The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-10-27
HILL In INDIANA.
Speeches at Mitchell, Seymour and
Indianapolis.

~~AesAAoPSA'
New York's Distlng ngulshed Governor I'm
siightens tho Hoosisrs on TariT REFORM
and Tells Them why Excessive
Taxation Is Pernicious.
Governor Hill, of New York, began his
series Of stump speeches In Indiana at
Mitchell on Friday, October l2, nearly 5000
strangers being In town to receive him.
After q few Introductory remarks he said.
my friends, the Democratic party proposes
q revision OF the tariff. It does not propose the
destruction Of the tarifi, but II proposes simply
modification OF It, Tariff revision is not tariff
destruction. We believe that the time has come
when the excessive revenues Of the Govern
ment should be diminished. We believe that
the best and truest interests Of our country
will be subserved by o reduction OF the present
high rate Of taxation. We have suffered long
enough under war taxation, and we think the
time has come-the time of peace-when war
taxation should cease Need argue before an
intelligent audience like this that it Is best for
this country that there should not be an over.
flowing Treasury?
we are In favor Of o revision of the tariff
principally upon two points: First we think
that raw material, wherever 1t is possible SO to
do, should be admitted free Of duty. We be-
lleve, in the second place. that the taxes upon
the neccssaries Of life should be made as light
as possible Upon these two points we may
confidently appeal to the people In this CAM
pagn. I don't propose to argue to you at any
length in favor OF the propriety OF what is
known rs the Mills bill. You, by this time in
the campaign, are familiar with the details OF
that measure. I am not here to say that 1t is
perfect in oil its detail but, in the main 1t is
measure reasonably free from objection 1t is
u measure intended to subsorve the best in.
terests Of the country. II is measure in the
interests Of the taxpayers, the consumers, the
farmers. the mechanics and the laboring men
OF the country.
MY friends, when this question was first
presented to Congress last December in mes.
sage by the President have you forgotten how
that message was received by our opponents
In and out OF Congress? In tho first place, they
suid there was no surplus; in the second place,
they said II there was surplus it did not mat
ter. They said: 1T is better, is 1t not, that we
should have a surplus than q deficiency? They
said: 1T is unwise to disturb tho business inter.
ests OF the country by tinkerlng with the tarin,'
and they neglected no opportunity to discour.
age the presentation OF this question to the peo.
pie Of the United States. Nevertheless that
message, which startled the country somewhat
because fits bodness, its honesty, its candor,
was acted upon by our Democratic representa-.
tives In the lower House OF Congress. They
framed bill known as the Mills bill, de-
signed to relieve the country from unneces.
sary taxation. The bill WINS opposed ut every
STEP but our gallant Democratic members of
Congress persisted in the fight. They said to
their opponents: Propose better measure,
give us better substitutes; do something for
the relief OF an overburdened and tnx-rldden
people. But our appeal to them was made in
vain-they offered no substitute. They pre-.
sented no other bill. They discussed the ques-
tion week after week and month after month,
us,t,&x %tx1
ought not to be considered at all. Finally when
the vote came they contented themselves with
Offering few amendments. Then, when these
were voted down, they simply voted against
the measure.
ut then went to the Senate Of our country
the Republican Senate. That body hesitated
In regard to it; discussion of 1t was postponed;
and finally, my friends. in the month Of Oc-
tober, on the eve OF this Presidential election,
when the country has been considering this
matter for many long months, when they saw
that u demand for tariY reform was sweeping
over the country, at this eleventh hour. what
do they do? They then propose measure for
the reduction OF the tariff and reduction of
taxation. Tho majority of the Finance Com
mittee OF the Senate nude report to which l
desire to call your attention from the ad-
missions made in 1t. By that report they say
that they find that the revenues Of the Govern
ment are excessive. 1t seems to me We heard
something like that in President Cleveland's
message last December. ILaughter.1 They said
tariff seems to be imperative. We huve
heard that before. Continuous laugh
teri They said there was necessity
for revision 80 that the inequalities
of the tariff should no longer be perpetuated.
Then they presented their bill. am not here
to discuss the wisdom of the details of that
bill, but am here to say, in the light of these
claims in the light of these facts, in
the light of the attitude OF the Repub-
licans In Congress and out Of Congress, that the
report OF the majority Of the Senate commit
tee and tho presentation Of any bill whatever
by them is a confession OF judgment In favor OF
all the positions taken by President Cleveland
and the Democratic party in December last
lApplause.] Now they concede the propriety of
the discussion OF this question. They now pro-
pose 10 tinker with the tariff themselves; they
now propose to disturb what they say
are the business interests OF this coun-
try by taking up this question them
selves. Laughter and applause] My
friends, IL is too late. The cry for tariff re-
form which has been spreading over this coun-
try has reserved such an impetus that it will
ngan place Mr.. Cleveland in the Presidential
chair. prolonged cheers.l
VI said did not propose to discuss the de-
tails OF the Mills bill. and do not There are
some things, however, you will permit me to
sAoaO w. VA"t Oot buy OOJcCtluu Cbu tucIt
be upon the part Of the farmers, the working.
men and the laboring men OF this great State
Of Indiana to placing salt upon the free list?
What injury can this be to your industries and
TO your interests! Salt is one of the neces-
saries Of life used by every family, and when
the Democratic party proposes to place this on
the free list, they are acting in your interest,
OWN. In plain words, the Democratic party In
This campaign is fighting the selfish of the
country on behalf Of the masses OF the peo
Pile. lCheers.1 Why. we have heard this same
cry made before that, II the tariff was changed
At oil, the business interests Of the country
illustration. About twelve or thirteen years
aRo-I forget the precise date-there
was demand on the part of
The people that hides should be placed
Upon the free list. Some Of tho tanners
Of the country objected; others doubted tho
propriety OF it, lIwas claimed that 1t would
seriously AFFECT the people OF this country 10
have raw hides put upon the free list but Con-
sress In one OF its lucid intervals was finally
persuaded to place this article upon the free
ist The result has been that to-day there Ia
,ot tanner anywhere Engaged In business In
he land but what is glad that It was done, and
le would not have the duty restored II It were
possible to do SO. Tho result has been your
AIMING interests have been increascd they
,avo prospercd us never before, und we ure ex-
PORTING more leather to-day than ever before
n the history OF this country. What Is true in
reference to this one article Is true, rs we |
lhink, In reference 10 others. The same argus
nents, my friends, which were urged then
'ga,nst reduction OF tarin tdxation are urged |
low, and the same arguments which they |
lrgcd now con be urged In i've years from now, |
n ten years from now, and In fifteen years |
rom now. . soy wero unsound then; they are |
nsound now