The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1888-03-22
thursday, March q, 1888.
A RINGING SPEECH
Upon the Political Issues Of the Day,
by Hon. J. 3. Johnson, of Topeka,
before the Young Mems Re
publican Club at Armory
Hall Last Night.
hall Last Night.

Capt. johnson devoted the opening
part of his address to the tariff ques-
ton. The speaker showed by his argu-
mont that protection to home instltu-
lions and industries would be IL e over
shadowing question in the approaching
campaign; that the Presidents mes
sage to congress at the opening of the
last session would be the platform of
the Democratic party, and that that
document was simply an argument IN
favor of opening American ports 10
articles manufactured in foreign coun-
tries and brought here to be placed III
competition with articles manufactured
by American labor. He asserted that
an ounce Of experience was worth ton
Of theory, and thereupOn cOntrasttd
the condition of the country prior to
1860, with the prosperity that had come
to it under high protective tarift
adopted by the Republican party upon
assuming control of the government III
1860. The speaker clearly demonstrate
ed that the farmers of Kansas were ill.,
terested in the question of home pro-
lection equally with all other classes of
the community, for the reason that
high protective policy would furnish to
the agriculturalist a home market of
the surplus products of the soil, by
building up within our borders indus
tries that would otherwise seek foreign
shores where labor can be employed at
from one-half to two-thirdS less than
the wages paid to American working
men. He showed by statistics that
ninety per cent Of the cost Of any man
ufactured article was the price paid for
the labor employed 10 its manufacture.
Already, thousands in this country are
suffering for lack of employment.
Shall we add to that unfortunate class
by tens of thousands? Yet that is
what free trade or tariff for revenue
Ouly uIcdi1S. IOl IuO hLhCIAOAh OOfOA-
eign will not consent to the same de-
grading mode of living as the pauper
laborers of Europe.
The speaker asserted that the ITO
plan government would be one III
which was produced every article that
was consumed within its borders.
That every dollar sent TO foreign
country for articles produced there,
and that were capable of production
here, meant just that much money
taken from the circulation in this
country; just that much less bread for
hungry mouths, and that much less
money for our own workingmen.
He demonstrated that the statement
made by the President in his message,
that the price of every article to the
consumer was increased by the amount
of the tariff imposed upon said article,
was fallacious and untrue, and he cited
numerous instances in the demonStra-
ton of his position. He maintained
that the tendency Of a protective tariff
was to build up home industries and
institutions, and that the home compe
tition thus melted would bring down
the price of the article manufactured
and create a home market for the
products Of the farm, and concluSively
demonstrated that a diversified indus
try resulted in the greatest prosperity
to the people.
Regarding the question of the sui
plus in the treasury, that so much agi-
tated Democratic statesmen, the speak
er asserted that that surplus was made
possible by reason of the fact that the
Democratic party had been ousted from
power and control in the nation, and
that if it was permitted to hold control
of the government many years that
surplus would not long trouble the
country. No wonder the Democratic
party stood aghast at the surplus. The
only surplus they had heretofore had
to deal with was surplus of unpaid
bills with no money in the treasury to
meet them. But the past history of
that party had demonstrated its
peculiar ability and aptness to dispose
of the surplus funds to the best advan-
tage OF the least numbers. And he
called attention to the fact that there
was surplus in the treasury because
the Republican party had made tpossi-
bic to be there; that if the Democratic
party had been successful at any cleo
ton between 1860 and 1870, there would !
have been not only no surplus in the
treasury, but even the treasury itself |
would be missing. He demonstrated |
that it was not policy to cripple the in
dustries of the country in order to dis
pose of such surplus.
The speaker called attention to the
fact that there were Jackson Demo
Gratis and Jefferson Democrats, but
they took no. name FROM among their
modern statesmen. What history has
the Democratic party made in the last
% years that were not better blotted
from our memory? But the annals of
The Republican party are full of names
as the stars. Abraham