The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-09-06
II Mr.. Villas SPEECH.
He Opens the Wisconsin
Democratic Campaign.
IT is AN ELOQUENT ADDRESS
He Gives the H1story of the Republi-
can Party From the Date of
its Inception.
Villas Speech.

MILWAUKEE, Wis, September s.
Colonel William F. Villas. Secretary of
the Interior, opened the Democratic
campaign in Wisconsin tonight with
a speech at West Side Turner Hall
The Jefferson and Jackson clubs, re-
presenting Democratic organizations of
the divisions of this city: escorted him
to the hall, where to an audience of
about 1900 persons, he spoke as fol-
lows:
THE ADDRESS.
After referring to the duty of voters
and challenging criticism OF President
Cleveland's administration, he said: II
invite you to contrast the conditions,
principles and professions of the oppos-
promise of the future offered by them
party of to-day, and wherein is
it better or more worthy of
confidence than it was in
1884? 1t was in the beginning more a
popular uprising than political party.
It found its origin and quickening
power IN the high appeal of justice and
tenderness for human brethren in OPP
preston and in the honest zeal of deep
conviction. Its following was well nigh
fanatical. 1t was a crusade against
great national sin, and it fell upon the
time appointed of heaven for the
publication of the Republic by
Ere. Like the whirlwind, It
swept its course, of destructive
though wholesome, violence. Within
q decade, the evil, which had en-
gendered its being was more than des-
troyed and the land was streWn with a
mighty wreck, where, in fantastic chaos
lay the seals of the constitution and
the people amid the wide flung havoc
of war. That was the logical period
upon, or possessed no doctrine of
government, no principles for the
guidance of institutions of freedom in
the repose of peace. 1t was not ma
tional, but sectional. A party
for civil war, not for ma
tionsl fraternity. but the heart of
a victorious people was in its
grasp and rage of war was long unspent.
It was the opportunity of opportunities
for the political free bcoter, and never
for one moment did they SUE psnd their
efforts, nor even 81 are the exhausted
people upon one pretekt and another.
From almost the earliest days of the
Republican dominion, corruption be-
gan its work, and schemes for the
-dishor 3st enrichment of the few
began to prevail. 1t was in 1862
that, pursuing the sentiment that
the national defence required trans
continental highway, the Pacific rail-
road legislation began; in 1864, that,
with unrelenting ingenuity it was so
amended to dlabolical perfection that
the government really built the roads
and gave them, with land enough for
an empire to the successful conspirat
ors. Then also the earliest act for
leVying taxes and afterward with a
greed that heightened with each new
year. Every revenue measure
was perverted and distorted by
ingenious touches. imperceptible
to any but the practiced eye. by which
private tributes were eXterted from the
people, five times greater than the tax
that went to the treasury. Then it was
that the monstrous vampire hidden in
the tariff which seductively fans with
the wings of protection OF labor, whose
heart blood it sucks, was begotten in
sin, to rob the toiling producers
in the fields and forests of
the wealth they create; and
RQGu IQ6 WAL uaQ C0dSSu, great
people. with It's Golfers unlocked and its |
resources exposed, laid before the
spoiler, while in the exhaustion of the |
struggle and heat of rage; national |
guardianship was gone. Then followed |
such seizure of national wealth by |
various devices, so rapacious, so gigan- |
tic, so ingenious in the methods by |
which the grasp was laid, as had |
never before been exhibited in history. !
Nothing is comparable to it, but India |
under Warren Hastings. Other ma
tions have been despoiled by conquer
ors IN the open force of unlicensed con-
quest. This people was robbed by the |
devilish manipulation of its own legis
Iation and the emergencies of admin
istration in the hands of its supposed |
friend
The secretary then referred to the
CORRUPTION IN PUBLIC CONTRACTS,
touching upon the partnership of Grant
and Ward; to the custom house scan
dals; under-vsluation of imports; navy
Jobs and Star-route contracts, and de-
clared that these and other things of
like character, had driven the best men
an the Republican party out OF it-Sum-
ner, Chase, Greeley. Trumbull and
Beecher. He declared that the policy i
of the only branch of the government
remaining Republican since 1884, the
Senate, was comprised in two
words, construction and misrep-
resentation," as to everything
for general good, as instanced in the
tardy confirmation of Chief Justice
Fuller, the rejection of the fisheries
treaty, and the delay in the passage of
the retaliation measure asked for by
President Cleveland.
Turning to the Democratic party. the
speaker said in the Department of
State, you find everywhere our national
dignity has been maintained, national
rights protected, and the Republic In
peace and good will with all powers of
the earth, save only as Republican OBJ
struction leaves US needlessly hostile I
with our northern neighbor.
II you take the Treasury. its guar
dianship of our financial interests COM
msnps respect on every hand. The |
collections of internal revenue for the
fiscal year 1885, (the last Republican