The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1888-09-01
THE ONE GREAT QUESTION.
Iudae Thurman Devoics AImos,
His Entire Attention to
the Tariff.

Port Huron, Mich August 22.-As
soon as the applause had snbsidcd
Judge Thurman spoke rs f0ll0ws:-
Ladies and gentlemen, will you allow
me to keep my cap on! (Of course,
certainly am afraid with this cold
north wind it might do Inc some harm
if went barcheaded; and, although |
am perfectly willing 10 uncover my
head before the people, still | do not
want to bcak down at the beginning OF
the campaign Ga voice, "keep your
cap on.") My friends, this is the tiist
tune in my life that | have had the
honor to speak in your city. | have
been invited again and again, but have
never been able to accept any invita-
ton before this. | esteem it great
privilege to be able to address you to-
day. Applause SO esteem ii
pleasure because | know what an ener-
getic, enterprising and Intelligent pop
ulati0n Michigan contains and know,
too, that your people are taking the
deepest interest in the questions that
are being discussed this year. In the
brief time that | shall speak | will
occupy myself mainly with one OF those
questions. shall do so because II Is
that in which so much interest is now
taken and upon which SO much is being
said by speakers, by writer's ana
through the public press.
1t is not necessary tor me before l
proceed to that subject to speak of The
president of the United States and his
; administration more than very lew
words. | defy any man who has re-
gard for the truth to say tina! Grover
q. Cleveland has not made u good prcsl-
dent of the United States. Applause. ]
A brave, intelligent, levcl-headed,
noble man, he has had a clean aud up
right and successful administration.
8 TApplause and voice, "llurI ah fol
Cleveland."] Four years ago he was
elected. In the canvass that preceded
his election his opponents predicted al
! manner OF evils in case he should sue
/ ceed. He did succeed, and pray what
has become of their predictions! Wherc
= il the ruin that was to follow the elec
ton of Cleveland2 Where is the dis,
grace that would follow his election
I On the contrary the country has beel
more quiet, more peaccable, more
{ prosperous than it has been tor many
years gone by. Applause Now,
Z know the man; know him well.
, tell you, my fellow citizens, that u more
: upright and wise man do not beheVt
D dwells withing the limits of the United
States. TApplause And nc has /
noble band of counselors around him
l and not least among them Is The distln
= uuishcd citizen of your own stale
II Mr.. Dickinson. Great applause.
Cleveland knows not only how TO rui'
himself within the linits of the con
y slitution, but he knows full well nov
u to choose good constitutional advisers
e Now, my friends, having said lhl
" much about the administration, let lRi
i proceed to that question 'o which
q have alluded, commonly called In
= tariff question. | presume there /
= not a person within the sound Oi m'
1t voice who does not know what
" meant by the tariff And yet II ma
l. aid It's to-day if give clear and pre-
I cisc definition of what II tariff L.. !
ri tariff, my friends, is nothing Ill th
n world but Il taxa tax levied by III
" general government upon every artci
u of commerce that C Ines into the Uhl
~ ted States and that is intUnGed TOR 6a'
Ie within her borders, and which me
! IDENTITY raises the price and therefor
> becomes Il tax or a burden upon ever
"a article of domestic manufacture oi
NJ like nature with those which pay IT.
+ thrift INK. Now, we have at th
"i moment, according to the last advice
}" | have seen, about $ll5,OOO. 900 calle
4, surplus rcyenuc-Lhat il, taxes collect
ne ed from the people beyond the ucccssi
c. ties of the government. Those d0
u. dollars lis ,O00, 900 of them-arc lyill
,c perfcctIy idle in the vault of the uuiIc
e Sta,cs-of no service to amy huma
re- being, drawing no interest, earning
e. profits, but taken from the pockets