Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-03-30
2 I Mineral Point city
ADDRESS TO THE VOTERS.

The following address to the voters
of Wisconsin was adopted ut its re-
cent meeting by the Democratic State
Central Committee:
TO the voters Of Wisconsin: Now,
for the first time in over twenty years,
is before the country as a party issue
broad question of political economy.
by the wise, honest and conservative
policy of the present administration
is established what all fair-minded
people have known, that the union and
the good results of the great civil war
are sacred to the democratic party and
sure OF protection at its hands. And
for the first time in a generation our
party is free to assume and champion
the cause of the people against the
monopolies, and strong enough to
attack that policy which robs the
farmer and the laborcr to enrich and
aggrandiZe a favored class, buttressed
and entrenched though that policy IS
by the colossal fortunes and aggrega-
tions OF capital which it has brought
into existence.
The war is over. Most of the i'm
portant questions arising from it have
been settled or outgrown. But after
twenty-three years of perfect and con
tinuous peace the producers of the
country have not been relieved from
any part OF the excessive tariff tax
alton upon the necessarics of life, lev
led under the plea that extraordinary
revenues were required to meet the
unusual expenses of war.
While the manufacturers of the
east have grown rich through the ben
etits derived from high protective tar
III and great annual surplus Of over
$l0O,O00,OO0 has been piled up in the
national treasury, the result of need
less taxation, the agricultural states
OF the west have been mortgaged to
eastern capitalists.
The question presented to the voters
of the country to-day, is plainly and
fairly put by President Cleveland in
his annual message to the Fiftieth
congress He believes that taxation on
the necessaries of life food, clothing
and household necessities, should be
reduced. The democrats Of WiScon-
sin heartily coincide with this view,
as will be seen by the following res
olution, passed amid enthusiasm, at
the last democratic state convention,
held in 1886
Resolved, That the reduction of the
tariff To Il revenue basis is cardinal
principle of the democratic party, and
that those members Of the present
house Of representatives., selected as
democrats, who voted against con
sidering the bill for the reduction OF
tariff, deserve no recognition in dem
ocratic councils.
The question presented, if viewed
Candidly, has little sentiment in it
1t is plain business question thai
appeals for answer to the intelligenc,
and interest of every producer in the
land. 1t is not a proposition to intro
duce free trade or join the Colder
club. The people are merely asked /
taxation that collects from them an
nually S10o,000,000 more than is need
ed for the legitimate expense Of tn
government. is to be sustained, or
they wish to aid the Democratic part
in reducing both taxes and expense
to the basis of economy that times Q
peace imperatively demand.
The men who constitute a majorit
of all the voters who will participat
in the coming national election, VIII
are the active majority in sommerci'
affairs, and who are to-day paying tn
bulk of the taxes of the country, hay
become voters since 1865, since tn
war closed. In Wisconsin, there is
majority of $4,000 such voters TIL
year. It is to them that the plail
business intelligence of Presider
Cleveland's message should appe:
with the utmost force. Their duty
themselves, to their families, and
their country is a present duty, an
their Judgment should not be cloude