The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-03-15
The Recent Lecture Delivered by
Joseph L. Rawlins, Esq.
A BRIEF GLANCE AT THE PARTY
Inc Onerous War Tax and What 1t Produces
The Republicans the Friends of the Rich
nly-COnsistency-

A'" ShJOy Iue advantage OF lectures
from Otah's most able men. Mr.. J. L.
Rawllns, of Salt Lake, recently delivered
the following address, the subject being
why am Democrat
In announcing the subject he said ::
'Ihls IS question which may be proftably
discussed upon its merits, notwithstanding
the change Of administration. It might be
considered by some unfavorable to party
organizations, merely a choice of evils :;
out as the founders of the democratic
party were foremost in framing the con-
stltutlon and introducing into it bill of
rights, safeguard against any infringe
ments upon the personal liberties of the
people the party has from the beginning
been inseparably connected with the gov
eminent itself. The question may be asked,
are political parties good or bad? They
have always existed in those countries
where any considerable degree of freedom
has been enjoyed by the people. They are
common to Great Britain, and were power
1ul factors in the development of the free
institutions of Greece and Rome. As
agencies of the masses, political parties are
the only means by which peaceful people
can display its power. They naturally
spring into existence, and increase the ca
paclty Of self-government; and assume
1t to be the duty Of a free people to study
the questions that create party differences,
and to participate in the functions of politi-
cal organizations, as well as those of the
government of which they are an out
growth. Informed that Republican is to
appear before you, / naturally might be ex-
pected to feel some embarrassment; but
desire to deal fairly with Republicans
THB DEMOCRATIC PARTY
is inseparably connected with the republic
and is coeval with the government itself
conceived by men of good heads and just
hearts
After the colonies had thrown off the
yoke of British oppression, the public mind
became agitated over the adoption of a
new government. 1t was to be an expert
ment. The people were confronted with
the history Of free institutions in the ancient
world. Some doubted the propriety of
committing so sacred trust to the people
but the anti-Federalists or Democrats
thought the government could be safely
entrusted to them. They repudiate
wholly the theory of government across
the Atlantic, the theory of divine right
that the king can do no wrong.
Rumors were circulated that America
was to have king-a Caesar was to rule
over them. In these turbulent times,
democracy asserted the rights of the peo-
pie, and commended for their adoption in the
new government. Among those opposed
to the spirit of democracy, there were
strange suspicious against the ability and
patriotism of the people themselves. OF
the three departments which constitute
the government Just half of one is elected
directly by the people. Democracy looked
to the rights of the individual instead of
placing undue authority in the hands of a
centralized power. They demanded that a
pledge be given to provide certain safe
guards against any encroachment upon the
privileges Of the Individual, which were
introduced by amendments into the consti-
tuition in bill Of rights. They were close
cOnStructionistS of fundamental national
law framed in distrust of the people. They
contended for local self-goYernment. The
power to raise and to equip armies and to
provide a common defense was never
questioned On the other hand, they denied
the central government the power to bur
den the people by taxation, to control cleo
tons by the military, or to suffer the eXer-
else Of arbitrary power by United States
marshals. We recognized the fact that the
world has been governed too much, and that
government should
INTERFERE AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE.
Law should be framed to restrain the
wicked and not to centralize power and
aggrandize wealth that would open the
flood gates of corruption and divert the
true functions of government With an
emperor Of Austria as a precedent, our
government has issued paper money. A
national bank has been organized and made
the strange arm of an arbitrary power.
By its chartered privileges it has aided the
creation Of monopolies in this land. Demo
cratic Jackson put an end to its existence,
but the party it favored stood by the bank
and extended its privileges. To sustain the
expenditures Of an economic government
tariff was placed upon the goods imported
to this country It was thought this tariff
would aid home industry; but protection
was considered an incident, and not pur-
Of ha mi ~i1D no n tyIl
the expenditures became enormous, and
the tariff was increased to meet the pay
ments of certain bonds which had been
issued. The profits of this war tax manu-
facturers soon learned to estimate in their
favor. To-day A per cent. of the articles
shipped to this country finds its way into
the government vaults at Washington.
Such surplus tends to menace an econom-
ical administration and tempts the greed
of hungry politicians Republicans do not
wholly deny these dangers; but propose to
decrease the tax on whisky and tobacco in
stead Of the necessary articles of consump-
ton. We want the conditions Of the masses
improved by the circulation of this vast
sum of money. We want those laws
changed which
ENRICH THE FEW AND IIPovRRIsH THE MANY.
The cry that home industry must not be
sacrificed is sophistry. Reliable statistics
inform US that in this country Is per cent.
4 OF I0e Value OF an arUlCle IS Ddlu IOT ldDOT,
in England per cent. Here is a difference
of II per cent. Tariff raises the price to Il
per cent. What then becomes of the SO
per cent. difference. Do labOrers enjoy it
No! 1t goes into the pockets of the opulent
manufacturers. Wages are concentrated
by the law Of supply and demand. Go up
into Park city and you will find there a
mine which pays enormous profits. It's
owners could well afford to pay high wages.
What do they pay? Simply the price other
mines Of no comparative value and Of small
profits pay for their men. When in those
great manufacturing and mineral countries
the poor demand a few cents increase to |
their daily wages, what is done! Are they
heard: No! These monopoies send to |
Europe and import pauper labor to crush |
the spirit and freedom which prosperity |
would bring to the American people. We |
would better contend with pauper labor in |
those lands than transport it to our own |
shores by unjustly favoring the rich manu- |
facturers who clamor for high tariff and in |
turn use their wealth to intimidate those
ground beneath the heel of opulence. The
policy of the Republicans is that equality
should not exist. Having favored the mo-
nopolist. they in turn secure the strong arm
of wealth to elect Republican candidates.
There has lately come into power man
who, three months ago, was comparatively
70 try n