The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-11-06

been started or built up under the protection
offered by existing laws, however wrong these
laws might be in the principle. But IL is a mis-
take TO suppose that the protection which the
tariff on sugar gives to the home production
is especially for the benefit of the South, Tor 1t
lnures to the benefit OF all producers North and
West, as well as South. There are only two
states In the South where sugar is produced IN
commercial quantities-the states of Louisiana
and Texas. Not more than three congressional
districts in Louisiana are interested IN its pro-
ducti0n, and not more than one IL Texas.
Even under the protection which the present
law gives II is not, as a general thing profit
able industry in either state and in the nature
OF things cannot be. Sugar cane is tropical
plant and we have TO territory in the United
States far enough south for il to mature in. In
Louisiana and Texas 1t is grown from the
ratoons obtained by planting the stock, and
these have to be renewed every three years by
using about one-third of the crop for planting,
while in Cuba and other tropical countries it is
grown from the seed and when the stand is
once properly set the ratOons will continue to
spring up from the old stock for years. The
area OF sugar planting is not increasing In
louisiana and Texas, and it is evident that if
we are ever to be self-sustaining in the produc-
ton OF sugar we must look to some other sec
uons of our country for its production, and
some other article than the sugar cane from
which TO produce it. Our government has
been making experiments in that direction,
and 1t is said with good promise of success. 1t
is not in Louisiana and Texas that these exper-
iments are being made, but in Kansas and
California, and in regions of country
where the sugar-beet and the sorghum grow In
the greatest perfection. Senator Sherman, who
has not hesitated to attack the Mills bill as
sectional measure and who cannot DE regarded
as friendly TO the South as a section, in speech
in the senate in answer TO MIR. Cleveland's tariff
reform message, proposed reduction of duties
on sugar to one-haH the present rate, and the
application of the revenue raised on imported
sugars at this reduced rate to the payment of
bcunties to the sugar producers OF the United
States. As the present tariff on sugar yields TO
the federal government a revenue of over
S50OO00O0 a year, Senator Sherman's PROPOSE
ton of paying bountes would distribute to the
sugar producers of this country over So, 600, 600
a year, which is greatly in excess of the value
of all the sugar produced from sugar-cane in
the United States. Does anyone believe that
Senator Sherman, in proposing this measure,
supposed he was Offering subsidy to the
South? And yet those who charge the Mills
bill with being a sectional measure because Of
the protection it affords the sugar-prOducers
ought, if they are sincere, to charge Senator
Sherman with favOritism toward the South be-
cause he proposed to open the treasury itself
and pay out the money directly in the form OF
bounties to the sugar producers.
/ have gone into the questions OF revenue
reform and the points of difference between
the democratic party and the republican party
more in detail than / would otherwise have
been inclined to from the fact that our adj
versaries carefully abstained from anything of
the Kind but deal in wholesale charges and de-
nunciation, so have thought IL best to meet
assertions by facts, and denunciations by argu-
ments drawn from these facts. But in adopt
ing this course | have been compelled TO
pass by unnotlced many points to which
reference might have been made in deal
ing with these questions in a more general
manner. 1t has been my endeavor to show you
the true issue between the parties, arising out
of the necessity of reducing the federal reve-
nues. l have pointed you to the fact that the
democratic policy was based upon the cOnsti-
tuition; that in reducing the revenue it also re-
duced the burden of taxation; that its reforms
were in the interest of the consumer and there
fore for the benefit of the many. On the other
hand. the republican policy of protection for
the sake of protection has no warrant in the
constitutions; that so far as that party proposed
any change in the tariff, their purpose to
CHECK imports" by increasing the duty and
thus increasing the burden of tariff taxes; that
in excluding foreign competition they en-
couraged monopolies, and in fostering a few
protected industries they were legislating for
the few at the expense of the many.
The Farmer and the Tariff
Before leaving the subject, ask your indul-
gence while | call the attention of the farmers
to the relations which these questions bear to
their interests. They do not manufacture, and
therefore, as to all articles of manufacture
for which they have any need, they are con-
sumers, and everything which tends to increase
the cost of the manufactures which they con-
sumo is against their interest and imposes upon
them an additional burden. Protection has that
tendency. The tariff on timber, iron and
on paints tends to enhance the price of their
farming implements. The duty on cotton and
wooden goods increases the cost of clothing.
Under the protective system, the farmers
Ill i a. he's az anh
prices. The surplus farm products, on the
other hand are in the form of breadstuffs and
provisions, and their prices are fixed in neu-
trail markets under the operations of free
trade, for you know as the price of wheat or
corn or provisions goes up or down in London
and Liverpool, ii goes up or down in the COM
mercial centers of our own country. and regu-
lates the prices the farmers of Ohio and other
states of the Union receive for their productions
They sell IN the lowest market and under the
protection system are compelled to buy in the
highest market. Political economy teaches
that all men should be left free to sell in the
highest market and buy where they can buy
cheapest, and the farmers of the United States
ought 10 have the benefit of this rule, except
so far only as the necessities of the government
in the form of honest taxes may vary it.
Senator Sherman, few nights since, in his
speech at the Music hall in the city of Cincin-
natl, referred to the fact that in his late tour
abroad he had visited many European coun-
tries, and that they had, to use
his own language, all adopted the Ameri-
can system of protection. except free trade
England-France, Germany, Russia, Belgium,
Italy-all except England-but be failed to
state the fact that England is shipping annually
to foreign countries more products OF manu-
facture than all the other countries named by
him put together, and that she is the only
country in Europe that pays decent price to
her laborers; that in Europe wages are lowest
in these countries where protection is highest.
This may not prove that free trade necessarily
increases the price of labor but il certainly
docs prove that protection does not
shall not attempt to discuss the issues that
are local 10 your people and concern the do
nestle policy Of your state. Although a native
of Ohio, am and have been, from my youth
up a citizen of the state of Indiana, and do not
clam the same right to speak upon questions
tons in regard to which our interests are in
common-such as the great battles you
are waging for the people in favor of
revenue reform. But l may say the stand
you have taken in favor of home
rule" and against third-termism, in the
executive department of your government
meets the appreciation of all men who believe
in popular rights and in the sacred character of
the traditions of the people, and ought to bring
you success if there were no other questions
involved in the contest. The man or the party
who would ruthlessly trample upon the tradi-
ditions of people is more to be dreaded than
If they should boldly attempt to infract
written constitution. For the last you have a
remedy in the courts. For the first the people
must take that into their own hands for there
Is no other remedy.
In conclusion, fellow-citizens and fellow-dem-
ocrats, permit me to address to you few earn