The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1888-05-18
sLATER's SPEECH.

Last night was the time appointed for
Mr.. Gearln to make speech on the polit'
ical issues of the day, but that gentleman
being confined to his home In Portland on
account of sickness Il was not known that
any one would take his place until the ar
rival of the train at noon yesterday, when
Ex-senator Slater made Il known that he |
would Gil Mr.. Gearin's appointment Notices
were at once posted throughout the city,
and when the hour arrived fair audience
collected to hear the speeches.one otwhich
was delivered by MIR, Miller,th prohibition
candidate for Congress. Mr., Miller opened
the discussion IN speech of one hour,deal-
ing out the usual argument In favor OF
prohibition. lie told Of the evils OF intem.
perance in the same o.d way that has been
used since the days OF our boyhood. lie
labored earnestly and with zeal worthy
of better proposition to show that the
tariff question Is not leading issue. II
was evident that every man present, but
maybe half dozen, disagreed with this
view OF the issues OF the day. He adduced
nothing new, excepting to place himself
squarely on that plank of the platform OF
his party which demands,as u means of re-
dueing the surplus money in the treasury
of the United States, that the internal reve
nue. taxes on whisky and tobacco shall be
repealed in toto. This would simply b'
making whisky and tobacco free, whil'
heavily taxing the neeessaries cf life. No
one voter in thousand fayors such n prop
osition. Mr.. Miller Is quite fluent speak
er. While quite severe on the two ol'
parties, especially the democrats, yet hi
speech was free from abuse.
At the conclusion of Mr. Miller's speee
Mr.. Slater came forward and proceede
;, with a speech of one hour and quartz
J devoting all his time TO the great leadin
! subject Of thought uppermost In the minS
o Of everybody He said that the boast I
l. republicans that no man knew or felt Il
L taxation imposed by our tariff laws VI
&c only evidence of the dangerous charast
&c Of legislation that was designed to bene
IN the few at the expense OF the many. /
oi showed that the most prosperous times th
Is country ever enjoyed was during the 10
IN tariff period from IS47 to 1857, and so CO
IN tented were the people with the low tar
IN that the first republican Congress ev
elected 0n iSs7) passed a law material
le reducing the tariff. lie showed conel
co sively the inconsistency of the republic
hS party on tariff reduction BY saying II
ft Arthur, the last republican president, h
Us called the attention of Congress In ISs.
re the necessity of reducing duties on impor
at He showed that the cry that the tariff "
10 in the interest of the laborer was a me
subterfuge. He said theprotected mono
re- olists Of the country paid no more for lat
10 than they were compelled to pay. Th
on went to Congress and secured high tai
nc for their protection and then hired lab
on ers as cheaply as ii was possible to do.
ne made happy illustration OF this truth
Ia saying that Vanderbilt could very "
nr afford to pay his boot black $500 per mon
but did he do IL ? No, he paid his III
nickle for little "shine" like any oti
little man. The speaker clinched his VIII
in m argument by saying that democrats w
Is perfectly willing to give our manufactur
'ed a sufficient protection to amount 10
IN difference between the price Of labor
:! this country and Europe. lie showed q
rat In every SIoo worth Of industrial produ
,m made in this country SI7 OF the 500 '
for the labor, while the average tariff d.
rat on all imPortations is ~ per cent or
M on every SIoo worth of importatious. T
ks en- upon the whole the speech was "
lg- clear and able presentation of the VIII
ng tariff nnesiinn