The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-09-19

Railroad Men Give Him an Enthusiast
Reception at Their Meeting,
lie Contrasts Admirably the Benefits of Pro
lection with the Misery of Free Trade
Other Large Republican Gatherings.

@HOao -" Oho16ACi utl lOI OO0gro40
in this district, was given a hearty receptions
last night at Pfaflin's hall by the Harrison and
Morton railroad mems club, which now has l,5W
members. Ii was ths regular meeting OF the
club. and Mr.. Chandler was invited 70 address
ii. Nearly every seat in the hall was occupied
Before the speaking began the club held q
business meeting, and thirty seven new, mem
bers were enrolled. Mr.. Hicks announced that
there were several hundred railroad men run.
ming into Indianapolis who do not reside here
and stated they desired to become honorary
members A resolution was then passed, in
'viting ell such men to become members. and To
march with the organization in professions whes
ever convenient When Mr.. Chandler arrived
at the hall he was greeted with much applause.
He was introduced by President Finch. and was
again awarded prolonged applause. Mr.. Chand-
Ter devoted his entire address to a discussion Of
the tariff question. and what he had 10 say
ELECTED frequent applause. In beginning, be said
he would attempt to explain, in the simplest
words possible. the difference between a protect
i've tariff and . tariff for revenue only. He
thought there mad never been q campaign when
the positions of the two parties had been so
clearly defined az at present The Democratic
platform OF 1884 was so worded and ingeniously
constructed as to favor protection in
one section of tine country and
free trade in another. II the platform
Of 1884 was not ambiguous. why did it need the
Interpretation of a message by President Cleve-
landf The Presidents message deno unced the
present protective tariff as vicious. illogical
and inequitable," and recommended that Con-
gress take action looking TO q radical change ia
our tariff laws. The Mills bill was the fruit OF
the Uhfoh a aaaanfad ne fhn efrua nj
its issuance as a freetrade measure. Mr..
Chandler quoted many prominent Democrats
and Dem ocratic and English newspapers 10
show that they looked upon the bill as a Free
trade measure. He then quoted the tariff plank
of the Republican national platform. 1t was, he
eaid, as good q definition OF a protective tariff as
could be given. There was no ambiguity abo-s;
it. The Mills bill was an entering wedge for
free trade. 1t was something like the Irish
mans proposition to cut of the dogs tail an
inch at . time to Tighten the suffering of the
poor animal.
The Republican party, he continued, was in
favor OF such a revision Of the tariff as would re-
tain its protection features, and the Democratic
party was utterly opposed to a system that
would give protection 20 American industries.
The avowed object Of the Democrats in reform
ing the tariff was to reduce the revenue. it being
stated that there was a surplus in the Treasury
amounting to over 800. coo, 900 more than was
needed for the immediate wants OF the govern
inent. Assuming this statement to be ~ccrrect,
IL showed that We were buying too many for
eigu goods; it showed that We were sending
abroad for what we should buy at home. &c
was an Indication. also. that our tariff duties
were too low on some articles, which was a cs-
elimination against our own people; j,
showed that our existing tariff laws should
be revised-not by adding 10 the re
list articles that we Gao rroduoe
ourselves, but by increasing the rate on articles
now in successful progress OF " suufaetar- or
production, so a. 10 discourage foreign i~rlpurt.-
fiong and 70 invita- homa roparetrsor IT,. "a
dition OF a full <reasury was not n,arly. 20
alarming as IN empty one. The surrlus nigh,
be applied to internal improvements. "a vas
done on the recommendation of PresldeLt Ja~s-
son; 1t might be used 10 refund 10 the several
States the direct tax levied during The war. "A
this tax was not paid BY all Tire States. IL woaid
be but just and right that those that did paw
should be reimbursed. Besides, th-re were OYER
one hundred thousand claims of deserving Old
soldiers in the Pension Office awaiting action.
With these and other oblieatioos satisfied the
surplus could be used. and the money eoui. so
into circulation for the benefit of thu ~recrl-.
While the svowed object Of the tariff r~fo: m
ers, he said, was to reduce the revenus. that
was only a pretext for destroying the yrs.ec'iye
system Otherwise. would it ec necessary 10
protect the protective systemi Taev started
out to destroy the system but they had heard
something drop in Oregon, Vermont and Maine.
They had taken alarm and had already about
faced. They now said that only raw material
should come in free, and they proclaim that
Sf1AI s8A6 thaO . al &tIftG AAA
was a direct thrust at the farmer. The Demo
Gratis would classify wheat, corn, potatoes, hemp,
fax. wood and other articles o. that kind, as
raw material, when really. they were the finished
| product of the farmer-the fruit OF his labor.
Low tariffs and no tax would encourage impor-
tatiou. and by increasing the volume OF imports-
ton tend to produce more revenue than higher
duties do. But the main objection to it was
that 1t allowed foreigners TO glut our
markets with their surplus wares. Protection
lists said TO foreigners. .'You are doing nothing
to develop our country: you are not amensble
to our laws; you bear none of our burdens; You
have no interest in our prosperity, and your
wares cannot enter our markets on equal terms
| with our own people. The speaker then took
mp the manufacture of ~tin-plate. and showed
how. il it was sufficiently protected, it might be
manufactured 10 the United States, aud $2l,-
0c0, 900 annually sent abroad kept at home.
\ The question was sometimes asked, Mr..
| Chandler continued. "How does q protective
tariff benefit those who are not engaged in pro-
tected industriesi' The answer was by promot-
ing general prosperity. which creates a demand
for people of every calling and occupation. Cap
| italists sometimes acted from selfeh motives,
but ia manufacturing investments they could
not benefit themselves without benehtine 9TH
ers. Labor was necessary to the success OF the
manufacturer, and the manufacturer was neces-
cary to the laborer. Only demagoeues attempted
| to array one against the other. Democrats tell
the people that the admission of foreign goods
free would not lower wages. Would not the in
creased volume of foreign products diminish the
amount Of home labor. even II wages would re-
main the samel And If SO, would not the de-
creased amount of labor leave the laborer IN
employed at least a part Of the timsi In open
| ing ali the markets OF the world to America the
Democrats offered what they did not have. The
markets of Spain, France. Germany. Brazil,
Russia, snd even Canada, had protection. En-
gland would not buy our wheat when she could
get her supply from India at 40 csnts per bushei,
raised by labor costing s cents per day; she
would not buy our cloth unless we could sell it
cheaper than she can manufacture it with pau
per labor. How could we compete with them in
their own markets without lowering the price of
labor TO their Standard
The greater the number OF industries the
broader the demand; the greater the diversity
the better the opportunity OF . wage-worker get
ting employment best suited to his ability. In
conclusion, Nj. Chandler recounted the benefits
the United States had derived from . protective
tariff, and thought the American people would
be slow about exchanging it for . system that
promised ruin. The position Of the Democrats
reminded him of the well man who wanted to DO
better. He took medicine, and died.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Chandeliers speech,
George Harvey, a member of the Railroad Mems
Club. who has been stumping the State with ex-
Governor Porter. spoke briefly. He gave q re-
port of the meetings he had addressed. and said
he found the tide every where for Harrison and
Morton. Mr.. Griffin, also Q member of the club,
then sang q campaign song Of his own
composition, which was received with much
favor. The employees Of the Panhandle shops
extended to the club an invitation 70 attend an
East End rally soon to be held, and the invita-
s;oo - aecaptad Tho mAatinO will he al