Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-07-30
WEDNESDAY,, July 80. 1890.
PALMER AT GIRARD.
A Big Demonstration in His
Honor.
what the Grand Old Man Had 10 say
About the Live Issues OF the
Day.

Day.
Last Saturday was red letter day for
the democracy of Girsrd, Ill. Gen. John
NJ. Palmer had promised the people he
would address them, which simple an
nouncerent was sufficient to attract q
large crow. Several other prominent
gentlemen were present, but Cen. Pail
mer was the hero of the occasion. He
began his speech by saying he was adj
dressing people among whom and their
pioneer fathers he came some nifty years
ago. Today he was addressing them as
the democratic candidate for tue United
States senate, a position he had been
given, not By caucus nor by cOnven
tion alone, but By the democracy of the
townships of the whole state of Illinois.
The people. he said, are discovering that
they are losing their rights by the pres
ent republican management of affairs. and
it is 10 help to avert this danger that
they have nominated candidate for the
United States senate. 1t is must be ap
parent to all that the republicans propose
to enlarge the federal control of public
affairs At the expense of the liberties of
the people. Precedents of a century
have been ruthlessly overturned by the
present congress, and a despotism has
been established at Washington in the
house of representatives. They Justify
their acts by the pretext that conditions
demand a revolution. The people can
remedy this evil by electing members to
the general assembly and by this means
control or the United States senate can
be obtained. This is now the peoples
best hope. Republican papers say that
party abounds in great men. Perhaps it
does, but that party will select its candi-
date for the senate by a legislative caucus
in back room, and he will be man
about whom the people know nothing,
and have no voice in choosing. This is
done because he might, if known. be
asked some unpleasant questions. The
democratic and independent voters pre-
fer that their candidate for this imports
ant Office shall be known and his views
understood before he is elected. By the
republican method of selecting senators
the PEOPLE have no choice in the seleC-
ton, for republicans have placed this
important office beyond the control
OF the people. The republican
politicians have also taken 40.
solute control Of the .ssfnrsirs of the people,
cohtroi!,Hngg sil legislation relative to prop
erty and taxation, independent of the
welfare of the people. The powers of
congress are uncomfortable, except you
can control congress by selecting the men
yourselves that you send there. Will you
do il? II United States senators were
made responsible to the people. you
would hear from them quite often,
Gen. Palmer then proceeded to ably
and freely discuss the tariff question, tak>
ing advanced grounds on the subject He
showed how, at the Chicago convention
OF 1888. the republican party had made
great promises about the tariff, and now
the party was all torn up on the subject
Mr.. Mckinley was for reducing the reve-
nue. by increasing the taxes of the people;
while Mr.. Blame was advocating the
good old democratic doctrine of recipro~
city between nations, and among other
things says that not line In the McKin>
lev bill would furnish market for the
western farmer TO sell a bushel of wheat
demns the bill, but you republicans are
asked TO support il. Will you do it!
Gen. Palmer then referred to the annual
ship subsidy of millions which had been
voted by congress. This was nothing
more or less than the people paying ocean
freights on their products to foreign
countries. He said il was now stated on
undoubted authority that the annual eX-
pendtures of the federal government
amounted to the enormous sum of $3.50,
900. 900 He believed it would be nearer
$500 900 600. Think of this great sum
of money being taken from the pockets of
the people. Neither Senators Cullom or
Fsrwell protested against this. In 1888,
the democrats were contending against
tariff tax of only AZ per
cent, now the republican congress is try
ing TO make it over 81 per cent. Repub.
licsns were insisting that the friends of
tariff should reviss the law. He thought
the F. NJ. B. A. of Decatur, at late
meeting, had made the best suggestion,
when it said that the tariff should be re-
vised by its victims The governor said
that the protective tariff men who burden
us with he tariff taxes were wise enough
TO keep the people divided. He strongly
urged his hearers to take care of them
selves, by refusing longer to wear the
collar OF any party which would turn
them over to the mercies Of the tariff
barOns. We should also stop eating one
another up for the benefit of the repEbli-
can office-holders' trust. This trust cares
nothing for the people. but proposes to
hold office forever if they can. as the
election bill clearly indicates
In concluding, the general said that
heretofore the politics of the nation have
been dominated by the two states of New
York and Indiana. Will you stand this
any longer? Hereafter Illinois will be the
third state of the union and she will
dominate the politics of the nation if her
people have the manhood to assert them
selves, refuse to be divided for the bene-
tit of the eastern manufacturers. The
great west must get rid of political bond
age to the northeastern manufacturing
states. Western agricultural interests are
dying and will continue to die unless you
cease to be divided and do your duty as
independent and patriotic citizens. Take
your affairs into your own control and
you will preserve your liberties and re-
lieve yourselves of unnecessary and bur-
densome taxation.
Gov. Palmer spoke for one hour and
twenty minutes to an immense audience,
and was often cheered as he made telling
points in behalf of the people.