The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-08-08

edeness, and still parades himself before the
world as the eulogist of a system which has en-
riched him and impoverished them, he will go
into history, not as a philanthropist, not as a
benevolent friend of his kind, but as a sordid.
self-seeking disciple of avarice, willing TO OPP
press, for his own gain, the children of penury
and want But what may be the impression on
his mind of a condition of labor with which he
has long been familiar, is Of small consequence
compared with what you think OF the policy Of
your government whereby one man is made
richer than many of the kings of Europe, while
his neighbors, his equals in the sight OF God,
although in his employment, are reduced to
such AFFECT poverty that they have no privacies
for their marriages, their births or their deaths
Do you think protection has protected the la
borers of Pittsburg or elsewhere, or rather has
1t not simply protected the Carnegies and all
the other monopolists in their rapacious pillage
on dOwn-trodden and oppressed American
labor?
A False Pretense.
In connection, however, with the false pre-.
tense of protection to labor, we hear the abb
against the very moderate and, indeed, / fear,
not sufficient reduction Of tariff taxation pro-
posed by the democratic party at this time in
congress. Ihls cry OF free trade in the light of
history, is scandalous and infamous. The
average rate OF duty on all imported articles,
taken together, is AZ per cent, and the reduc-
ton proposed by the Mills bill brings the aver
age down TO 40 per cent, reduction of the
war taxes, after all the clamor, OF only per
cent. Seven per cent? Why, in 1870, Mr. ALI
son, then an able leader of his party, as he is
now, advocated reduction of 20 per cent /
read from his speech:
But may be asked how this reduction shall be
made. think IL should be on all leading articles,
or nearly ALL and for that purpose, when get the
opportunity In the house, If no gentleman does it
before me, shall move that the pending bill be
committed TO the ways and means committee with
instructions TO report a reduction upon existing
rates OF duties equivalent TO 20 per cent upon exist
ing rates, oneGfth reduction. Even this will not
be full equivalent for the removal of all internal
taxes upon manufactures. 1t will not be difficult 70
make a reduction on this basis.
In the same year that Allison spoke Gen.
Grant then president, was so radical revenue
reformer that in his annual message to con-
gress he declared he saw no reason why, in
few short years, the national tax-gatherer might
not disappear almost entirely from the door of
the citizen; and then he proceeded to show
how such result could be attained by wise
adjustment of the tariff" taxing only known
luxuries, and by maintaining the tax upon
liquors of all Sorts and tobacco in all its FORMS"
The democratic party, and Grover Cleveland,
around whom we will stand and stay, have not
yet gone half as far in the pathway OF war-tax
reduction as Grant and Allison and yet it is
thought we can be beaten down by the base
and vena benefciaries of the tariff, with their
mendaciOus charge of free trade. Allow me,
in all candOr and kindness, to say at
this point that the manufacturing in
terests of the United States, and the
manufacturers themselves, In their real and
legitimate rights, have never had and have not
now, a truer friend than am. / have wished
them all the benefits they could acquire under
just laws, and in fact all the protection against
foreign competition incident to tariff for rev.
enue, honestly and wisely adjusted. l have
subjected myself 10 criticism in my own party
because have believed the conservative doe
trines of Jackson, Polk, Marcy. Walker and
Silas Wright were still acceptable TO the great
manufacturing interests OF the country. On
recent occasion said TO the senate that could
not believe the strong, sagacious and patriotic
business of the country, in control of
manufacturing industries, would permit them
selves for political purposes TO be placed IN an
attitude OF absolute injustice, selfish, over
weening avarice and disgraceful unfairness to-
ward the great mass OF their fellow-ctizens.
Since the adoption, however, OF the Chicago
platform at the absolute dictation of the man.
ufacturing mOnopOlies wish to say, as did
on former occasion, that III every suggestion
of relief TO the taxpayer bv a reduction Of
duties, however moderate in tone reasonable
in amount and regardful of the manufacturers
investments, is to be met with the senseless, un-
truthful and knavish cry of tree trade, it will
not be long until il will be made manifest that
the minority cannot rule and rob the ma
jOrity of the American people, The worst
enemies the manufacturing interests in this
country can possibly have are those who adj
wise them not TO accept and acquiesce cheer
fully and gladly in, the extremely mod
crate and entirely harmless reductions
made by the Mills bill. The slave
holders of the South once belonged to the
class which composed the money power. They
do not now. They once were monopolists of
cheap, underpald labor; they are so no longer.
They were not satisfied for any one but them
selves TO pass upon their rights and their pre-
tensions. Their rights under the fugitive slave
law and in the territories, were pressed-arro-
gantly pressed-to a point where the sword
was drawn, and millions OF men took the field.
Then the section which had everything in pos
session, and consequently everything to lose
and nothing to gain lost its entire substance In
a struggle for a shadOw-a theory. The most
bitter and implacable supporters OF slavery and
OF its extension, thirty years ago. were, in fact,
the most successful and efficient aboltOnists OF
the nineteenth century. They struck too far,
and their blows came back to destroy them.
And so it will be with the purse-proud, tnsO-
lent, blind and misled taxeaters OF the present
day. By making no concession to the over
taxed condition of the people, to the over
whelming surplus in the treasury, and by re-
fusing to permit single dollar OF re duction on
the necessities of life, but on the contrary, in
sisting that whisky and tobacco should 90 free,
the manufacturers have done more to promote
the ideas of free trade in this country in the
last few months than the eloquent and gifted
terson. David A. Wells and ali their confreres
during as many years. Injustice-rank and
aagrant injustice-when persisted in, begets
not only opposition, but keen resentment; and
I am much mistaken if within the next few
years the manufacturer of the North
will not be cited by the historian as a counter
part of the Southern Shareholder in his eX.
IRENE tenacity to his own interests and his still
greater blindness TO the equities, the justice,
the moralities, and the public opinion of
-brAx al. IL -.
preaching this country, it is not because of the
presidents great, brave, and honest message
last December, nor because OF the Mills bill,
just passed the house, but because of the dis
themselves to hold on TO the last penny of the
war taxes, nearly quarter of century after
the occasion for them has passed away.
THE CANDIDATES.
Soma a. the Characferistica oR the Ranuh.