Evening journal., 1892-10-15
GRAY ON THE TARIFF.
The Senator Addresses a Big
Open-Air Meeting.
A PLEA FOR HONEST TAXATION.

People at Fourth and Monroe Streets
Last Evening.
A grand Democratic rally of the Third,
Tenth; Eleventh and Twelfth wards was
held at Fourth and Monroe streets last
evening. A stand was erected on the
southwest corner, and around this a
crowd of nearly a thousand men gathered.
Daniel W. Mullin introduced Senator
Gray as the speaker of the evening.
When the senator rose TO deliver his ad-
dress he was compelled to wait several
minutes until the applause which greeted
his appearance had subsided. He said
in part
"MR. CHAIRMAN AND FELLOW CITI-
zENs / never exercise the high privi-
lege of discussing face to face the issues
and questions to be decided at the bal
lot box without a sense of gratitude
that am permitted to live in land of
freedom, of self-government by the peo-
pie, where all meet are friends and
neighbors and where there is mani
tested mutual interest in all that con
Germs the government and welfare OF
our common country.
81 know that some men say you are
weary of all this discussion; the tariff
question, the states right question and
all this talk about the self-government
of the people; well if you are really
weary of all this discussion, you had
better elect president and congress for
life and thereby relieve yourselves Of
all this discussion for ever / know
great men and rich men who would be
only too glad TO substitute themselves as
Legislators for the people and conduct
public affairs without public interfer-
ence.
In submitting to taxation it is your
privilege to know how much you must be
expected 20 contribute from the fruits of
your daily toll for the support of the gov
ernment. If you do not avail yourselves
of that privilege, If You allow others TO
exercise IL for you and to take any
amount from your pockets without in
quiring the reason for it, without "kick-
ing, then / say you are fit subjects for
a land of despotism, devoid of the respon-
siblities of free citizenship and the en-
ioyment OF quality.
What is free government The
fundamental principle of free govern
ment is thus: That all laws made by
your agents at Washington OF at Dover
shall be enacted as nearly as possible for
the benefit of all and not for the en-
richment of the favored few; IL is taxa
tion enacted into law for public purposes.
If you are taxed TO meet the expendi-
lures Of the government as economically
and wisely administered it is your duty
TO pay the tax willingly and ungrudg.
ingly.
The expenses Of the national govern
inent must be paid for by some method.
You are not called upon to pay your share
as you do your county tax or your city tax.
| Where does IL come from then2 Does IL fall
/ from heaven like the dewg Does IL raise out
of the ground2 It must come from
somewhere, where does it come from? 1t
comes from the labor Of the country.
You are indirectly taxed on the goods
/ you buy and thus contribute your share
of the government expenses-and you
are willing TO pay that tax il It is levied
as your share for the support of
/ honest gOvernment-but because Il is in
direct taxation do not forget It is taxa
tion. We had high taxation in 1888, but
it was only one half as high as the taxa
tion of the present Mckinley law We
Democrats want to reduce the tariff To
what the Republicans call a free-trade
tariff
The senator quoted dates and figures tc
show the prosperity of the country
under low tariff aud quoted eX-Secre.
tnry Blaine and TO the effect that under
the tariff of '46 every industry so pros
pered and everybody was so contented
that the people forgot all about the tariff
and il would never again have presented
itself as an issue but for the war The
great expense Of that contest needed
increased revenue and during that bloody
contest men who staid at home while
others did the fighting so manipulated
and adjusted the tariff that they grew
enormously rich and after the rebellion
war had ended they successfully fought
and spoke for a continuance of higl
taxation. In 1876 the people showed
their condemnation of such Legislation
by over 2jO, 600 majority and Samuel J
lilden was fairly elected President o
the United States ICheersl.
In 1884, continued the speaker. eve
! again emblazoned on our banner tn,
motto that unnecessary taxation is un
just taxation and placed Grover Cleve
land lcheersl in the presidential chaii
and elected a Democratic house-but tn,
senate was still Republican and thar
body defeated the Mills bill. In 1888 thu
Republicans said that the Democrats ha,
formed a great conspiracy against thu
industries of the country and scared thl
people into believing that If the wicked
Democrats secured control the countr,
would go to the damnation bow-wows.
I The senator reviewed the speech o
d Colonel Mcclure in answer TO Governor
l. Mckinley and emphasized the many tell
p ing points in that address. He quoted
, from IL to show that in the last nationa
o campaign $400, 900 was subscribed b,
T wealthy Philadelphia manufacturers 70
d the maintenance Of protection ant
h wanted to know why a portion Of tha
amount had not been used to raise thu
u wages Of the people Applause
He then spoke at length on the origin
e ators Of the Mckinley law, the WOO
S question and the cause Of immigration
e He said he didn't begrudge Carnegie O
anybody else his wealth, but h
shouldn't levy taxes ON the people L
y secure t.
In concluafor 4La oroobo- ia