The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-10-31
PROF. MAURICE THOMPSON
GIVES SOUND ADVICE TO YOUNG MEN.
The Gifted Writer of Charlottesville De-
fines the Pending Issue, and Shows
That IL n Better to study Maxims
Than Trusts And Syndicates.

corning the liberties and precious privil-
eyes of the people. Alexander Hamilton
wisely remarked that, ''Obscurity is much
oftener in the passions and prejudices OF
the reasoner than in the subject" and
further, that "Men, upon too many occa-
sions, do not give their own understand
ings fair play, but yielding to some unto
ward bias they entangle themselves in
words and confound themselves in sub
tleties." That was just a century ago,
when the star OF American destiny hung
low and gave no certain light. We were
a pioneer people then, but nightly we'd
ded to liberty and to independence of
thought and action. What have We
learned during this hundred years? Are
we still entangling ourselves in words and
confounding ourselves in subtleties2
How many young men in Indiana are
standing forth to-day free from mere party
bias and courageously and earnestly
thinking for themselves touching politi-
cal subjects? What have our schools and
colleges been doing for century past?
May / ask you TO look into the sacred
chamber OF conscience and confront what
you find there2 Have YOU permitted the
light OF your educated intelligence to fall
directly upon the issue Joined by the con-
tending parties? What is your own
thought upon the question OF tax reform
aside from your slavery TO party? Are
YOU going 10 vote this year as a mere ma
chine whose crank is turned by the hand
OF a political boss? You are proud of
your youth, your strength, your inteli-
gence, your trained reason, but do you
feel free to use these cOnscientiously In
determining how you will vote? Have
you, by enlightened reasoning, come to
the conclusion that if the tax must be re-
moved, either from the neceSsaries OF life,
or from whisky and tobacco. that we must
favor the latter? Young men, will you
begin your political career, will you
lay the cornerstone of your house of life
in such mire?
You have been told bv Gen. Harrison
that it is better 10 study markets than to
rely upon maxims. Can you conceive of
a phrase more intensely corrupting tocon-
science? What is a maxim? Ac-
cOrding to accepted authority, it is
IAN axiom of practical wisdom" and
he is foe TO civilization who would turn
the young mans thoughts away from
practical wisdom to a consideration OF
mere market methods, where eyerything
Is governed by the INSCRIPTIONS pursuit
of gain. Are you ready to admit that we
must withdraw our confidence from those
maxims of the fathers, and turn to the
markets, where "trusts" and "syndicates"
and corners rule, in order to obtain wis
dom? 1t is maxim that in any honest
market. the taxing of a commodity will
j GREASE its cost to the consumer;
couple this with that other maxim:
Equal and exact justice to
ali, special Tor exclusive) privileges TO
ECne, and YOU have the whole of good
government as regards taxation. In a
word, let taxes be so levied that they in
crease the price OF luxuries and decrease
the price OF necessaries to the consumer,
so that there shall be the "geeatest good
90 the greatest number" Of our 60,000,000
OF people.
What do you understand by this
phrase: Protection OF labOr?" Who is
lin reality protected by the taxation of
imported articles2 The manufacturer.
In the full degree of his protection he en-
joys special privilege. Frankly, now,
young man, do you believe that because
of this special advantage the manufacturer
pays ! cent higher wages than the ext
{, ncies of supply and demand compel
him to pay? Laborers understand this,
and SO they are quick to feel that no or
Ganization of labor against combined cap
ital can be adequate without controlling
the supply of labor. We hear much
about competition, but the competition OF
manufacturers with one another cannot
affect labor IN the degree that a competi-
ton between labOrers themselves can af-
feet labor. To protect manufacturers by
special privileges is one thing, to protect
labor is quite another thing. The million
aire pays no higher wages than
does the poor employer. There are
but two ways of protecting labor; one
way is to prohibit the immigration of
foreign labOrers, the other way is to lower
the price OF the necessaries OF life which
must be bought with the wages of labor
Have you conscientiously studied this
question: Do you honestly believe that
protecting any manufacturer compels him
70 pay any higher wages 10 his workmen?
\ Do you believe that, as rule, he will in
Grease wages upon his own motion with
out cOmpulsion? Do you believe that the
celebrated millionaires who, with Chaun-
cey Depew, visited Gen. Harrison the
other day, were there with a view TO in
creasing the wages OF labor? Be fair and
brave and courageous, young man, and
let your conscience control your ballot.
1t is better to be right than to belong to
any party.
Now, let me beg of you to consider for
O moment the question of state pride.
Do you quite understand the signif-
canoe of those words as used in this cam
paign? 1t is utter abandonment of prin-
ciple for mere local vanity. Are intelli-
gent, educated young men unaware of the
Insult glazing out OF such suggestion?
View it for a moment, turn it over in your
conscience and you will feel the shame of
IL. Will Gen. Harrison dare come out for
himself, and announce that the people of
Indiana should abandon conviction and
violate conscience for the sake of electing
a citizen of Indiana? Political principle
Is as broad as the domain of the nation;
II is as holy as the constitution; it is the
fap-root of the tree of liberty, and no
man is honorable or honest who would
sacrifice it for the empty vanity Of a local
preference
No step in mans public career should
be taken with more care than that which
bears him TO the polls for the first time.
A first vote is point 10 be viewed with
pride or with chagrin throughout life
time it is an act which stands as a monu-
ment from which can be reckoned the sue
cess or the failure Of all after years in po-
utical experience. Many thousands of
young men will erect this monument on
The 9Th OF November and no after act can
efface il. Upon this monument there will
be AN inefaceable inscription. Here are
two inscriptions; place them side by
Hide; you must choose one or the other;
fch will it be7
srst vote was cast Ny first vote was cast
ror of. In favor Of:
Tl.~4..o ~.