The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-10-11

II party, must advocate equal nu-
name rights to all and for all. would
,e committing an objectionable sin to
ny conscience and before my God did
permit myself to favor any other
course. This matter, now the promi-
1ent issue before our people, to-wit,
Impost taxation upon what our people
Eat and what they wear, upon ali
the necessaries of our vast people,
for the benefit of class of people who
are rolling in beds of opulence and |
wealth money beyond what they can |
ever count, and which they never
earned, but which has come to them
through the workings of protective
tariff, from the hard earnings OF others
is wrong. Even you young men can
well remember when the Rothchilds,
Vanderbilts, Girards, Astors and Stu
arts were nearly all the millionaires in
our country. How is it today? From
one to half dozen millionaires in
every city and town of any Importance.
What is million dollars? 1t is al
most two tons of gold, about sixteen
tons OF silver. And yet some of these
newly made millionaires are worth
from one to thirty millions of dollars.
Ii this was money that they had pro-
dueed no person would have any right
to say aught against it, for all have a
right to earn, and be equally protected
in the blessings of their earnings. but,
my friends, it needs no argument to
cOnvince,you that no man ever lived
on this earth To earn a million of dol.
lars. Some families, by fortunate en-
terprises, from generation to genera
ton, have honestly, perhal ), accumu
lated millions, some by freaks of for
tions. may have accumulated million
of dollars, but in what other age of the
worlds history have men, by manu-
featuring industries. in less than one
generation, ever become millionaires
They say they love you and me, and
that they want protective tariff
for our benefit. Well, let us see. Y, u
would not hurt them, would you, even
if you could? No! you are honest anu
industrious and attend to your own
business. Are they afraid OF you a? No!
AS matters now are they have gather
ed in millions of dollars, a portion OF
which you have earned. Are they
your friends as they say and do they
want q continuation of this protection
for your benefit? Let us see. They
are forming syndicates. pools anO
trusts as rapidly as the wheels OF time
can roll them on, What for? Is it
for your benefit? What is syndicate?
In railroad matters it is great com
bination of railroad companies by
which they agree and pledge them
selves to charge you and me not less
than a certain price per mile to ride on
any of their roads, and to charge not
less than a certain price per cwt. for
all goods and freight that you and l
purchase for our necessities which may
go over their roads, and which increase
in charge you and I have paid and
must pay when we purchase the goods,
to stop competition and increase prices
and enlarge their income so that they
may be able to pay their head officers
as great salaries as the President of the
United States gets, and so some Of
them may be able to declare dividends
fr, of
even though some of their roads were
built from grants of the public domain
and although they have watered their
stock from to Is times it's original
cost as we have been informed.
A pool is where the manufacturers
of particular article combine together
over large district, elect their direct
ors, president and secretary, and raise
their wares to certain price and for
bid any one of their factories to sell at
less price than that, so to make their
wares cost you more, to enrich them
A Trust is great combination OF
these wealthy men, where they put
their capital together and buy up SO
much of a given artscle, such as sugar,
oil, lead, or anything where they can
wholly control the price, and corner
the markets and thereby raise the
price and increase the cost of the arti
Gle to you and me, so that we must pay
advance price for such article, for their
benefit. And yet they cay that this is
done for our benefit. Can you see how
we are benefited by paying so much
more of our hard earned money tof
what we must buy? Why, they have
made their millions in few years
without this increase, and still are no
satisfied, but want a greater profit a,
our expense. And still they say they
are our friends and sympathisers, anu
are working for our benefit L say to
you that their statements are false,
they are only gamblers, seeking To de
| YOUR our substance. These syndicates,
pools and trusts are the legitimate
children of this high protective tariff,
for they know, and you ought to
know, that if the markets of the world
were thrown open. at reasonable
tariff, these combinations could not
exist, we would not be beholden to
them, they would die of dry rot. Why,
my friends, can you see how you and
L are benefited by paying 81 oU under
this protective tariff for an article tha:
would cost US only 81 without the tar
iff. or how, if our necessary dutiable
goods cost us, for the current year $500
under the high protective tariff, and
would cost US only 5000 without such
protection, are we benefited. You and
I and every American citizen, have
paid our hundreds of and thousands of
dollars, under this 80 called p elective
system, for the goods, wares and com
modities we have purchased, over and
above their proper cost, which sums so
paid have been taken behind our backs