The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-07-12
THE ISSUE OF ISSUES.

Henry Watterson, the Author OF the DEM
ocratic Platform. Talks or the Emanci-
patton Of American Labor-The Serfd0m
In Which the High Protective system
Holds Our Industries and Our Commerce.
son, editor Of the Louisville ourier-Jo,vnd,,
and author Of the platform adopted by the
st. Louis convention, addressed the Har-
lem Democratic Club yesterday on the oc-
casion Of the clubs celebration of tho
Fourth. Mr.. Watterson said:
FELLOW DEMOCRATS AND FELLOW CITIZENS.
There Is not wanting to this historic spot that
which brings IL into fellowship with the occa-
sion and the cause we have come together TO
celebrate. The fellowship is closer, indeed,
than those Of you who dwell here are wont 70
consider In your familiar walks and ways and
the busy round OF daily travel that makes up
the sum OF your mgrations between the sign
board and the roof-tree, the blue bed and the
Drown: for, given over as 1t is INTO the hands
OF the vandal OF modern architecture and the
Goth Of speculative civ l'zafion, the soil on
which we are assembled is sacred soil, conso-
Grated by the purest blood that ever flowed
from the veins OF heroes Every rood OF
ground that goes to-day for much foot IN
the market and Ii regarded as simple mer-
chandisc, marks the scene OF q struggle and
cost the life OF . patriot. The battle of Harlem
Heights may not have been great battle, as
battles go; but 1t was an important BATTLE
and its memory, breezy with revolutionary in
spiration, should not be suffered to fade and
die In the fetd atmOs phere Of commerce; its
glory should not be buried and lost forever be-
meath the h0tbeds OF metropolitan progress
and municipal development It Is hardly more
than q legend; but the legend should rank first
amorg the archives Of this club 1t was hardly
more than q skirmsh; but its portrayal should
al - a~-A
real victory OF the raw militia OF America over
the skilled veterans Of England. II gave TO the
statesmen who had undertaken to create .
nation their first assurance that military union
was possible, and to the brave but ragged bat
tali0ns that had thrown themselves into tho
fight without organization or training, con-
fidence in their leaders and in themselves.
May its lessons live with you, gentlemen, and
lift and stir you to high attempts, for the ene-
mics OF freedom are once more on the war
path. and though clad in new uniforms and
marching under banners blazoned with fresh
mottoes-artfully contrived to deceive the un-
thinking-they are the selfsame legions OF
taxation and prerogatiye, feudal tenure and
class-inferest that a little more than century
ago were marshaled beneath the royal standard
Of King George III.
In truth. the conflict between the many who
toll and the few who gather is an irrepressible
conflict. The history OF mankind, from the fall
OF Adam TO the last Chicago convention, is
mainly the history OF self-lovc and self-decep-
tiOr. should be sorry to think that the Re
publcans OF the United States. judged by the
rule OF individual averages, are by naturel css
high minded and s ncere than the Democrats.
They are not; hut think II is a demonstratahle
proposition that the Republican party has
come to embody and represent all that II
set out to combat when IL took the
field rs the peculiar friend OF the rights OF
man. Its original and exclusive title TO that
character might be challenged il we should
penetrate and analyze the ethics and eyi-
dence underlying the case OF parties in equi-
~. But shall not challenge II. / shall admit
that the fight against African slavery was an
honest fight for liberty. and that the war
for the Union, into which 1t deepened, in
vowed the fate Of freedom and free institu-
tions, not merely in America, but throughout
the world. Surveying the present state OF the
country and considering the triumphs in learn
ing and in histories, in arts and arms, already
achieved and yet to be achieved by united
people, II costs me nothing to say that / am
glad the side on which served in that war was
unsuccessful, though l can not see now, the
conditions being what they were, the younger
generation OF Southern men could, when the
ordeal OF battle came, have done other than II
did. All interests, all passions all thoughts
were absorbed by the one great sectional issue;
and as, on the one hand, IL began a conscien-
tious struggle for liberty and union, it became
on the other hand an equally conscient GUS de-
tense OF property and home. The God of the
universe, build ng wiser than the wisest, knew
what was best. The chains were stricken from
the limbs OF the bondsmen and the scales fell
from the eyes OF the master. The guilt Of
slavery. for which both the North and the South
were responsible, was expiated in the blood OF
both. The outer aspect Of the most homogene-
Gus people on earth was made perfect by the
amputation OF the one disfigured feature
OF the body rolitic. The original cause OF
quarrel finally removed. the law OF nature.
working through an ineradicable consanguinu-
ity, began its holy once; and the angel that
blessed US alike in our cradles-nor could dis
tinRuish between the babe that clenched its
tiny fists at the northern star and the babe that
gazed with wondering eyes upon the southern
cross-cried out to the victor from the heaven
OF an all-rervading peace:
"You can not chain the eagle,
And you dare not harm the dove;
But every gate
You bar TO hate
Will open wide to love"
Thank God the voice OF the angel was heard
md here We are to-day perhaps the better, Ger.
tainly the stronger. because when the battle
was ended there was nothing left to fight about;
and, II may be also because we who, as the say
ing goes, fniled to get there, are as proud Of
you ~ little brother can be Of big one; de-
tying you only to be ashamed OF us.
But. oil these years, what has the Republic
On party been about 1t 10 nothing more nor
less than the truth of history to say that II has
opposed everv peace movement every liberal
movement and every reform movement Where
should we be to-day II that party - an organ.
lied body had been allowed tho full bent and
proclaimed purpose OF its recognized leaders!
What progress has tho country made in its ef
fort to extrica,e itself from the moral debris oi
civil strife, to throw OF the nightmare Of sec.
tionAl indiges tion, intellectually to emancipate
itself and physically TO liberate II from the
passions, the errors and the burthens Of u state
Of war-in Q word, what single strip Of political
territory lying between this present National
anniversary and that OF 1885, have we trav
ersed--which has not had to encounter the oh
stinAto resistance and the angry resentment oil
such OF the Republican chiefs as remained In
command, and were not, like Sumner and
Greeley, Chase and Seward, driven out by the
excesses Of party zeal and the debaucheries Of
opportunity!
Iw.ll not weary you with q recital OF the
story In detail. II any man denies 1t poin,
him to the debates IN Congress- TO the proceed
ings OF the Republican conventions, TO the
nles OF the Republican newspapers. II he de
MES it still, ask him to explain the present
attitude Of the party, and the meaning OF the
prospectus it has put forth as the embodiment
Of Its claim to restoration. That prospectus
or manifesto. or platform-or whatever yor
may choose to call it, should call it the las,
chapter in the gospel OF Msmmon-closes the
account Of the Republican leaders with the
old nrm OF Obstruction, Destruction, Mscon
struction h Co.. and it will mark-as truly
hone and believe-the end OF the somewhat
thick and greasy volume which records the
decline ana foil Of professional patriot, o.
whom II can be most fittingly and most 40
curately said that
whist he lived, he lived in clover;
When he died, he died all over"
! beg you will forgive the levity. In Q case o.
this sort the suggestion of death naturally pro
| duces an enlivening effect. But tho issue be
hind it Is no laughing matter, promise you
because, upon its determination, hang, for q
: period At least, the interests and happiness o
people. That issue is two-fold, relating first
to taxes, and, second, to revenue; and, through
! these, to the entire business OF the country
its stability, its integrity and the just distribu
tion Of its advantages among oil classes.
the PROGRESS OF RAPACITY.
Gentlemen, approach this subject with thu
| WEAKNESS Of man who has grown gra,
| sfnrming. substantiating and illustrating
! series Of propositions ~ self-eviden
| As any contained In the Declaration o
Independence. That great charter OF liberty
WIS itself an appeal from the despotism o
monopoly and . protest against unjust taxi
tion. The constitution, framed to effect $,