Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-04-14
TARIFF THE ISSUE.
Ringing Words From Ex-President
Cleveland.


His Speech, at Proy1dence, R. 1.-The De-
mocracy Should Not BE Drawn From
the True Lines Of the Great Bat
tie For Tariff Reform. y
Upon the invitation of the state CEN
trail committee of Rhode Island ex-Pres-
ident Cleveland closed the campaign in
that state in speech at Providence.
He was greeted by an immense throng.
After abiding to the contest in the state
the ex-president referred to the great
and leading question Of the day, tariff
reform, as follows:
Those who oppose tariff reform delude them
selves when they suppose that it rests wholly
upon appeals to selfish considerations and the
promise of advantage right or wrong or that
our only hope Of winning depends upon arousing
luminosity between different interests of our
people. While we do not propose that those
whose welfare we champion shall be blind TO
the advantages accruing to them from our plan Of
OF tar1n reform, and while we are determined that
these advantages shall not he surrendered to
the Establishments of greed and avarice We still
Claim nothing that has not underlying II moral
consent and considera tons OF equally good
conscience. Because our case rests upon such
foundations SordidneSs and SelfiShneSS cannot
destroy it The fight for justice and right is
clean and comfortable one: and because the
American people love justice and right, ours
must be winning fight
The government Of the union is a govern
ment of the people: it emanates from them,
its powers are granted by them and are to be
exercised directly on them and for their benefit
This is not the language of q political plat
form. It Is declaration of the highest court
In the land, whose mandates oil must obey and
whose definitions all partiSanS must accept.
In the light of this exposition of the duty the
government owes to the people the democratic
party claims that when through federal taxa
ton, burdens are laid upon the daily life of the
people not necessary for the governments
economical administration and intended. what
ever be the pretext, to enSch few at the ex-
pense OF the many the governmental compact Is
violated.
Those who believe in tariff reform for the
substantial good it will bring to the multitude
who are neglected when selfish greed is in tn,
ascendency: those who believe that the legitT-
mate motive Of our government is TO do equal
and exact justice to all our people and gra1t
especial privileges to none: those who believe
that nationo boasting tina: its foundation is
In honesty and conscience cannot afford to dis
card moral sentiment, and those who would
save our institutions from the undermining de-
cay of sordidness and selfshness can hardly
excuse themselves If they fail to join US in the
crusade we have undertaken. Certainly our
sincerity cannot be questioned In the Begin
ming OF the struggle we were not only bitterly
opposed by great mass of avowed enemies,
but were embarrassed by those in our own
ranks who had become infected with the I'M
wholesome atmosphere our enemies had Gre
ated. We hesitated not a moment to encounter
both. We unified our party, not bv any sur
render to the halfhearted among Our members,
but by an honest ppeal to democratic senti-
nent and conscience.
We have never lowered our standard. It
surely was not policy expediency that In
duced us defiantly to carry the banner of tariff
reform as we went forth TO meet well organized
and desperately determined army in the disas-
trous field of 1883 A time serving expedi-
ency hunting party would hardly have been
found to-day after such a crushing defeat I'M
dismayed. defiant and determined, still shout
ing-the old war cry, and anxious to encounter
again, in the peoples cause, our exultant enc
my. We had not long to wait At the Water
loo Of 1890 tariff reform had its vindica tion and
principle and stesdfast devotion to American
fairness and good faith gloriouSly triunphed
over plausible shifting and attempted popular
deception.
Our opponents, too, have q record on this
question Those who still adhere to the dee
tr1ne that an important junction of the govern
ment is especially to aid them in their BUSINESS
those who only see in the consumers of our land
forced contributors to artificial benefits per-
mitted by governmental favoritisn; those who
see in workingmeu only the tools with
which their shops and manufactures are to be
supplied at the cheapest possible rates, and
those who believe that no moral question is In
vOlved in the tariff taxation of the people
probably familiar with this record and album
dainty satisfied with it. It may, however, be
profitably reviewed by those who believer that
integrity and good fai tn have much to do with
governmental operations and who honestly
confess that the present tariff burdens not
justly and fairly distributed
Such review may also be of interest to those
who believe that our consumers are entitled to
be treated justly and honestly by the govern
ment and that the workingmau should be al
lowed to feel in his humble home as he supplies
his family's daily needs, that his earnings are
not uniustly extorted from him for the benefit
how f,;r
This, then, is the record: When we began
the contest for tariff reform it was said bHour
republican opponents in the face of our avowals
and acts, that we were determined on free
trade A long advance was made in their insin-
cerity assi impudence when thev accused US OF
acting in the interests of foreigners. and when
they more than limited that we have been
bought with British gold Those who distrust-
ed tne effectiveness of these senseless appeals
insulfedSthe integrity of people By claim
ing that increase in the cost Of ar
ticles to the consumer caused by the tariff
was not q tax paid by him, but that IL
was paid by foreigners who sent their goods tic
our markets Sectional prejudice was invoked
in the most outrageous manner and the people
81 the north were asked to condemn the meas
ure of tariff reform proposed by US because
members of congress from the south had SUP
ported 1t. These are fair samples of the aryu-
ments submitted to the American people in The
presidential campaign of 1888. twill be ~
served that the purpose of these amazing lie
uV6ranccS was 10 Qe1eat entirely any reform in
the tariff, though it had been enacted at a time
when the expense OF a tremendous war justified
the exaction OF tribute from the people w,li.h
in time OF peace became grievous burCle H.
though It had congested tho federal treasury
with O worse than useless surplus, inviting
reckless public waste and extravaganza and
though in many of it's features the only purpose
Of its continuance was the bargaining permitte d
for party support
Nothing shall divert US from our purpose to
reform the tariff in this regard, as well as mans
others be the time Of its accomplishment near
or remote. It doubtless would please our ad-
versaries II We could be allured from our watch
md guard over the cause of Che tariff reform e,
certain other objects, thus FORGETTING the peo-
pies trust and confidence.
Our opponents must in the coming national
canvass settle accounts with on the issue OF
tariff reform II viii not do for Them to say t.,
US that this is an Old and determined conten-
years old. but thew and the decline of tariff VIII
be taught ard preached until mankind and the
republican party shall heed the Injunction;
'-Thcu shalt not steal
CRISP NEWSPAPER CURRENCY.
THE first steel pens cost the mnnufac-
turer s1.a5 apiece.
SEVERAL. ladies have been permitted
to practice dentistry in Kjobenhavn,
Denmark, after having passed the NEG
eSSary examinations
A