The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1888-04-13
BREWER 70 BURT.
The Saginaw Artful Dodger Put in ;
Corner.


myself and published in the Free
Press of the .3d has been perused by
me. Your communication is, l
suppose, intended as an answer to a
communication of my own published
previously and addressed to Hon.
John S. Estabrook of your city. My
object in writing that letter was 10
learn, as far as possible, whether or
not the president of the Salt Associa-
ton and the capitalist engaged in
producing salt in the Saginaw Valley
and the men employed in that indus
try were DESTROYS of having salt put
upon the free list. You have failed
10 answer the question as to the
manufacturers of salt and the labor
employed in the salt industry, and
have only indirectly answered the
question so far as the same applied
10 yourself.
You say that the Republican party
has been the party that has for the
last fifteen years and more threatened
the salt industry Of the country. This
assertion must make every man en-
gagged in that industry in Michigan
smile. During that time several
delegations representing tina, j dustry
have visited Washington urging that
the duty on salt should be maintained.
I think you have often been men,
Der of such delegation. Let me ask
you, did he delegation go to Beck of
Kentucky, to Bayard, OF Delaware
and other leading Democrats praying
for their support? You know they
did not rely, or expect much, if any,
support from that party. and you
know they never got much support
from fhe Democratic party in that
direction. You relied upon Chandler,
Ferry, Conger, Burrows and Horr,
whom you villify today for their faith
fll labors. You ask if did not know
that every attempt to place salt uron
the free list had been made by the
Republican party. | answer no, do
nOt know il, for it is not fact. On the
contrary there has not been session of
congress in fifteen years that there has
not been bill pending to put salt on
The free list, and every one of such
BILLS was introduced by Democrat.
You say that the duty on salt was
reduced by Republican congress in
1877 Git was in IS7a), and l concede
the fact, but twas done by the vote
of nearly every Democrat in both
houses, aided by few Republicans
It is quite probable Mr.. Hale favored
free salt at that time, but a large
proportion of his Republican col.
leagues thought differently. as the
vote shows. You say it is unfortunate
for me and my party that there is
such thing as a Congressional
Record" BY no means, my dear sir,
The record contains the history of our
country, to a great extent for the last
IS years, and it is glorious record
made by -the leaders of that party
which received your unstinted praise
until about three years ago.
You say the act referred to reduced
the duty on salt to mere nominal
sum. Let us see what you call a
nominal sum. The report of the
bureau of statistics shows that the
average rate of duty on imported salt
for the fiscal year ending June 80,
1887, was 4o o2, almost SO per cent,
and you tariff revenue free trade
reformer say, that the rate of duty is
nominal. You say Blaine declared
for free coal at some time. Yes,
presume so, and the Republican
party put anthracite coal, that which
is mostly used by the mass of the
people, on the free list. Do you
complain at thati The Republican
party has done all the reducing of
taxation Hast has been done in 20
years When it tells the people it is
in favor ofreducing taxation it re-
duces it, and there is where it differs
from yours. III am correctly in
formed you supported Blaine and To-
gan and kept floating their names
over your own home in the campaign
ofISS4. The record OF the Republi-
can party, of which you complain,
was all made before that. How long
is it my friend since you would say
var party in addressing me1 But a
few short years ago, since this terrible
record was made, you would have
said "our grand old party" But it
seems the infamous rebate BILL" (you
coined this sentence and then put the
quotation marks around), was what
broke your Republican heart and
drove you into the ranks Of your
political enemy. Let us see how "in
famous" that measure was. You, /
have no doubt, will be surprised
when I tell you that the act you so
bitterly complain about was but car
rying out the same principle that
applied to nearly everything we i'm
port. Section 3oro of the revised
statutes of the United States provides