Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-10-16
WritetoChas.
BRIGHAM AND THE
FARMER. y
4 FIREsIDE TALK.

we are lDueOteu tOt - ANPShs VI 'S
speech made by Col. Brigham, the
nominal Republican candidate for Con-
gress in this district, delivered at Col
ton, this county, on the evening of the
9th inst.
Now, Colonel, we would like to have
you set down by the old open Fireplace
where you and /, in times that are past,
filed our mugs with cider, the tin dish
with apples and sparked the girls. Let
us imagine ourselves seated there and
in our mature years. laying aside ambi-
tion, frankly and honestly talk these
matters s over y. 9alld1
You say, Colonel: a. sb-f' r -
come among you tonight not as politician,
but as a farmer like yourselves, and want 10 SPEAK
to YOU on practical questions.
Now, Colonel, honest Injin for once,
isn't that slight fabrication? Do you
suppose that any person who has
grain of common sense will believe that
if you were not a candidate for congress
YOU would have gone to Cotton to tell
Mike Connolly and other chicken rails
ers that the canadian farmers were
sitting up nights and working smudges
to induce their hens to lay eggs" so as
to compete with the American hen? Is
such nonsense farmer talk, politician
talk, or the talk of a demagogue who
presumes upon the gross Ignorance Of
his audiance?
You came very nearly forgetting your
role Of farmer, Colonel, and have tres
passed on the field of the politician.
You say: .f
Ishall consume most of my time this evening in
discu ssinq the tariff question. This question was
first discussed in this country In 1908. Part OF the
people then favored . protective policy in order
that our industries might be ana tns poL
tion Of the people were succeasful for protective
policy was adopted, and the mckinley phi wnicn
has lust become law Is modelled after this enact
ment Of 1903. e
You may deceive people as to your
sympathy with the farming interests,
but you must not belle history-this has
a voice more potent, more eloquent
than yours. You know that at the for
nation of this government there were
two strong parties-one led by Alexan-
der Hamilton, supported by the Ad-
ames and other old aristocratic families,
which advocated strong centralized
form of government under the control
of priveledged class founded on
wealth, modelled after the English form
of government, In which power should
be vested In the governing and the
governed to enjoy only such rights
and priveledges as the ruling class
might graciously bestow upon them.
The other party was led by Jeffer-
son, supported by Madison, Monroe
and the other Democratic families
of the Revolution, who were unal-
terably opposed to the English form Of,
government, and advocated "a govern
ment of the people, for the people and
by the people," The latter party finely
triumphed. The agricultural interests
and the commerce, small as it then was,
were with the government of the peo-
pie, and the Federal party was compell-
ed to look elsewhere for sympathy and
support. It naturally turned to capital,
the friend of which 1t had been. This
was to be developed in power irresist-
able: and, not in 1908 but, on the 4th
day of July, 17S9-l01 years ago-Con-
gress passed the first tariff act and pre-
faced it with this preamble-"whereas,
it is necessary for the support of the
government, for the discharge of the
debts Of the United States, and the en-
couragement and protection cfnaonufdc-
t,trers, that duties be laid on goods,
wares and merchandise imported" &c.
Here.is where the pernicious principle
of taxation for protection was first en-
grated on the American government.
Nothing was said of protecting COM
merce or agriculture-labor was left like
the shorn lamb, commerce to seek
cargo and agriculture to find market.
Capital was made the ward of Federal
ism and SO it is to-day.
-
The new law will be Of great benefit to our farm.
ers. Sugar has been made free, and thousands OF
dollars win be saved to us annually,
Is that SO, Colonel? Now, sir, you do
not believe word of it, and 1t is only
your unwarranted presumption on the
ignorance of your audiance that gives
you hardihood to utter it. You know
that after the principle of taxation for
protection, inaugurated in 17S9, run
amuck under the administration of
jackson, having eliminated in the null
lification of South Carolina in 1882, and
such men as Clay, Benton, Websteran
Caas, supported by the West and South,
compelled compromise on high pro-
lection and which finally resulted In
the revenue tariff Of ls46, the old hero
of New Orleans had something to say,
about the three handmaids ofprosper-
ityy--Agricultnre, Commerce and Man
ufacture- Old Hickory thought one Of
the maids was just as good and deserv-
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