, 1888-08-23
PLAIN FACTS.
Judge Allen Thurman at Port
Heuron, Mich.
His Speech on the Tariff
Question.
Some Plain Facts Forcibly
Presented.

thurman ana party arrived mere at L
o'clock this morning after a journey of
over twelve hours on the little steamer
Picket. The trip through Lake st. Clair
was very rough. Passing Marine City at
midnight the dock was illuminated and
cannon and human voices and hundreds
OF steam whistles spoke a greeting.
At st. Clair rockets and roman candles
were set off and hundreds OF people
cheered heartily. There was no speaking,
as the party were in their beds.
At 1890 this afternoon the party again
boarded the boat for Port Huron, where
Judge Thurman speaks this afternoon.
PoRT Huron, Aug. pat Pine
Grove park a large crowd awaited the
exercises of the afternoon. j. G. O'Neil
introduced Judge Thurman and in so
doing made a comparison between the
Grand Old Man of England and the
"Old Roman" of America.
After the applause had subsidized, Judge
Thurman spoke as follows:
Judge Thurman's Speech.
Ladies and Genaemen-I know that
the people of Michigan are taking the
deepest interest in the questions that are
being discussed this year, and in the brief
time that | shall speak | will occupy my
self mainly with one of these ques-
tons in which so much interest is now
taken aud upon which much is now being
said through the public press.
1t is not necessary for me before | pro
coed to speak of the president OF the
United States and of his administration
more than a few words. DEFY any man
who has regard for the truth to say that
president loud and prolonged cheeringl,
man. He has had a clean, upright and
SUCCESSFUL ADMINISTRATION.
In the canvass that preceded his cleo
ton his opponents predicted all manner
Of evils in case he should succeed. Where
is the ruin that was to follow his election?
Where is the disgrace that was to follow
his election? On the contrary, the coun-
try has been more quiet, peaceable and
prosperous than for many years. L know
the man well, and a more upright and
wise man | do not believe dwells in
the United States. He has a noble
band of councillors around him, and not
the least among them is a distinguished
citizen of YOU own state-Mr. Dickinson.
He knows how to choose good constitu-
tional advisers. | presume there is not a
person within the sound of my voice who
does not know what is meant by the tariff.
and yet it may aid us to to-day if | give a
clear and precise definition of what the
tariff is, A tariff il a tax levied by the
Uanaral nnuarnmanf nnnn ayary arfInln Of
that comes INTO the United
States, and hat is intended for the sale
within her borders and which incidentally
raises the price, and therefore become a
tax
OR A BURDEN.
upon every article Of domestic manufac-
lure of ike nature with those which pay
a tariff tax. We have according to last
adviccs, about $l15, 600, 900 called sur
plus revenue-that is, taxes collected
from the people beyond the necessities of
the government, lying in the treasury of
the United States of no service to any hu-
man being, drawing no interest, earning
no profits. but taken from the pockets of
the people where they properly belong.
The Democratic party says that this is a
wrong condition of affairs. The Demo
cratic party says this surplus revenue,
which is produced in the main by these
tariff taxes, ought to be reduced and that
taxes should be reduced so that this sur
plus will not
CONTINUE TO ACCUMULATE.
Our opponents say it is better to let the
surplus accumulate, it is better to take the
money out of the pockets of the people
and pile it up in the vaults of the treas
.,.y. thnt - 20 Kattar IN do that than 10
touch the tariff laws OF the United States.
We say, on the contrary, that to relieve
an overtaxed people is to reduce the axes.
We say that the way to treat the people
honestly, fairly and wisely is to take no
more taxes out of their pockets than that
which the government actually needs.
The issue, then, is fairly made up between
US. Ii is between high taxation on the
one hand and reasonable taxation on the
other. 1t is between taking the money
of the people out of their own control or
leaving it where it belongs, in the
POCKETS OF THE PEOPLE.
l have never Witnessed such audacity
as l have noticed this year on the part OF
the advocates of high protective tariff.
There seems to be a singular disregard of
truth that has suddenly affected them.
we are JOlu tnaJ ulRn thIlu maheo lle
country richer. As If it were possible to
make a country rich by oppressively tax
ing the people. Is not that q new way to
make a man rich2 to run your hand
INTO HIS POCKET
and take out what you find, without any
Just reason whateyer2 And yet that is
precisely the plan these people tell us to
adopt to enrich the country. Again, they
have the audacity to say that this tariff
tax is not paid by the consumers ofartlcles
which are taxed. If the consumer don't
pay the tax | would like to know who
does. Do these protectionist orators pay
il? Do the manufacturers pay it?
No, my friends. The tariff taxes are
paid by the consumers of articles which
are taxed and of ali domestic articles Of a
like kind which are manufactured in the
United States. 1t is a curious fact that
one of the worst things about the tariff
tax is that while the government gets one
dollar, resulting from the tax, domestic
oonucaoturar NOT Hua 1allaru no N 10