Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1888-09-05
CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE.


Had values continued to increase from
1860 to 1880 as they did during the low-tar-
if period from 1850 to 1860, farm values in
Michigan wonld have been in 1880 one oil,
lion and forty-seven million dollars, instead
of being as they were by the census of 1881
only four hundred and ninety-nine thous-
and dollars. And so, too, take farm lmpie-
ments. They increased in value from 1901
to 1860 at the rate of 1911 per cent, and IN
1880 only 41.06 per cent. If they had IN
creased in the same ratio under the high
tariff period that they did under the low,
they would have been $23, 500, 600 instead
of $19,5O00OO.
OF NO BENEFIT TO THE FARMER.
sfYou see, then, by these figures that it
is quite impossible that this high tariff can
be Of advantage to the agricultural commu-
nity, quite impossible. But, my friends,
must draw my remarks to close. 1t Is
time that I was giving way to other gentle
men who are to follow nue., in order to give
them fair opportunity to present their
opinions. / want to call yonr attention,
though, to one thing. have spoken about
this surplus revenue that lies uselessly in
the vaults of the treasury. Now, l want
to read to you what Senator John Sherman
saws upon that subject, only SO late as the
fifth day of last month, in speech before
the Chamber of Commerce in Cincinnati.
As you remember, he was four years during
the Hayes administration Secretary OF the
Treasury. Now, nobody will charge John
Sherman with being democrat am quite |
sure. Laughter and appluse.l
RAP AT SHERMAN. |
ssNobody will charge him with wanting |
to destroy American industry, but here is |
what John says 81 would like to talk to
you men of business to-day on the matter
of the great surplus of money in the United
States Treasury. That fleets you mate
rally. We would prefer to have it than a
deficiency. The government has this sur
plus, and it seems that some people were
trying to get rid of it. ! do not allude to
politics. Every man of sense knows that
the government should not collect any more
money than is absolutely necessary to car
nv on the business with close economy.
Congress ought this year to devise some
mode to dispose of this surplus; yet, as l
said before, it is better to have this surplus
than deficiency
NO EXCESSIVE TAXATION WANTED.
"Now, I agree with that entirely, that
the government should not collect more
money from the people than is necessary to
carry on government economically admins
tered, and everybody does not know that this
great surplus which is lying uselessly in the
treasury and increasing from year to year
ID great injury to the country and does no
body any good. 1t has the effect among
other things besides its pecHnlary effect, of
damaging the prosperity of the country. 1t
has very corrupting effect. Gov. Allan,
of Ohio, once said in his forcible way, speak
ing when he was .excited, THAT you might
as we'll try to keep powder-house in hell
as to have an honest government with a
surplus in the treasury" [Greatapplause]
''Well, that was a spretty strong state
ment of the case, but it was not eXtraya-
CANT, after all. Why, gentlemen, if you
would just look over the schemes for plum
dering the government, owing to this great
surplus that is there, you would be amazed.
There is scarcely anything that somebody
won't ask for, for they say, why the gov
eminent has,:::money which is lying idle in
the treasury and you might as we'll give it
to US for our little scheme as to have it ly-
ing there and so every scheme of extrava-
gance, everything in the world by which
the people can be bled and high taxes kept
up is advocated by these men, and grows in
great degree out of the fact Of surplus in
the treasury
THE CHINESE QUESTION DISCUSSED.
ssMy friends, before I conclude want to
ask your attention for moment to another
question, to what is known as the Chinese
question, the question of importation of
Chinese into this country. Now, what l
think upon that subject cannot be better
expressed than by reading what said to
my constituents in Cincinnati 10 the year
1870, five years before the Legislature of
California memorialized Congress on this
subject of Chinese immigration The ex-
tract from Judge Thurman's speech deliv-
cred September 10th, 1870, at Cincinnati,
was then read to the audience.
PROVED BY TIME.
s'Those, my friends, were my opinions
eighteen years ago, and every day has serv-
ed to verify their correctness. They are
my opinions to-day, and I have no doubt
will be as long as life is in me. [Great ap-
plause.] If know myself, there is no man
on the top of this earth who has more sym
pathy for the laboring man or the man Of
humble condition than I have, and whatev-
er I could do to better their condition
would do. prolonged cheers. do not bs-
Aieve for one moment that this high protect
i've tariff whichis somuch lauded and which
is insisted upon byour republican opponents,
is for the benefit of the laboring man.
ssThat is one of the reasons why am op-
posed to such onerous duties. CONTINUED
applause
81 have shown you that under this high
protective tariff the agricultural interests of
the country have fallen off enormously, that
the value of farms have increased during
the decade from 1870 10 1880 at the rate OF
only nine per cent, as compared with one
hundred per cent during the period when
there was q low tariff.
"Gentlemen, if you will look at the COM
merce of the country you will find some
thing even more striking than that. The
day was, and not great while ago, when
there were two countries that substantially
carried the trade Of the world. These were
Great Britain and the United States, and
we were gaining so fast upon Great Britain
that we carried between 70 and so per cent,
if my memory-[A voice-''80 per cent"
Judge Thurmau.-'I am right-80 par
cent, my friend says-the carrying freight
of the world, whereas now we carry, if my
memory is not at fault, only IA per cent
Now, why Is that ?''
Gentlemen, had occasion few years
ago to visit Europe, and felt Inundated.
81 found that in crossing the Atlantic
and re-crossing it, and in the ports OF Eu-
rope, l never but. once sew the American
flag on the mast of ship never but once,
and that was ship that was engaged in
carrying passengers, and the flag of Great
Britain was on one end of her and the Amer
lean flag on the other. Laughter. Now
the friends of high protective tariff say
GnaJ IL IendS TO diversity laDOr ana that all
diversified labor is good for the country
Well, you may admit the general PROPOSE
ton. When l was boy we used to have
for old-fashioned Fourth-of-July dinners
toast to Agriculture, Manufacture aud
Commerce These are diversified indus
tries. They all ought to prosper in free
country like this. Manufactures have to
a great extent prospered. Agricultural has
terribly declined, and commerce with for
eign nations has nearly disappeared. think
it time VIC had diversified labor, in which
all our people, our sailors and farmers as
well as our manufacturers, and the laboring
man as well as the capitalist should thrive
and prosper And now my friends I will
conclude what have to say to you. hope
it may give you some occasion for reflection
and may lead you to support that grand
party which was founded by Jefferson, de-
Tended by Jackson, and has prospered ia
der Grover Cleveland" [Great applause
HOW THE SPEECH WAS RECEIVED.
The speech was listened to with the clos
est attention, and the good points were
promptly recognized and applauded. Judge
Thurman spoke easily, his voice being clear