The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-09-09
Commonplace Tariff Speech
by Thurman.
Sor AN EGyFTIAS oBELIsK
Afer Second Thought He Dfseiaisa<
Free Trade Advoesey--Judge Greer
Declines the American, Nominal
tion fer rviee-President--H
Interesting Visitors.

spoke The building. which hal I
standing capacity OF from 400 to Sss
people, was packed to overfi0wins. or
Judge Thurman's arrival on the plat.
form, J. Watts Cornley. chairman
called the meeting 10 order and intro.
duced the Democratic candidate 70,
ylee-president. The heartiest applause
greeted his appearance lie spoke as
follows:
Friends anA Fellow Citizens: When
| was born ! was duly baptized In the
Christian faith hy the name OF Allen
e. Thurman Many wears afterwards
some enthusiastic Democratic friends
OF mine gave me q new baptism and
styled me the ''Oid Roman Put nav
Republican friends OF New York
would improve on that name and this
morning the baptism is the Egyptian
obelisk- | have seen in the Place de
In toneordc IN Paris an Egyptian obe-
llsk said to be more than 100 wears old
II | can only live as long a. one of
these obelisks shall certainly see an
the enemies ot the Democracy buried
beneath the centuries OF dust.
| am engaged In business too serious
70 be troubled by quips. however
sharp, and witficism ms. however pun
gent. | come here to sneak To YOU.
my friends in New Jersey. in a serious
sober manner. a. to American eiti-
zens in wear OF great interest to YOU
aud our country. | come here al the
request of your central committee.
ana ] come willingly. because there is
no part on this whole continent in
which | would rather meet my Demo-
cratic friends than in New Jersey.
What was done BY our forefath-
ers in the war that achieved our
Independence 1t Trenton. at Prince
ton and at Monmouth those things
are fresh in nay recollection. aud a.
they made nav youthful blood stir
within me and thoroughly boil With
devotion, to-day in this ola obliSk the
recollection OF them set my heart In
motion. 1 am therefore glad TO be
with you tonight.
DOMESTIC FOLKLORE.
Now there are not a few subjects
upon which | might address you To-
night. There are some in my heart
that | would like to speak 10 von
about. ! should like to speak 70 Won
OF the history OF this great Democratic
party 10 which have be-
longed from nv youth. /
should like to speak to YOU
of this party founded by
Jefferson and maintained by Andrew
Jackson, and whose interests and vel
fare have been so much promoted bv
Grover Cleveland. ! would like to re-
mind you that there Is not one
acre OF land now within the limits of
the United States beyond the original
British colonies that was not obtained
by Democratic administration /
would like TO remind you that the
British colonies which achieved their
independence were a comparatively
narrow strip OF land along the Atlantic
coast shore, and that now this
republic extends from ocean
10 ocean and Is one OF the biggest
and il IS the most intelligent and most
powerful of all the nations on earth.
| would like to recall TO your recollec-
ton the fact that whenever the con
test has been between the rights OF the
people and those who would control
their rights, the Democratic party has
stood by the people unfiinchingly, de-
termined and not to be moved. |
would like to recall 10 YOUR memory
such facts as these, that the
removal of the property qualifica-
ton and the religious test and
al that impaired the great
right Of the people to vote. was the
result of Democratic legislation. in
augurated by the Democratic party.
/ would like to call your attention To
the fact that when the spirit uf Know
nothingness arose ia this land and
threatened TO disfranchise every for
cign-boTn citizen. and to put down all
the people of particular church. the
Democracy came to the rescue Of
liberty and religion, and said the
thing shall not be.
In the good Old DAYS Of Democratic
ascendency. we had an economical
government. economically admins
tered. The expense OF Gen. Jackson's
administration. for instance, in the
course Of a year, did not exceed one
fourth of the expenses that have been
entailed on this country in one year
since the close Of the rebellion. |
would like to further state that this
Democratic party Is a party that has
never laid down TO die: that il i the
natural outcome OF free in tstutions.
and that Just a long as freedom exists
in America, the Democratic party viii
exist There is no way of destroying
iteNcepi BY desp0tism, and as long as
il exists t.espoiism j. impossible; for
that party viii not endure il.
FEEE TRADE DEFIHED
Passing from general observations
allow me to come 10 some Of the l.
sues that are most sharply marked II
this campaign Let me say something
To you upon the tariff question. So
called Oar opponents are endeavOf-
ing TO alarm the country by the cry
OF Tree iragie. They must have poor
opinion oi the intelligence oi the voter
~ hat j free trader Ii is unrestricted
intercourse between nations. in
which there are no custom
house: no duties and no taxes paid
on goods imported for sale. Yog
have an Illustration 81 free trade III
the United States. There are s. states
IN tse Union. Between these states
there l. free trade. When gGods are
taken from New Jersey, from thi-
great manufacturing and fourishlng
city OF Newark, into New York, you
pay no duties aud the New Yorker
pays no duties on them. Ii YOU take
tkcIa 10 Maine or California 4 = ex-
aeiiy the same thing. Between these
5 tates there j. free trade. bst there
j. no such thing a. free trade between
the Uaites! state and foreign cosnsries
and nobody il this country advocates
such free trade That i the Oniy ex-
ample Of free trade We have here
nEyESsE OF THE MfIfs EfLE.
When q man talks about the Mills
hili as a free trade bill. either be talks
without NisaCm or he talks Eish IN
tent - deceive. either he j. an igno-
rauHs ur he j. q rascal, one o. the
other. The present rate of duty under
the existing tagisf Is A. and a fraction
per ceat. This pills bill reduces the
rate OF taxatl1n 70 AZ per cent
The reduction j. less than 9 PEI cent.
o., The taxation. and yet this ressrc-
ton IS called Tree trade. IL stlli leaves
the tariff at - per cent. OF mere than
txice A. much a. il w4s hefoTe the late
ciyil var, and vet i i tslkess aloat a.
a Tree trade bSll Nearly al the aris-
eIes eonsnEsed hv toe people et The
United states tba: are imported ifiio
this country have 30 iGy thss taTlB-
the zverare Of Shtch 5 g Fsr cent
and upEertis-