Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1888-05-02
A Streng Point Well Taken.

Mr.. McMillin, of Tennessee, says the New
York Herald, put the whole tariff discus
sion in nutshell in his speech of April Gath.
His summing up of the case between the
republicans and the democrats. was done in
single sentence, which the workingmen of
this country would do well to keep in mind.
We are SO situated just now that we must
choose between the two horns of dilemma,
as Mr.. McMillin said-namely, "whether
we will reduce the tax on whiskey or the
tax on clothing-in other words. reduce the
tax on that without which men can live and
prosper, or on that which is essential to their
existence and comfort He then added,
crowdiDg the question at issue into terse
and forcible statement of fact, that the mat
ter "narrows itself down to contest be-
tween the drunkards' appetites and the poor
mans back"
The point is we'll taken, and it can't be
evaded. This is the poor mans country,
and ours is poor mans government. If
| there is any merit in our institutions it con-
sists of the jealousy with which they guard
the rights of the laboring classes, in the OPP
portunities which they afford them to i'm
prove their condition, educate their chill
dren and surround themselves with those
domestic conveniences which no other peo-
pie on the face of the planet are permitted
to enjoy. The legislation which interferes
with this benefcent purpose is radically un-
just and intolerable. To foster capital as
against labor is to run against the grain of
our entire history and to obliterate the one
grand popularity of the Republic To pro-
tect a monopoly, a combine which seizes
the market by the throat and lays every
wage Garner in the land under tribute to its
avarice, is step away from true denocra.
Cyl a step toward an aristocracy that spurns
the laborer with its foot and degrades him
with sneer of contempt.
With a huge and increasing surplus in
the Treasury, therefore, the business Of
Congress is to be just to all and to respect
the rights of that great majority, with its
sleeves rolled up for daily toll. In cutting
down the revenue its prime duty-of which
the republicans naturally enough seem to
have lost sight altogstker--is to give the
masses the necessaries of life at as low a
rate as possible. Our ten million voters
will hold their representatives at Washing
ton responsible for the performance of that
duty.
In ga contest between TIE drunkards' ap-
petites and the poor mans back" there is,
then, no room for hesitation. Cheap blank
cts, cheap clothing are to be preferred to
cheap whiskey. The policy which the re-
publicans are pursuing With uncomfortable
blindness, deliberately choosing cheap rum
in place of cheap overcoats, is only another
proof that they have lost the breadth and
patriotism which used to govern their coun
sells and become decrepit and senile.
Mr.. Mills in his opening speech showed
to the chagrin of republican leaders, that
the party of Blaine and Sherman slipped the
taxes Of of the shoulders of capital as soon
after the war as was possible, but left them
on the humble homes of the working class
es, where they remain to day.
Mr. McMillin follows with statement o.
fact as cold as ics and as sharp as the poin
of spear-namely, that this question O.
tariff reform ''narrows itself down to q con
test between the drunkards' appetites and
the poor mans back"
The country will vote in favor of "ths
poor mans back
MARSHALL, SALINE Co., Move are in
debted to Mr.. NJ. Fl. Alexander, for copy