Mexico weekly ledger., 1889-01-03
"TO TIE DEATH"
Senator Vest on the Fight Against
1.-THE Communism of Capital"

Senator Vest on the Fight Against
1.-THE Communism of Capital"
To the Editor of the Republic
SENATE CHAMBER, WASHINGTON.
Dec. 15, 1SSS.-In yesterdays Re
public l find--a letter from Mr.. J.
NJ. Page, editor of the Jerseyville
QlD Democrat asking you to use
your influence "with Senators
Vest and Cockrell in convincing
them that the Democrats of this
country, and especially of Illinois.
care mighty little for Senatorial
courtesy"
The anxiety of Mr.. Page is un-
founded in fact, and arises, l have
no doubt, from reports sent from
this city which represented Demo-
cratic Senators as demoralized to
such an extent that no real opposi-
ton would be made to the Senate
substitute now pending. Without
arrogating the right to represent the
Democrats of the Senate, | feel au-
thorized in stating that an earnest
and continuous fight will be made
against every section of the SUBJ
stitute which conflicts with the
House bill and the message of Mr..
Cleveland urging the reduction of
tariff duties. 1t is true that no
"factious opposition" will be made,
nor will there be any resort filibus-
tering i'll order to delay action !;
but we shall scrutinize closely
every item, and fully debate the
whole measure. We shall do our
entire duty.
AS I have said in the Senate, the
recent election has not ended the
tariff debate or dismayed the friends
of honest and just government. The
fight will go on until the great
truth on which our party is estab-
lished, that equal rights without
exclusive privileges constitute free
government, shall sweep the un-
just tariff now in force from the
statute book.
1t is hard fight, for the system
furnishes the money to debauch the
corrupt and ignorant, and to con-
tlnue under the forms of law a plu-
tocracy as grasping and relentless
as the grave. The last election
was carried by open, shameless
bribery, such as he has never been
seen before in this country, and
every intelligent man knows it.
The Republican victory has been
dearly bought, for the devil OF
avarice and greed they have aroused
by the enormous sums used In the
canvass viii never sleep. They
must continue to feed the debauched I'd
and desperate gang by whose aid
they succeed, and their demands
will steadily increase. The end is
not yet. When the President
bravely and honestly attacked the
tariff conspiracy in his message
/ feared the result, although | in.
dorsed every sentence of his un.
answerable argument. | believe
then that it was ga fight to the
i DEATH between the unjust .anC
wicked attempt to use government.
tai powers to enrich certain favored
i classes and the fundamental basi.
of free institutions that all ths
powers of government should be
used justly and equally for all the
people. This fight began with the
great struggle between Jefferson
and Hamilton, and will continue
until the doctrine of unlimited taxa
, ton for the purpose of protection
to one portion of the people at th'
expense of the remainder has beer
absolutely annihilated. Your cor
respondent may be assured that n,
influence is necessary to remin'
me of my duty in this conflict.
G. G. VEST.