Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-03-01
a NOTABLE coNCoURSE.

EleveIand's Policy Endorsed by the MOST
Important Convention OF the YEAR
Philadelphia is the Nazareth of t'H-
alton. One could hardly exper' pup
lie good to come out Of .n1 oi'y 'ia'
b.s fiourished bv - tue Oh tne hlohop-
.-,l;os Of H.. anthracite basin. It is
.ha.,Sre an extraordinary event of
Witch we read, this tax-reduction con-
vention in the Quaker City. As Con-
gresham Breckenridge, of, Kentucky.
said in his address. it seems almost in
credible that himself and Frank
Hurd should be speaking to great
audience in Philadelphia. 1t is the
whirligig of time. 1t is the system of
protection dying of its own sting.
This meeting is indicative of the
hollowness of Blaines contention that
the Republican party can afford to OPP
pose the sentiments of President
Cleveland's message. McCulloch. Sec
rotary of the Treasury under Lincoln.
and again under Arthur, sent to the
meeting letter which, like the Elk
ecutive message to Congress, declared
that the tariff question must be lifted
out of politics; that the present tariff
was u war measure. and that the sur
plus it creates is but one of its evils,
that it is prejudicial to farm interests.
and reduces foreign demand for our
goods; that it is anti-Republican, and
fosters monopolies; and. finally. that
it is in violation of the constitution,
some of its taxes having no other OBJ
ject than prohibition of imports.
The speech of Congressman Breckin-
ridge sustained his reputation as a
brilliant orator. Having the crying
truth behind him. I'D was able to move
his audience as Patrick Henry worked
upon the patriots of early days. For
;the situation is urgent. People are be-
ing taxed into absolute poverty Men
are daily borrowing the money that
] they turn into the Treasury, OF into
some tariff-fattening monopoly. There
must be an end of it soon. These hun
Z dreds of millionaires on every hand are
: getting all there is. When there shall
lbe nothing left, how can this over
blown bubble of taxing Government
secure its 1871. 900. 600 yearP 1t can
not. 1t will not. Breckenridge might
indeed be eloquent, standing at the
crater of this Vesuvius whose ashes of
taxation are covering all the cities at
its base. He was called and recalled.
Evidently there are taxpayers. even in
philadelphia, who are tired of paying
1882 per cent. on absolutely every
thing that enters into human use and
consumption.
If protection be for American manu-
facturers, then it is not protective to
tax the raw materials used by those
manufacturers. This was the conten-
ton of the President. The convention
passed resolution to that effect. The
public burden was too great. 1t should
be lightened. So said the Philadelphia
ans.
Congressman Breckenridge is re-
ported to have said he was proud to
Ave in day when n man could be
elected Chief Magistrate of the Nation
who was brave and honest and
mindful of his obligations to the pco-
pile; who could with the Presidency in
his gift lay it aside for his duty. In
This matter it would be well to wait
and see if the Chief Magistrate really
laid any thing aside. The people are
again reading the message. and they
are beginning to think that Cleveland
as the man who is most likely to veto
steals, and thus force cutting down
of the levy.-Ch Chicago Herald