The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-08-30
A TARIFF TALK by A DEMOCRATIC
POLITICIAN AND A wORKINGMIAN.


POLITICIAN AND A wORKINGMAN.
DENNIs-Mr. Southdown, and is it yer
self that can tell me jst what is the
rason that they call us Dimecrats free
traders?
SOUTHDowN-Don'ty you believe, Den
mis-, what the Republicans say about free
trade.
DENNIS Faith thin, but l does hear
that the Dimecratic platform names free
trade sure.
SoUTHDowN-Non the St. Louis
convention adopted the platform of
| 1884.
DENNIs-True fur ye, but didn't that
free trader, Watterson, call that plat
form kind of dodge or straddle, not an
honest, stand up fight.
SOUTHDowN-That is all straight now,
Dennis. WattersOn introduced resOIu-
ton at the st, Louis convention which
was unanimously adopted, that the
Presidents message was the true inter
probation OF the Democratic platform of
1884.
DENNIS--Thiu the Presidents message
is the platform. Faith what did it say
about that tariff
SoUTHDOwN-Tha our tariff laws are
a vicious. ineqIitlbl9 anil illogical
source of unnecessary taxation.
DENNIS-Bad luck, thin, | say to sich
laws, and what is the President goin' to
be after dom to get rid of thimI
SoUTHDowN-Why, they passed res
olution at the St. Louis convention to
support the Mills bill,
DENNIS And what will that be after
dOin'?
SoUTHDowN-If it becomes law it
lals free. and largely reduce the duties
on all manufactured articles, 1t takes
the tax off of many of the neCessaries Of
life.
DENNIs-The Democratic papers say
that the Mills bill don't name free trade,
but freer trade.
SoUTHDowN-That is the point exact
y. 1t let's in great many things free,
such as they can produce cheaper in
foreign countries. 1t retains the duties
on few articles they produce down
South az that is necessary TO keep the
negroes AT work.
DENHIS-I'm after thinkiu' what
Grover Cleveland said: i believe in
free trade as do in the Protestant re-
ligIon.'
SoUTHDowN-Yes, Cleveland is very
religious. conscientious, virtuous and
honest man.
DENNIs-And sure, didn't Carlisle, a
Dimecrat, say AN trade should be as
free as possible, and didn't X. Q. Mills
say: i desire free trade and | will not
help to perfect any law that stands in
the way of free trade, and didn't Henry
Watterson say that the Dlmecratic par
ty is free trade party or it Is moth.
ing.
SoUTHDowN-As individuals, Dennis,
they had right to express their own
opinion.
DENNIS Faith, see, it is the Dime
cratic platform that expresses the opin-
ion of the party.
SoUTHDOwN-Yes es, that is exactly what
the platform is made for, and now that
you understand, don't let these high
tariff advocates mislead you.
DENNIS-That you may bet no one will
fool me this time, but the fact is thai
freer trade and free trade jumbles me
head all up. Will ye please tell me
what it would be if the President jist
knockt that vicious tariff into smither
, Gems
SoUTHDowN-Why that would be fret
trade.
DENNIs--That wuz Jist what l wui
after knowin'. You say Cleveland is al
honest man, and he says the tariff il
vicious, which means as bad as kin be
Thin as an honest man he will do all ht
; can to rid the country OF slcn DAD Ia"
as the tariff.
SoUTHDowN-Yes Dennis, his inten-
, ton is to relieve the country of bur
densome surplus.
DENNIs-Yis, have bin towld that b,
weighs 1895 pounds. 1t is great bnr
then, Is that the surplus you name
SoUTHDowN-NO it is a surplus il
the treasury large amount of money
A in excess of the wants of the govern
mpnt.
: DENNIS Bedad it is meself that woulC
be PLACED with sirplis; faith I'd Civ th
the boys some wurk,
SoUTHDowN- When the taxes are re-
r duced you will be able to buy every
. thing you require very cheap.
n DENNIs-Buy chape do you say Wei
q begorra, that will be foIDe, and sure
what will make everything chaperT
e SoUTHDowN-For the reason that the.
can produce cheaper in foreign cOun
r tries, as the cost of labor is much les
: than here.
DENNIs-Sure that is true for ye, TO
divil of much do they pay in lrelan
I and faith, if they do . the work owe
J. there, how will we earn the money t.
y buy thare chape things?
l. SoUTHDowN-The fact is you won
have to earn as much, as when the bur
!. den of taxation is removed it will RI
It duce prices.
DENNIs-Mr. Southdown, am muc
e obleeged to you for your informaton,a "a
:; We have cleared up me moind.
SoUTHDOwN-I am pleased, Dennis
It that you fully understand the princi
n pies of Democracy, which you can no.
y explain to your friends.
y DENNIS-Faith, sir, but will do th
same. 1t is meself that will tell TIM
IT that Cleveland is such an honest maj
i If he is elected the country will not
: burthened with any tarutt, and sha
tell thin if he don't name what he Say
b the divil may trust him for all me. An
as he'd all the free trade that wuz goC
or fur me in the ovid country, me moin
1, is made up jist to drop my vote for Ha
rison and Morton, and kape the boys
!. wurk here, as it seems to me to be mo-
OI sinsible than buyin the Chape furrin nj
; cessties you talk about. Bad luck
e, your free trade, says ], and good da
Mr.. Southdown, to you and free trad
and place look at these figures,
Statistics for the Victorian reign te
what the rule for free trade England h
of done for Ireland:
p Died OF famine. <%o
Persons eyicted ............''''''' 80 ooo
d Number of emigrants. nts....................4l loo
or Number evicted from 1s49 to 1851 ...... 81
Number evicted from 1859 TO 1860 ...... 0O(
Number eyicted from 1861 to 1870. 329
y Number svicted from 1871 to 1886 ........ 72S
I'D The number of persons evicted lscqu
to rs per cent of the actual populatlo
a 1t is the London Times which says tn
the only time an Irishman is useful
{ =? England is when he emigrates TO Il
i United States and votes the Democrat
ticket.
ot A summer visitor to Cape Ann h
- noticed that signboards are as abunda
III. as wild roses. In fact, they are mu
w more important than the streets theI
~ selves. II in driving you chance up'
n ai1nhOard which annOuncPa hI3