign.

The prohibition orator, Nj. "
Rork had trying time last even
ing in delivering his open air speech
The flag was raised according to pro-
gram, with the names of Fisk and
Brooks inscribed; but the band start.
ed out shortly after the orator began
speaking, and a portion of his audi
ence showed preference for music
before eloquence. Quite a little crowd
stood by the speaker, however, and
he was encouraged to go on.
He took up the tariff question, of
course; no man can discuss politics
in this campaign without going deep
into home and imported products.
Tariff talk he described as political
jugglery. No party can be. abso-
Iutely free trade and none dare be
altogether protective. The demo-
Gratis in st, Louis stole their cam
paign thunder from the republicans,
and the latter retorted with the ac-
cusation of free trade. The simple
fact is, he said, there is no difference
between the old parties, and noman
can tell which doctrine he should
hold to be a consistent member of
either.
Salem does not tax the man who
has wagon, nor the man who has
buggy to build. Your school prop
erty and public buildings also go
untaXed. 1t spreads its tax pro rata.
So let the nation do away with in
direct taxation, which robs in the
dark, as the Turkish taX-farmer pur-
sues his depredations in the night,
and do away with the gatherers of
customs and custom-houses. Then,
if foreign goods come to our shores
which we can't compete with, or
such rs we do not want, forbid their
landing. If foreign Iaborers come
here-English, italian, or Chinese
paying no tariff duty and bringing
down wages, tell them to keep on
their own side of the pond. We
want no more protection for
capital and free trade for labor. But
as this is purely a social and econo-
mic question, it would be well to get
it out of the hands of politicians.
and save ourselves this quadrenniaI
turmoil.
The speaker dwelt on that jute
factory in California, owned by a
white man with a Chinese partner.
Under the plea of protecting home
industry, tax of two cents is laid
OH every sack the farmer uses for
his grain, which costs the country
half a million dollars a year. Mr..
Rork had visited that fiourishing
factory and found the hands en-
ployed were Chinese and newly i'm
ported Scotch girls. He regarded
this as strange way of protecting
home industry.
The grand jury of San Francisco
city and county in their report last
week said we used to ask what shall
we do with our boys? The question
is now changed to what are our
boys going to do with us? That
city is under the control of the
criminal classes--drunkards, thieves,
prostitutes, and gamblers. This dis
turbing element is thoroughly or
ganized to resist the law officers und
there is II carnival of misrule. He
saw no hope for change so long as
the citizens continue to vote as dem
ocrats and republicans, instead Of
combining against the thugs by elect
ing officers of known integrity and
fearless in the performance of duty.
This, he said is true of every large
city, it is good prohibition doctrine
and it is bound to win.
The speaker was several times
applauded during his speech and
also at the close.