Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-10-30
PLUMB'S POSITION.
First Speech of the Senator Since. HI
Return.

First Speech of the Senator Since His
Return.
WICHITA, Kan, Oct. 25.-An immense
concourse of people gathered Thursday
night to hear Senator Preston b.
Plumb's first public utterances since his
return home from Washington, and 1t
was several minutes after his introduc-
ton before he was allowed to commence,
so hearty was his welcome. He touched
lightly on the financial policy of the
Republican party, on pension matters
and on the results of the Silver bill as
passed, showing that the latter had i'm
mediately released $50, 900, 900 from the
Treasury and placed it in the channels
of trade, besides providing for perma-
nent output of silver, having for its eff
feet to increase the value of every prod
uct of labor in the United States.
Personally he had worked for free
coinage bill, but he believed now that
the present bill was the better measure,
though could bill have been passed
providing for the free coinage of all the
| silver presented and the replacing of 1t
later by currency he would have pre-
ferred it.
Mr.. Plumb showed how the Disability
act gave 500, 600, 900 year to the sur
vivors of the war, but even this he con-
sidered did not go far enough, and if
the people would only realize that their
friends were in power succeeding ses-
sions of Congress could do no more for
them.
The tariff, the speaker thought a
fruitful topic He believed wise protec-
ton necessary to the we'll being of the
country, but thought it should be
| adopted in such way as to make the
importer pay the bulk of the Govern
ment expenses. He wasn't there to say
| the tariff wasn't tax, but if it were so
distributed as not to be burden no
self-respecting man would desire to es-
cape some of the expense of maintaining
the Government The real question was
whether we should have tariff for rev.
enue only or for protection and revenue.
| The Democratic idea was to place an
impost on such articles as tea, coffee,
sugar, etc, as are used by the bulk OF
the people, and the consequence would
be that the prices of these necessities
would be raised and the poor man would
pay as much of the tax as the million
aire. The tax placed on cotton and
wooden goods was not a per capita tax
and was so levied as to fall more heavily
on the rich than the poor, for the reason
| that most of it was paid by the
foreign exporter who was obliged
to ship his surplus stock over
here and yet could not add the
tax to the cost of the goods, for
the reason that the same manufacturers
were protected on this side so that they
could compete with all corners. The
tariff gave more employment and higher
wages and had resulted in a greater
diversifcation of industries. The
Speaker had his own ideas as to what a
tariff bill should be and had fought for
the demand of his constituency; but in
this as in all other things the majority
had to rule. 1t was long stride in the
right direction. He stood with Senator
Sherman, who thought all the taxes
necessary for protection should be inn
posed, but not a penny for monopoly. In
Mr. Blaine's reciprocity plan he saw the
best means to enlarge the markets for
American products
The speaker in referring to Kansas
politics said this was no time to embark
on a new sea of experiment with new
party, as catastrophe would surely re-
suit Kansas had stood nobly by her
self and her men in the past and would
soon reap the reward. No man, he said.
who sought the welfare Of his country
could affiliate with the Alliance, Gn
enanation from the rebel South.