Afro-independent. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. ;) 1888-1???, 1888-09-22
ALIEN PAUPER sERFS.
Four Millions of Them Imported
Within Four Years
Over Million of American working Men
Idle, bat Taxed to support Ignorant
Foreigners Tariff Reform
Versus Protection.

Congressman Melbourne H. Ford ad-
dressed his constituents at Grand Rapids,
Mich, the other night. His speech, which
Is one Of the test delivered during the
present campaign, was as follows:
Mr. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN OF THE
CONVENTION: thank you for the honor you
have done me through nominating me for the
second time as your candidate for Representa-
tive in Congress. deeply appreciate the honor
you have done me, and l am ensIble OF the
high compliment paid me being nominated
Unanimously and by reclamation. I accept the
nomination. and do SO with the utmost conf
lence and enthusiasm, because never before
have We been more evcrlastingly in the right
upon the great questions Of the day than we
ere al present. We are confronted to-day by
an issue, in my Judgment, as it may be
decided by the people, for veal or woe
70 an ncalculable extent. With an overflow
ing Treasury: with over s1O0,OO00OO on
hand which we know not how TO dispose OF; with
money enough now III the Treasury 10 pay OF the
bonds that Will come due in 1891, We are still
leyying taxes on the people TO an extent OF
from SS0,000,UJ0 to S12l 100000 a year, more
than we can possibly use. Is not that an out
ragey Why, there is not country in the world
that would stand such thing. There is no
tyrauniZed people upon this earth that would
submit to IL, and yet that very thing are
standing under in this country to-day. Why
has this policy OF piling up money in the
Treasury been so long pursued! II is because
the protected monopolsts of the East have
had such control In Congress that they have
been powerful enough 10 thwart all attempts
TO relieys the people. The Governmen Mt OF the
United States is not like an individual. When
an individual has surplus of money, more
than he can use, he can invest IL in some bust
ness; but with the Government when IL has q
surplus OF money, it can do nothing but pay OF
its debts, and when all the debts OF the Gov
eminent that are due are paid, there is no
other way TO get the money out of the Treasury
except by paying the Obligations that not
yet matured. This has been done. The finan-
cial situation has been so critical that the Sec
Rotary Of the Treasury, in order TO get the
money out among the people, has actually
gone into the market and TO Sht bonds that
are not yet matured. But wltea the Govern
ment does that the price OF the honds advance.
Shall we continue TO tax the people TO buy
bonds 81 premiumi The simple statement
of such proposit,ou. IL seems 70 me, is en-.
ough 10 refute ii. Something has got to be
done We can not keep locking up money in
the Treasury and contracting the circulation
without causing, pretty soon, the most de-
pressed financial panic that we ever had.
What is the remedy Reduce taxation. There
isno dispute about that proposition. But the
question is, howl We say. reduce taxation
where II is the most burdensome; take 1t of
the tariff The Republican party say: "Let
the tarh alone; take II on the internal
take u on whisky" Now, what have we dones
We have passed the Mills bill in the House.
voted for H. II Is not a perfect measure by
any means After the tariff has been
substantially untouched for twenty
i've years il is not possible in one
session OF Congress to pass
perfect bill reducing the tariff; but we have
done the best could There are lots OF
things that ought TO be In the bill that are not,
bui the Mills bill is one step in the Fight direc-
lion We have done something, at any rate.
WHAT are they doing: They are criticssing the
MDls bill They are very much exercised about
wool going on the free list. They want to pro-
teet the lamb in that way. So does the wolf
The wool tariff has been the greatest decoy the
Eastern manufacturer ever had. 1t has been
their trump card. BY 1t they have been en-
abled TO fool the farmer for years, and il is no
wonder Eow that they make a great ado about
it, These iron and glass manufacturers are
greatly concerned What about Not about
the iron and glass, but about the wool Oh, my
friends, this wool tariff has covered a multi.
tuds OF sins II never benefited the farmer
enough 70 talk about and one knows This
more than these Eastern manufacturers, who
now pose as the farmers friends. Why, even
II the wool tariff did benefit the farmer the re-
duction made In the Mills bill on articles OF
wearing apparel alone would more than com
pensate the farmer for putting wool on the free
list
A few years ago we put hides on the free
list. Our Republican friends said there would
not be q beef creature in the United States in
hve years What has been the RESULT The
result has been that the product of opr leather
manufacturing industries has increased e7d-
10000 in eight years, making u better demand
for our own hides aud giving employment to
thousands OF more men, and the business OF
raising cattle has never increased so rapidly.
They say now 10 put wool on the free list would
destroy the sheep. Why, seventy years ago.
tafn VIA had saKfHs euuFg
more sheep in proportion TO our population
than we have to-day. and wool sold for a high
er price. We can not raise all the wool needed
in the wooden manufactures In this country, be-
cause God Almighty has not given as the soil
or the climate We must import wool, and
when you put high tax on the importation Of
wool you iniure the manufacturing industries,
because about thirty three per cent OF the
wool consumed in this country is imported, and
when you inture the wooden manufacturers you
in!ure the farmers customers. The wooden
manufacturer 10 the man who buys he farm
er's wool, and be must prosper or the price
On wool viii decline; that is Just as GER
tain rs holy writ The question is shall VIC
reduce the taxes on the Eeeessaries, or shall
We reduce them on the internal revenuef Do
you want 70 pay O. for a q blanket in order
that you can buy whisky Al cents . drink
Or do you want 10 have cheap blankets and let
the price OF whisky remain where IL iss There
can De but ons answer 70 that question from
any impartial. candid Az There - not q civ
ilfged government on the face OF this earth
that does not tax spirits Outside Of this
country there - no statesman who advocates
such a monstrous proposition as 70 tar clothes
and let whisky 60 free Heretofore ali men.
and all nations. have recognized WHISKY .
most prAper subject OF high fzxatfOr. and il is
enough 70 astonish any man % hear the Coo
trfne Of free WHISKY prcpounded IN this e.
ltghtened age By the party who has claimed %
be composed OF intelligent and educated zen
Why Go they DO ~ Simply 70 save The pro
fec1iya nonBpoIists from any reduction OF the
tribute which the LAW compsls the people 70
pay them During the var ne used 70 have
TAX On manufacturers which bF9ayh1 Gs IN 10
ti2E.00d 90 81 revenue What was Ihsss
tax on weAlth What has become al Il AeoI
lxhed By q Republican Congress. We used
70 have tax On Incomes. The tax made "a
co.. rerSoas who had annual iEcOnaes Of oser
eaaesstk6 sssr - gag resersss - she Govern
x1eut of t7z.s0C-a10a year They said that VAS
an odlous tar. What became q IT. The Re
publlcAz Congress abolished II We had q TAI
On The Teoelpts Of rAilrcAa coznpaaiesi tzxss