Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1888-08-30

N<A&ES> - 49,
The following Is the speech Of Judge
Thurman at Port Haron, Mich. judge
Thurman was introduces by G O'Neill,
E.o in a few complimentary words, as
tseoNs Roman Of America, which provoked
loud Md long continued applause. After
~ crowd b4d quietsd down Mr.. Thurman
spoke as SHOWS;
Ttis NOT necessary for me before pro
easS 10 th,t subject (the tariff to speak
of the Prsident OF the United States
and his administration more than a
w. esw words DEFY any man who
Me- reg,r3 for the truth toSay that
Crovsr Ceveland has not made q
~ prssis rt Of the United States. Ap.
CLAUSE. A brave, intelligent, level
headed nobs man, he has had clean and
nDrivbt and a successful administration.
T4,-iansa and a voice, "Hurrah for
Sleveiand 81 Four years ago he was
slsctsd IN the cOnvass that preceded his
slection his opponents predicted all man
,,s-of evil in case be shOald succeed.
Ts aid sn,ceed, and pray what has be-
80 If thar predictions? Where IS the
- that .as 70 follow the election of
&C cleveland? Where is the disgrace
,bst Vas In 'ollOw his election? On the
contrary. the cDuntry has been more quiet,
more pesceablA more prosperous than 1t
has been for many years that have gone
by. IApplaust] Now, l know the man;
l know him wsl; / tell you, my fellow
citizens. that a more upright and wise
man I 10 not believe d@ells within the
limits of the United States. Applause
And he has a roble band OF counselOrs
aronpd him. and not least among them is
the distinguished citizen Of your Own
$50 Nj Dioxi1son. Great applause ]
CLEVELAND knows not only how to rule
l..4sslf within the limits OF the Constitu-
ion. out h. sr-s-s snl well how 70 choose
good constitutional advisers. Applause ]
THE TARIFF PROBLEM.
Now, my friends, having said this much
about the administration, let me proceed
to that question to which have alluded,
commonly called the tariff question.
presume there is not a person within the
sound of my voice who does not know
what is meant BY the tariff And yet it
may aid us to-day if give a clear and pre-
else definition of what a tariff is. A tariff,
nv friends. is nothing in the world but a
tax; tax levied by the general Govern
ment upon every article Of commerce that
enters into the United States, and that
is intended for sale within her borders,
and which incidentally raises the price
and therefore becomes a tax OF burden up
on every article of domestic manu-
acture Of ike nature with those which
pay the tariff tax. Now, we have at this
moment, according TO the last advice8 l
have seen, about Sl15, 600, 600, called sur
plus fevenae-that is, taxes collected from
the PEOPLE beyond the necessities of the
Govsfnment These dollars, SIS 600, 600,
are wing perfectly idle in the vault Of the
Treasury Of the United States-Of no ser
vice to any human being, drawing no in
teress earning no profits, but taken from
the rockets Of the people where they prop
erly belong, aud where, if they were now
fouud, thousands and tens of thousands,
and hundreds of thousands of the people Of
the United States would put them to good
use and improve tDeir condition and pros
perity.
Now the Democratic party says this is q
wrong condition Of affairs; that that money
oDgbt not to be like the talents of the man
we are told Of in the Scriptures, buried in
the ground; that this is r very poor use to
make of the money of the people; and,
therefore, the Democratic party says that
tbis surplus revenue which is produced in
the main by these tariff taxes. ought TO be
reduced, and that the taxes should be re-
dueed so that this surplus will not continue
10 accumulate. Applause. Our oppO-
nenta on the other hand, say it is better to
Let the surplus accumulate; II is better to
take the money from the pockets Of the
peoplt; it is better 70 pile 1t mp in the
vaults of the Treasury although it does no
GOOD whatsoever and II is a great harm; il
Is bette 70 do that than to touch the tariff
laws Of be United States. We say, on the
contrary, TO relieve an over-taxed people Is
10 reducethe taxes; we say that the way to
treat a people honestly, fairly and wisely
is 10 take 20 more taxes out Of their pOck-
cts than tn government actually needs for
its expenditures. Applause.
TAG ISSUE MADE UP.
The issue,then is fairly made mp be
tween us; it's between high taxation or
the one handand reasonable taxation on
the other. It's between taking the money
Of he people OF Of their own control, ont
Of their own pockets, and burying II ID
the CELLAR Of the Treasury Department, OF
n is between leking the money where II