The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-08-28
GENERAL STEVENSON.
He Opens the Illinois Democratic
Canvass.
Forcible Presentation of the Tariff, the Force
Bill and Other Issues of
the Uay-

BLOOMINGTON. Ill, Aug. Gf--1uo Deuo-
cratic state campaign opened today by a
big demonstration In this city. There were
thousands OF Democrats il attendance snd
Hon james S. Ewing. General Steven
sons law partner presided.
Senator John NJ. Palmer was the first
speaker and he made q stirring address,
which was frequently interrupted by sp-
plause. Hon. a. Z. Stevenson, the Demo-
cratic candidate for ice-president, was the
next speaker. He said:
IL the pending struggle for political su-
premacy grave public questions are at
issue. Upon the correct determination OF
these questions through the peaceful
methods prescribed by law. will depend
the welfare Of the people. 1t is all i'm
pcrtant, then, that the determination at
the polls be the result, not of prejudice or
Misrepresentation, but of honest intelh-
gent discussion OF the issues involved.
During the short time shall detain you.
il win be my endeavor to suggest some OF
the reasons why Mr.. Cleveland should be
elected president, and the Democratic
party restored TO power. The four years
administration of President Cleveland WAS
confessedly an honest administration None
of the predicted evils of which Democratic
triumph was TO be tie forerunner, fol-
lowed his inauguration. In the campaign
of 1884 the people were told by Republican
speakers that Democratic success would
bring blight and ruin upon the commercial
interests of the country. Those who pre-
dicted evil from Mr.. Cleveland's election
proved false prophets. The Dem ocratic
administration ending March 4, 1889. ha n
gone down into history as an economical
and able administration of the govern
ment. No scandals attached 20 any of It's
appointments TO ONCE. Under it the rights
OF all property-of all sections-cf ali the
people, were recognlz ed and enforced.
Under il tine bonded debt of the govern
ment was psid at maturity; trust funds
were not used to avoid a treasury deficit:
and the gold reserve was not menaced by
threats of invasion to meet the current ex-
penses OF the government. Under that sd
ministration no additional burdens were
laid upon tbs people. At the close of Presi-
dent Cleveland's administration the sur
plus IN the treasury, exclusive OF the gold
reserve, was, ia round numbers, SS3, 000, COO.
1t will be remembered that during the lat
ter half OF his administration the import
ant question was, what shall be done with
the surplus revenuesf In view of the fact
that the annual revenues Of the govern
fnent were then 500, 0e0, 600 in excess Of its
necessities, the question was one OF prac-
tical interest to the American people.
What Is the condition that now confronts
as 1t the end of three and half years OF
Republican administration On the base
of revenues to the government, as esti
mated by the secretary of the treasury for
the present fiscal year, and of the liabili-
If rHo 1nr,t nm mt of he,
annual and permanent appropristionssfor
the same period. there will be deficit of
So. DOC, 000- Upon the assumption that the
law requiring S4S. 100000 for the sinking
fund will be complied with, there is no es-
gaping the deficiency j have mentioned.
And this, too, Notwithstanding the fact
Lhat the administration made defaulting
providing for the sinking fund 10 an
mount exceeding 81, 100000 during the
asst fiscal year. The bankruptcy which
aoW threatens the treasury is the result,
5rst, Of the enactment of the Mckinley
Tariff law, and, secondly, OF the lavish ap-
preparations of the Fifty-frst Congress.
The secretary Of the treasury was con-
strained by what he regarded as the Ell
Fences of the financial situation to extend
The payment of SOS, 600, 900 of government
bonds maturing Sept. of last year. This
act of Republican secretary of the treas
ury is in striking contrast with that OF his
and efficient administration the bonds OF
the government were paid at maturity
The appropriations Of the last Republican
Congress-which has gone into history as
the "billion dollar Congress far exceeded
that Of any of its Democratic predecessors
The large appropriations of the first ses-
sion of the present Congress are In the
main due to the reckless legislation of the
Fifty first Congress imposing the necessity
Of heavy appropriations upon its success
sors Much of the appropriations by
the late session were in pursu-
ance of the requirements of exist
ing law-laws enacted by Republican
Congress. la this connection it must not
be forgotten that the Republican senate of
the present congress added moro than
thirty-two millions TO the approximation
bills as they originally passed the Demo-
cratic house of Represeu tatives. The
reckless expenditure of money by appro-
priations which no public necessity de-
manded merits the condemnation of the
people.
The tariff is the sll-important issue Of
the campaign upon which we have now en-
tered Shall there be revision Of our
tariff laws, and as q consequence or such
legislation q reduction of taxation; or shall
ii become the policy OF our government to
maintain. permanently. high projections
The argument advanced by the early ad-
vocetes OF q protective system was the ne
cessity Of protecting our infant indus
triesn Yet MIR. Clay. the author of the
famous tariff bill. with which his name is
inseparabiy associated. declared such pro-
lection to be only temporary, and that so
soon as such Industries were able 10 stand
alone tariff duties should be reduced. The
compromise tariff law Of 1888, of which
Mr.. Clay was the author, provided that at
the end of ten years there should begin a
rapid reduction Of duties, until the aver
age rate should not exceed twenty per
cent. In view of the fact that protection
TO the ''infant industries has moro than
trebied since the passage CT the bill Of
which MIR. Clay was the author, Clay
would himself, if living, be now denounced
as free trader by the protectionists. In
stead of being lessened, protection has,
year by year, under RepEb lican rule in
creased In proportion as these industries
have grown stronger and more powerful,
they have demanded yet greater protec-
ton.
The average tariff tax at the beginning
of the civil war in 1851 was but Iq per
cent. To purchase munitions of war, to
arm and equip soldiers and meet sll of the
expenses incident TO the great struggle,
required large sums of money. Tariff
taxes were largely increased. The Morrill,
tariff bill was passed. Our government
was ia the throes Of war, struggling for its
existence, and but little heed was given by
the people to the fact that duties under the
new tariff law were not only highly pro-
tive 20 manufacturers but burdensome to
the people. But this was net all BY SUBJ
sequent increase by successive Republics n
Congresses the average rate Of duties
reached Il per cent This was the average
rate OF tariff taxes when the Mckinley bill
became the law.
Let US refer for a moment to other