The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-09-15
Villas GREAT SPEECH.
Brilliant Address by the Secretary
Sf the Interior.
Measures and Policies Of the Two Parties
Compared = 1niquities Of Protected
TaxatIon-The Trust" Atrocity
"A Tribnte to the President.

Measures and Policies OF the Two Parties
Compared = Iniquitics Of Protected
TaxatIon-The "Trust" Atrocity
"A Tribntc TO the President.
Hon. William F. Villas, Secretary Of the
Interior, addressed the Democrats Of Wis.
consin at Milwaukee few days ago. When
he appeared on the platform he was greet
ed enthusiastically by thousands Of voters,
to whom he spoke as follows:
FELLOW. CITIZENS: The Democratic party
Of to-day, under the leadership and upon
the personal and official record in admins
trait on Of Grover Cleveland, challenges
comparison with its decaying adver-
sary and confidently invokes the calm and
serious Judgment of the electors of the
Nation 1t asks for no hasty or passion
ate decision; it appeals to no prejudice, 1t
stands in no fear Of the most searching
scrutiny. Its trust Is in its purposes, its
fidelity to the people and the unerring GER
tainty of justice and wisdom in their judg-
ment, as the voice Of God. It is the historic
party of American popular liberty; and,
from the earliest contests, the champion Of
the people against classes and class gov
vi hhShVt WIG Va uC OApOhCuU, uuNOCuIc
administrator Of the principles of constitu-
tional liberty In America.
invite you 10 contrast the conditions,
the principles and professions of the great
opposing parties in this contest, and the
promise for the future afforded by them
respectively.
What is the Republican party of to-day,
and wherein is 1t better or more worthy of
confidence than it was in 1sS4a
1t was in the beginning more popular
uprising than q political party. It found
origin and quickening power in the high
appeal of justice and tenderness for human
brethren in oppression, and in the honest
zeal of deep conviction its following was
well nigh fanatical It was q crusade
against a great National sin; and it fell
upon the time appointed Of Heaven for the
publication of the Republic by fire. 80 it
rose to rapid power like the whirlwind,
and like the whirlwind it swept its course
of destructive though wholesome violence
Within decade the evil which had en-
gendered its being was more than de-
stroyed; it was deraclnated as by dyna-
mite, and the land was strewn with
the mighty wreck, where, in fantastic
chaos, lay States, constitutions and peo-
pies amid the wide flung havoc of war.
That was the logical period Of the party's 8
existence. 1t stood upon or possessed no
doctrines of government, no principles for
the guidance of the institutions of free
dom in the repose of peace. 1t was not
National, but sectional; q party for civil
war, not for National fraternity. But the
heart of victorious people was in its
grasp, and the rage of war was long un-
spent The party retained unslackened con-
troll of all legislation and taxation,
with all their possibilities of fraudu-
lent gain. It was the opportunity of op-
portunities for the political freebooter.
There lay the carcass, and there the keen
scented birds of prey were soon gathered
together. The Republican party was not
in origin the party of the rich or the ars
tocratical. Its vanguard was the perse-
cuted Abolitionists, it's mission was to re-
deem the lowly slave, and its appeal was
to the poor and humble rather than to the
rich ana high. But the eye and nose of
greed never fail, nor ever its insatiate
thirst relents. The golden hour was
promptly recognized. Even in the darkest
days of the mighty life-struggle of the
Nation, when every thought was agoniz-
ingly bent and every muscle tense in the
fearful strain of war, ever while the
drench of our brothers blood was yet un-
drunk by the sated earth, the agents of
personal and con federated avarice, darkly
moving behind the scenes, gave constantly
the skillful turn to private gain Of meas
ures taken for the prosecution of war.
And never, for one moment, did they
suspend their efforts nor even spare the
exhausted people. Upon one pretext and
n fpn nj ho ,.li foot ~
Republican dominion, corruption began its
work and schemes for dishonest enrich
ment Of the few to prevail
1t was IN 1862 that, pursuing the senti-
ment that National defense required a
transcontinental highway, the Pacific rail
road legislation began; and in 1854 that,
with unrelenting ingenuity, it was 80
amended to diabolical perfection that the
Government really built the roads, and
gave them, with land enough for an en-
pire, to the successful conspirators. Then,
also, the earliest act for laying taxes, and
afterward, with q greed that heightened
with each new gluttony, every revenue
measure was perverted and distorted by
ingenious touches, imperceptible to any
but the practised eye, by which private
tribute was extorted from the people five
times greater than the tax that went to the
Treasury. Then it was that the monstrous
vampire hidden in the tariff, which Sc
ductively fans with the wings of protec-
lection tho laborer whose hearts blood it
sucks, was begotten in sin to rob the toll
ing producers in the fields and forests of
the wealth they create. And when war
had ceased, and u great people with
its Golfers unlocked and its resources
exposed lay before the spoiler, while
in the exhaustion of struggle and
tho heat Of rage National guard
ianship was gone, there followed such a
seizure Of the National wealth by various
devices, so rapacious, so gigantic, so in
genious in the methods by which the grasp
was laid as has never been exhibited in
history. Nothing is comparable to it but
India under Warren Hastings. Other ma.
tions have been despoiled by conquerors
in the open force of unlicensed conquest;
this people was robbed by the devilish
manipulation of its own legislation and
agencies of administration in the hands OF
its supposed friends.
You know this story; at least 80 much
as has been brought to open light--part
only Of the shameful whole Sixty. five
million dollars stand in your stated public
debt to-day to the account Of the Pacific
railroad loan as the open share Of plunder's
far-reaching rascality levied on u coming
generation. The broad expanse of the
public domain. gained under Democratic
administrations and designed for the nu
merous homesteads Of independent pio.
neers. you have seen granted to corpora
tions by prlncipalitles In area, or delivered
to the pets Of partisan power to become