Los Angeles herald., 1892-08-26
4 TRIANGULAR TARIFF DFBATE,
Issnes Of the Campaign from
Three Standpoints.
Political Day at the international
Fair at Detroit.
Congressman Springer Makes strong
srseeh on the Subject OF Tariff
Reform-General News
GIes nings.
nv the Associated Press.l

DETRoIT, Mich, Aug. 25.--More than
10000 people assembled today on the
grounds of the Detroit International
Fair and Exposition. it being political
day" The speaking began at O'Clock,
ex-Congressman Dunnell, of Minnesota,
representing the Republican party, and
making the first speech. Colonel Nor
ton, of Chicago, followed with strong
speech in favor of the Peoples party
principles and candidates. The last
speaker was Hon. William NJ. Springer,
of Illinois, chairman of the ways and
means committee of the national house
of representatives, who received fat
tering reception.
Mr.. Springer's speech was almost all
devoted to the tariff question. He said
ssIf protection has accomplished 80 much
for the country, it must also be held
responsible for the evils which have
grown up under protection, and which
are fostered by it. During the past
twenty-five years, while protection
has fouriehed in all its vigor,
vast army Of individuals, firms and
corporations, aggregating two hundred
thousand, have succumbed to the pres
sure of hard times and gone into bank
ruptcy. Their aggregate liabilities have
exceeded three and one-halt billion dol
lars. The number of commercial fail
urea increased in 1891, as compared
with the previous year. before the pas
sage of the Mckinley bill, IL per cent,
and the liabilities increased 27 per
cent"
The speaker referred to the rapidly
increasing real estate Indebtedness in
various states as the result of hardships
entailed on farmers in being compelled
to pay all their bills under tariff de-
signed to foster the few and oppress the
many. During the period of Democratic
low tariff for revenue only, from 1916 to
1860, fifteen years, the total number of
strikes reported in an official way were
Eeventy-four. During the past fifteen
years under Republican high tariff,
there have been over 6000 strikes and
lockouts in the United States, involving
over million employees. avs
Referring to the Homestead troubles,
Mr.. Springer denounced the greed of
Carnegie in attempting to gather to him
self all the benefits of the protective
tariff which he had advocated, and grind
down his workmen to q starving condi-
tion. ''If there ever was labor con-
test" said Mr.. Springer, "in which the
aborers were clearly in the right, it is
the one now being carried on at Home
stead. The mills are surrounded by
state militia, and the barbarous treat
ment shown to one of the soldiers by
superior officers for an offense which did
not reach the gravity of misdemeanor
under the laws of the state, shows that
the militia officers are fit instruments
for the work in which they are en-
gagged"
Continuing, the speaker denounced
the Pinkerton system, and recalled that
as early as 1888, the Democrats of Illi-
nois had demanded its suppression, and
that General Palmer had made cam
paign on the issue that "the government
should be as strong as the law, and no
stronger; as weak as the law, and no
weaker" g
Ts.e report Of the senate committee on
finance, submitted by Senator Aldrich,
was quoted, in which the Republican
senators admitted that the benefits of
the Mckinley bill, up to this time, had
only resulted in raising wages
three fourths of / per cent
higher in fifteen general occupa-
tions. What ridiculous result
of the benefits OF high tariff Yet this
is the best showing which the friends of
the Mckinley bill can make. The Dem
ocratic party insists that the tariff shall
always bear heaviest on articles of lux
ury. instead of articles Of necessity to
the poor man, and the Democratic party
is opposed to any tariff beyond that
necessary to raise sufficient revenues for
the expenses of the general government,