St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-02-03

record, anu II Is right tnat tney SnOulu
go to the country with the speech of the
senator from Ohio. 1t is undoubtedly
true that while our excess of import
duties has had a tendency to build up
and foster monopolieS and enrich the
few at the expense of the many, 1t has
had like tendency to invoke free com
petition to labor and to reduce the
wOrkingmen to the minimum OF COM
penSation. 1t has drawn vast army
from Europe, as the senator says, who
enter into competition with the labor
they find employed when they reach
America, and who enter INTO like COM
petition among themselves. 1t has not
simply invited a tide of honorable and
manly immigration, to which extent we
would all concur in its beneficence, but
by the increased cost of his living ana
the multiplied eXactiOnS from his earn
lngS, it has made life a precariouS bur
den TO him here. By artificial and false
stimulus to his industries for time it
has invited millions into the walks of
his open competition from every hilltop
and valley in our own cOuntry,and from
every quarter and section OF the
civilized world. The Hungarian, the
Italian and the Chinaman have crowded
him alike. They have
Come from every nation,
Come from every way
Come as the waves come.
When navieS are stranded;
Come as the winds come,
When forests are rended.
Yet, labOring men are blandly told
that they are to bind themselves hand
and foot, forever and forever, to sys-
TEN which gives them all the free trade
and competition, and to others and the
privileged few the monopoly and the
profit. He (kenna) was mistaken i'll the
intelligence of American labor matural
born and naturaliZed) if it allowed that
condition longer to exist. He had no
further purpose in the discussion than
to indicate his cooperation with the
president in the interests OF the people.
a bill to reform the revenue system and
to reduce taxation would come from the
house of representatives and he did not
doubt that it would be framed in a spirit
of conservative fairness to all sections
of the country and to all interests. The
cry of the demagogue that the president
and his policy were aiming at the lessen
ing of a just reward of labor was as in
decent as it was false.
THE SYSTEM OF TAXATION
in this country for the last twenty years
had been a standing menace, and
source of constant injury to the laborer
himself. Who would deny that system
that had prevailed under Republican
administrations I'D this country and for
years past had made more strikes,
driven more men from employment,
filled the country with more trampS, ag-
gravated more distress. created more
discomfort, and produced more starva-
ton and death than any other system
the country ever saw? Was it not time
for a change? And yet, when the preSi-
dent of the United States, confronting
bravely the solemn requirements of his
high office, and daring to preserve pa
triOtic regard for his public response
bilities, ventured the suggestion of a
remedy which had over and over again
been presented and demanded by one
administration after another, he was
aSSailed by one of the acknowledged
leaders of the Republican organization
as frivolous in his action, or bent on de-
StructiOn. 1t might as we'll be under
stood now as hereafter, that this move
ment for reform and the relief of public
burdens, in which the president had
CALAMITY and manfully taken the lead,
meant practical results. The country
was aroused to the justice of its de-
mandS. The ranks would be closed. A
spirit of fairness and of justice would
prevail in all things and both the bene-
fits and the burdens of our system of
v
That system, both internal and eXter-
nal, would be treated as whole. The
tax on tobacco would (he had no doubt
be reduced OF wholly repealed. Iron
and coal, and wool. and other products
of labor and care and enterprise, would
not be sacrificed in the revision. They
would stand, as other industries of the
country stood, subject to their fair share
in the benefits of whatever system might
be (aS reViSed), and
BEARING THEIR FAIR SHARE
of the burdens of the common lot. The
senator from Ohio has been greatly
agitated over the wool question. 1t may
be that his vote in 1882 to reduce the
duty on wool, when as a leading men,
Der of the conference committee, which
| practically framed that revision, he led
in the movement, has made him unduly
sensitive Oh this subject. [ may be
pardoned the suggestion that having
aided in reducing the product of the
wool growers, he may now feel impelled
to pull the wool over their eyes" |
should not use such an expression, Mr..
President, if it were not for the state
ment made in open senate, and in the
hearing of the country by the honorable
senator Ii 1884, and L quote his exact
words, that anything that will beat
down that party and build up our own,
is juStifiable in morals and in law"
There was ample room for reduction
of the existing taxes without violence to
any interest. No extremes needed to
be resorted to. The measure of duty
which filled the difference between the
cost of production in the United States
and abroad with cost of transportation,
was protection to labor and fair compe-
tition to the employer. The measure
that went beyond that was monopoly to
the employer and unfair competition to
labor. The Democratic party had never
been the enemy of labor. Maintaining
the ancient doctrine Of home rule
special privileges to none, and equality
before the law it had ever been, as it
ever would be, the safest guardian of
the poor and humble. Labor would find
under It's control of the government
fair and Securer and better reward,
but monopoly fortified and entrenched
behind twenty years and more of Re-
have to go. It's citadel would be stormed,
and in this congress. its exactions
| would be denied. Its hold Oh the
thoughts Of the masses would be broken.
The
MASK OF REPUBLICAN PROTECTION
would be torn from the face of hypoc-
| risy and deceit and eXtortion. In con-
clusion he said: 1.-The question before
us at this time is the bare reference of
the presidents message. The debate
upon that question has been precepi-
tated and calculated to alarm and to
terrify the country. But the country
has been long preparing for this con
fiict. 1t is now ready for the fray. 1t
is my candid Judgment that the mere
masses of the people will indorse and
support this brave struggle for their
rights and for the relief of their bond
age. Our people are becoming more
and more INTELLIGENT day by day. In
formation is better disseminated and