The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-19

which prevailed in this country before the
war, For the first time in the history OF
TINS country, so far as know, the Repub-
mean party has substantially declared in its
platform in favor Of reducing the rev.
enue by increasing the taxes. [Ap-
plause and laughter.l II declares that
II deems IL necessary TO reduce the revenue
by checking the imports of such articles as
can be made here, and II that is not sufli-
cient II Will repeal the whole internal reve-
nue. tax on whisky rather than surrender
any part of the protective system. This
proposition is put forth upon the idea that
inc people OF this country can be benefited
individually and collectively by imposing
taxes on themselves. IL might as well be
SAID that man can make himself rich by
picking his pocket as to say he can increase
ms wealth by imposing tax on himself.
In addition TO the facts that this system Of
taxation is imposing enormous aud unncces-
sary burdens upon the people, that il has ac-
cumulated in the treasury large sums Of
money which ought to be in the hands OF
those who earn it by their labor and skill, It
Is the parent OF trust and combination and
conspiracy TO control products and prices of
the necessary articles which the people are
compelled 10 use. When | see Mr. Blaine,
who was 10 be the mouthpeCe of the Repub-
lican party, has given quasi Endorsement, at
least TO these monopolies. | believe that
when a man attends his own funeral he
ought 10 be allowed 10 go at the head of the
procession. Laughter and applause. But
IL seems Mr.. Harrison is not to enjoy this
privilege tApplausel Mr.. Blaine is
the great central figure in this
campaign, and he tells the people,
In the face OF the platform Of his party in
the lace of the declarations of his political
friends on the stump, that these trusts are
private affairs in which neither the Prcsi-
dent or anybody else has any particular
right TO interfere. Applause and laughter
Why, my friends larceny is a private affair
"a very private affair [haughterl and vet
II is not supposed improper to interfere with
IL by law. Tue highwayman who meets you
on the public road and demands your money
or your life Is engaged in the transaction OF
private enterprise but still the law takes
cogIizance Of his act and Furnishes IL as a
crime. lApplause.l No, gentlemen, Mr..
Blaine has not been occupying a very good
position from which 10 view the interests of
the American workingman, farmer or con
sumer. The top Of Mr.. Carncgic's coach, as
IL bowled along with its livcricd outriders
over the hills Of Scotland, is not good place
from which TO look az the interests Of Amer.
lea. lApplause.l Nor are the fcsial halls Of
Cluny castle very good point either An
or abroad-one or the other Had he come
here to his own country and mingled with
the farmers, with the consumers with the
laboring men Of the land, he would have n
far better opportunity 10 know what they
desired than he could possibly have dining
and wineing with the aristocracy Of Europe.
IL Is said, gentlemen, that even II IL does
impose enormous burdens ON the consumers
OF the country the wages Of our laborcrs
HNffaf lao RtuiRfufuaI tI.v.f,vg. A. IL. d.
taxation must be continued. II | had the
time think ! could show tO the satisfaction
OF every intelligent aud candid man within
the sound Of my voice that the wages of
labor ARE no more affected by the rates of
duties upon imported goods than the yield
Of corn 10 the acre on your farm is affected
by IT, Applause. And one Of the chief bcnc-
fits Of the system in the estimation Of Mr.
Harrison l. the fact that the people do not
know how much they are paying When
mans money is taken away from him with
out his knowledge some malicious people
call IL stealing. lApplausel | will not,
however apply that term 10 the processes
by which the government 81 the United
States abstracts this enormous sum OF money
from the pockets Of the people who earn ii.
and puts Il In the public treasury or the
pockets Of some one else, but | will say that
IL is the most dangerous form Of taxation
dlAt NouN NC u,NlHtd kthtcIHh because Al
makes the people less yigilant OF the cx.
pcnliturcs Of the public money, and lulls
them TO sleep while their substance
Is taken away. lApplause.l Under
an indirect tax law YOU would
not submit 70 Il a single day, aud the man
who went 81 Congress from any single con.
grcssional district Of the United States Dem.
ocrat or Republican, who failed b. cast his
vote Ia favor Of the reformation OF such a
system Of taxation would never sec the halls
Of the House again. lChccu.l
have said, gentlemen. that tic system Of
iaxrtion Is continued on the ground that IL
increases the rates Of wages Of the American
laborcr. There are two or three facts which
show conclusiycly that the argument is not
sound. In the first place Il II conceded
fact that there n ~ much difference between
the rates of wages paid IN this country to
labOrcrs engaged In the same occupation Va
different parts OF the country az there Is be.
tween the difference of average rate of wages
paid here and In European countries, aud
yet the same tariff law prevails throughout
the whole United States. tAPplaus J
You will find By examination Of the labor
statistics that from 90 10 % aud IN some
cases even as high ~ i01 Per cent is paid Tor
labor in the same occupation in Chicago than
u paid IN New York and Philadelphia. II
the tariff regulated wages ! submit That the
rates VI wages would be the same would De
uniform In the same occupations throughout
the United States under the same iar1
tApplluicl. Another fact Is that the great.
ct difference between the rates of wBrcs
paid in European countries Is found in those
occupations which nobody prcipuis can be
protected under the tariff laws. For m.
stance there is n Tar greater difference In tho
rates Oi wages paid here ~ carpenters, plust.
orcrs painters, styuh aud brick masOus,
tcamsicrs, railroad employees, steamboat EN-.
ployCs and the fatcl Of wages paid To tho
same classes Of woTkingmcn in Europe than
there IL between the rates Of wages here in
your mills and cotton factories aud the rates
Of wages paid In the same industry In
Europe. Tho rates Of wages paid IN this
country, too In the unprotected industries
are larger on the average than the rates II
wages paid IN this country In the pro.
tcctcl industries aud the difference between
them, in the ono ease and those paid
IN Europe IN the other ease. Is still palmer
much palmer Another fact IA that since
1870 when the English corn laws were r..
pcalcd, and what our Republican friends call
FREQ trade. aud England entered on FREQ
trade the mites ~ wages have Increased from
~ 81 90 aud even ns high as 100 per cent in
some occupations. Can We trace that in-
erase Ia this country during the same timer
Another fact is that the rates oi wages in the
mechanical and manufacturing industries Oi
the United States Increased far more during
what II called the free trade period, from
1850 TO 1901. than they have ever since that
time. lChccnl
! simply state these facts without going
into argument 10 prove them. | can PRO.
ducc abundant aud overwhelming testimony
from laboring men. from manufacturer,
from testimony given before investigating