Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-08-23
THE OLD ROMAN.
The Opening Speech of the
Campaign.
THE LOGIC OF TARIFF REFORM.
The Living Issues Fairly Discussed
and the Bandana Still
Waves.
Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD. |

ST. CLAIR, Mich, August 22.-- Judge
Thurman and party arrived here at
o'clock this morning after ride of over
twelve hours on the little steamer Pic
kett. The trip through Lake st. Clair
was very rough. Big waves dashed over
the boat, drenching the passengers from
head to foot. Thurman seemed to en-
JOY the experience and was not at all in
by seasickness, as other
members of the party were. Passing
Marine City at midnight, the dock was
and cannon and human
voices and steam whistles spoke greet
ings. AT st. Clair rockets and Roman
candles were set off and the people
cheered heartily. There was no peaking
and the party was soon asleep. At II 80
this afternoon the party again boarded
the boat for Port Huron, where Thur
man was to speak this afternoon.
THURMAN's SPEECH AT PORT HURON.
PORT HURON, Mich, August 22.-At
Pine Grove Park large crowd attended
the exercises of the afternoon. j. G.
O'Neill introduced Judge Thurman, and
Ill 81 oOlllS LAduC d COLh UCUWCCh
the "Grand Old Man" of England and
the cold Roman" of America. After the
applause subsided Judge Thurman spoke
as follows: Ladies and Gentlemen, l
know that the people of Michigan are
taking the deepest interest in the ques-
tions that are being discussed this year.
In the brief time that l shall speak l
will occupy myself mainly with one of
fhncn nuoStinpo II, xrhian 90 vor1n1, into
est is now taken, and upon which so
much is being said through the public
press. 1t is not necessary for me, before l
United States and his administration
who has any regard for truth to say that
President. A brave, intelligent, level
headed, noble man, he has had clean,
upright and successful administration.
In the canvass that preceded his election
his opponents predicted all manner of
evil in case he should succeed. Where
is the ruin that was to follow his elec-
ton? Where is the disgrace that was to
follow his election? On tine contrary the
country has been more quiet, peace
able and prosperous than for
many years. l know the man we'll,
and more upright and wise
man do not believe dwells in the United
States. He has a noble band of coun-
sellors around him, and not the least
among them is the distinguished citizen
of your own State, Mr.. Dickinson. He
knows how to choose good constitutional
advisers. L presume there is not per-
son within the sound of my voice who
does not know what is meant by tariff,
and yet it may aid us to-day if | give a
clear and precise defination of
WHAT TARIFF IS.
A tariff is tax levied by the general
Government upon every article of COM
merce that comes into the United States
and that is intended for sale within her
borders, and which incidently raises the
price, and therefore becomesa tax or bur-
den upon every article of domestic man.
ufacture of like nature with those which
pay tariff tax. We have, according to
the last advices, about $ll5 900, 900 called
a surplus revenue, that is taxes collected
from the people beyond the necessities of
the Government, lying in the treasury of
the United States, of no service to any
human being, drawing no interest, earn
ing no profits, but taken from the pockets
of the people where it properly belongs.
The Democratic party says that this is a
wrong condition of affairs. The Demo
cratic party says this surplus revenue
which is produced in the main by tariff
taxes ought to be reduced; that taxes
should be reduced so that this surplus will
not continue to accumulate. Our op-
ponents say it is better 10 let the surplus
accumulate it is better to take the money
from the pockets of the people and pile
it up in the vaults of the treasury that it
is better to do that than to touch the
tariff laws of the United States. We say,
on the contrary, that to relieve an over
taxed people is to reduce taxes; we say
that the way to treat the people honestly,
fairly and wisely is to take no more taxes
out of their pockets than the Government
actually needs. The issue then is fairly
made up between us; it is between high
taxation on the one hand and reasonable
taxation on the other; it is between tax
ing the money OF the people out of their
control, or leaving 1t where it belongs,
IN THE POCKETS OF THE EoPLE.
l have never witnessed such audacity
as have noticed this year on the part of
the advocates of high protective tariff.
There seems to be a singular disregard of
truth that has suddenly affected them.
We are told that high tariff makes the
country richer, as if it were possible to
make the country rich by oppressively
taxing the people. Amt that a new way
to make man rich? To run your hand
into his pocket and take what you find,
without any just reason whatever; and
yet that is precisely the plan these
people tell us to adopt to enrich the
country. Again, they have the
audacity to say this tariff tax
is not paid by the consumers of
the articles which are taxed. If the con-
sumers do not pay the tax, 1 would like
to know who does. Do these protection
list orators pay it? Do the manufactur-
ers pay it? No, my friends, the tariff
taxes are paid by the consumers of the
articles which are taxed, and of all
domestic articles of like kind which
are manufactured in the United States.
1t is a curious fact, and one of the worst
things about the tariff tax, that while
the Government gets one dollar resulting
from the tax, the domestic manufacturers
get five dollors, as it is best estimated,
that never 60 into the treasury at all.
HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?
A man called an importer brings the goods
into the United States to be sold. He can
not sell yard or pound till he pays this
tariff tax. He pays the tax, therefore,
IL