Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1888-10-14
WORDS OF WISDOM.
Mrs. Clara FOltz Addresses
the Democracy.
THE MILLS BILL DISCUSSED.
Pointed Arguments as to Which
Party Is in the Interests
of the People.

Pointed Arguments as to Which
Party Is in the Interests
! of the People.
In the Turnverein Hall last night Mrs.
Clara Foltz made one of the most mas
terly speeches Of the campaign to an
audience so dense that the resting &C.
commodation OF that building proved to
be inadequate. Her first appearance in
the hall was the signal for a spontaneous
burst of applause, and from the first mo-
ments OF her scholarly address to the
closing sentences, she kept her auditors
in state Of enthusiasm inspired by the
magnetism OF her words. The stage
was occupied by several members Of the
County Committee, and it was a few
minutes after when Mr.. Eugene Ger
main, chairman Of that body, introduced
Capt. A. F. Mackey as president of the
evening. The gentleman named at once
proceeded to business by directing of the
Sc cretaries to read the list of officers of
the evening, which were as follows:
President-Captain A. F. Mackey.
Secretaries-Edward GERMAN and G..
f. A. Last.
Vice-Presidents- Harrington Brown,
A. G.. Clarke, w. L. Price, w. R. Lewis,
General Charles Forman, R. G. Charl-
ton, M. E. G. Munday, Garde Mahoney,
DR.. j. H. Bryant, James @. Rays, John
Bryson, A. Glassell, A. McNally, W. N.
Whithorn, j. J. Donovan, B. G. Weir, I.
w. Hellman, David Mulrein, j. R. Mat.
thews, Charles B. Gatewood, Richard
Barham, w. S. Roper, E. A. Preuss, W.
s. Waters, DR.. N. Lindenfeld, w. A.
Cole.
Captain Mackey then, in short
speech, announced the great pleasure he
felt in introducing one of the brightest
minds of the ladies of California, and
Mrs. Clara Foltz advanced to the speak
ers' stand, which was appropriately
draped with the American colors. AS
soon as the applause had subsidized Mrs.
Foltz spoke of the great pleasure she ex-
perieDced in addressing such large and
patriotic audience, and then settled down
to the business before her. 81 am here, /"
she said, "to speak to you upon the gen.
eral issues of the campaign, and stand
en- different ground to most of the ora
tors you have heard, for, being woman,
I belong to no political party. 1t is as a
Free-lance speak to you tonight, and ii
was with the understanding that my
language was not to be restricted that 1
| accepted the invitation of the Democratic
| Central Committee to attend this meet
ing. l am going to talk to you about the
tariff, which can scarcely be said to be a
very interesting subject, as its arguments
are heavy aud laden with figures. The
reason it is so befogged in this manner is
not because, according to the maxim
| figures won't lie, but because liars will
| figure. The Republicans have the adj
vantage Of us on this proposition, for
! their side is not SO dry-it is mixed with
free whisky. The subject of the tariff is
one that comes home to us
all, and is best defined by Allen
G. Thurman when he calls it tax.
The present tariff laws were passed in
1862 and were put high to meet the ex-
traordinary expenses of that time, but
twenty.seven years have passed way
and the needs no longer exist, although
the burdens do. At the present time
$13O, 100000 of the public money lie
heaped up in the Treasury, and this
golden store is being added to at the rate
OF 5000, 900 day. For long time past
it has been evident that something must
be done to arrest this accumulation, and
the Republican Presidents have agreed
that the tariff must be revised. The old
guard Of your party, my brother Repub-
licans, have stood for
TARIFF REDUCTION,
And l would rather suffer defeat with
them than join the ranks OF those who
have debauched their party for personal
glory and aggrandizement. The question
with which we have to contend is that if
tariff revision and tariff reform is inev-
table, into the hands OF which party can
our affairs best be trusted? And in
answering this, 1 will tell you why 1 am
in the Democratic ranks. For fifteen years,
although the tariff matter was pressed
ON the Republicans, they did nothing to
alleviate the abuse, that is nothing of
any good to the masses of the nation.
They have removed taxes from the rich
mans luxuries it is true, but they left
them on the poor mans necessities, in
short, they have lent willing ear to the
cry of the wealthy. but have been deaf
to the clamors of the poor. Now let
us see what action the Democrats have
taken. In every Congress in which
Democrats have been in the majority,
measures for the revision of the tariff
were introduced, and to crown all, last
November came the Presidents message
on the subject and then the great Mills
bill. / do not intend to say that the
mills Bill is perfect for a few
inconsistencies crop up here and there,
but it is the best measure in that line
that has ever been brought before the
country. and therefore it is your duty to
vote for it. And now am going to tell
you something that will astonish you,
but is nevertheless true. The Mills bill
is highly protective measure, and when
Blaine and his party say that it is free
trade proposition their statements are
maliciously false. 1t is drawn up SO as
not to interfere with any of the manu-
featuring interests, and this l will prove
to you. The average tariff tax now is AZ
per cent and Mills wants to reduce it to
32-does that lock like free trade. With
the tariff working according to the
Mills bill it will even then be higher
than it was at war time, IL times as
high as in 1912, times higher than the
protection tariff passed by the first Con-
gress Of the United States, and Is per
cent. higher than what was advised by
the Republican Commission sent out in
1888. Not single factory will have to
close ita doors nor will the bo -, ~ or 1;a