Richland beacon., 1888-08-18

7 thS PSOPiS. VI taC isl ddN vi
March. 1885, there had been coined, un-
( der the act of 1878, silver dollars to the
amount of *194, 247, 19i, and there was
III circulation 1852, l54, 1873 in coin and
certificates. Since that date the coinage
has gone on regularly under the law, so
/ that the total amount issued from the
Mint up to the first day of the present
month was S297, ,0J9, 790. The outstand-
ing circulation in coin and certificates
amounted In the same tine to x253, 095,
22j, or Ueer 500, 900, 900 more than on
March I, 1885. Does this illustrate that
| the Administration has attempted to
demonetize silver or prevent its circula-
tiona
Notwithstanding this enormous in
crease IN the coinage and the circulation
OF silver 1t has been kept at Ear with
gold. BY judicious management, by
observing closely the daily movement
and character Of the different kinds OF
currency in circulation, the Secretary Of
the Treasury has succeeded in accom-
plishing what many believed TO be i'm
possible, and the financial operations of
the Government, as well as the business
affairs of the people, have gone on
securely and rrOsperously. For these
results the Administration is entitled
&c credit and not condemnation. Loud
applause.
Upon the one great question which
now attracts the almost undivided
attention of the country-thc question
of revenue reduction the Republican
party, has clearly and explicitly COM
mitted itself in favor of free tobacco and
free whisky, and increased taxation upon
food and clothing and the medicines of
the people, and upon the raw materials
used in their manufacturing industries.
Upon this issue it appeals to the people
for their judgment at the ensuing cleo
tion, but it confesses its want of con-
fidence in the justice of its own cause ty
grossly misrepresentihg the position of
its opponent at the very beginning of the
contest. While we cheerfuly admit the
right Of the Republican party to define
its own position, we utterly deny its
right to define ours. Applause.
"Whoever asserts that the Democratic
party is in favor of free trade in this
country, Or that the present Administra-
ton has adopted or recommended free
trade policy, or that the bill now pend
ing in the House of Representatives is a
free trade measure, is either ignorant of
the terms he uses or is so blinded by par.
tisan prejudice as to be incapable of do
ing Justice to his political opponents.
Renewed applause. l think it IS safe
to say that nine tenths of the people who
are daily denouncing the Mills bill in the
public press and otherwise as free trade
measure have never read single line of
it, and perhaps they would not under
stand it If they had. 1t does not pro-
pose general revision of the tariff. II
affects comparatively very few Of the
many articles now subject to taxation
under our customs laws. 1t places num-
ber of articles, principally the materials
used in our manufactures, on the free
list, and it reduces the rates of duty, as
I have said, on some others. For in.
stance, it places all raw wool on the free
list, and makes corresponding reduc-
tion in the rates of duty upon wooleb
goods, for, strange as it may appear TO
our Republican friends, the Democrats
In Congress are of the opinion that cheap
wooden clothing would be more bene.
fetal to the people than cheap whisky.
Great laughter.
"The present average rate OF duty
upon articles which the bill proposes to
reduce is nearly &c per cent, and if the
measure should become law the average
rate upon these articles would still be
over AZ per cent, while the average rate
upon all dutiable importations would be
40 per cent. Therefore, notwithstand-
ing the passage of this bill the average
tariff rates of duty upon dutiable goods
imported into this country will still re-
main higher than they ever were previous
to 1864; when the rates were greatly in
creased, hot for protection, but for rev.
enue to carry on the war. They win
still be five times as high as they were
under the first tariff law enacted ii i,s9,
when our industries We're really in their
infancy. Notwithstanding the passage
of this BIZ, ihe average rate of duty upon
ddrIable goods will remain higher than
the rates under the protective tariff of
1916; higher than the protective tariff
of 1924; higher than the protective tariff
Of 1928; higher than the protective tariff
of 1912, and higher than the protective
tariff of 1861, known as the Morrill, tariff.
Under all these tariffs Republican orators
claim that the country was prosperous.
1.-THE Democratic party does not ad-
vocate free trade, but it believes that the
interests of all our manufacturing and
other industries would be advanced,
that the wages of all our laborers would
be increased, and the general welfare OF
the whole country would be greatly
promoted by repeating, as far as possible,
che taxes upon raw materials, and reduc-
ing or repeating the taxes upon the
actual necessaries of life Qoud applause),
and upon these simple propositions it
proposes to stand or fall in the great
contest now before it. We believe that
such q policy would so reduce the cost of
production in this country as to enable
our manufacturers to compete success.
fully with their rivals, not only in our
home market but in the markets abroad,
and especially in the markets of the great
and growing States and Republics Of
South America and Mexico, which, a.
though they lie at our very dooIs, now
make their largest purchases in Europe !;
that it would secure to our laboring
people in every branch OF industry more
steady employment, better wages, and
greater opportunities for the improve
ment of their condition (renewed ap.
plause); and that it would do more to
encourage the building of ships and tho
restoration of the American carrying
trade on the high seas than all the sub
sides aud bounties the most extravagant
Congress could grant. Whatever may
be said to the contrary, we know that
all labor is paid for in the marke $