The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-06-23

TO resist their exactions. Republican success in
this campaign, when we look to the party plat
form, party candidates. or the utterances OF the
party leaders, means that the people are to he
stripped OF their franchises through forcs bills
IN order thai they may be stripped OF their sub
stance through tariff bills Free government is
ueteated. There is no free government where
the people do not control their own elections
aud levy their own taxes. When either of these
rights is taken away or diminished a breach is
made, not in the outer defenses, but in the cita-
DEL OF our freedom.
THE STRUGGLE OF YEARS.
For years we have been struggling to recover
the lost right OF taxing ourselves ana now we
are threatened with the loss OF the greater right
OF governing Ourselves. The loss of one follows
IN necessary succession the loss OF the other
Nhen you confer on the government the power
OF dealing outright you unchatn every evil that
II can prey upon and eventually distroy free
institutions, bring excessive taxation, GLASS
legislation, billion dollar congresses, corrupt
civil service, debauched balot-b box and pur-
chased elections. In every campaign the privi-
lege OF taxing the people will be bartered for
contributions to corrupt them at the polls
after every victory new Mckinley
Dill to repay these contributions
Tor which taxes were wrung from the people.
ror every self governing people there eau be no
more momentous question than the question OF
taxation. II Is the question, as MIR. Burke
truly said, around which all the great battles of
freedom have been fought. IL is the question
out Of which grow all the issues of government
hently and justly, we build all other reforms on
foundation of sand. We and the great party
we represent are to-day for tariff reform be-
cause 1t is the only gateway to genuine demo-
cratic government The distinguished leader
who presided over the republican convention
ooasted that he does not know what tariff re-
form is Whoever said that let us hope with
that charity which endureth all things, and be-
leVebh all things that he is truly as Ignorant as
he vnunts himself to be.
THE PEOPLE NOT so IGNORANT.
Unfortunately the people are not so ignorant
OF the meaning OF protection, at least of the
bill that bears his name. They see that mean
ing to-day in prOstrated agriculture. Ia shack
led commerce. in stricken industries, in COM
pulsory idleness Of labor, in law made wealth
In the discomfort of the workingmen and the
despair OF the farmer. They know by hard ex-
perience that protection, as a system of taxa
tion, is but the old crafty scheme by which the
rich compel the poor to pay the expenses OF the
government. They know by hard experience
that protection, a system OF tribute is
but the old crafty scheme by which tho
power OF taxation OF the people is made the
private property Of few of the people. Tariff
reform means to read1ust this system of taxa
ton and TO purge away the system of tribute
IL means thatwe have not reached the goal OF
perfect freedom so long as any citizen Is forced
by law to pay tribute to any other citzen and
until our taxes are proportioned to the ability
and duty OF the taxpayer rather than TO his
Ignorance. his weakness and his patience
cratic party, believe in taxing ourselves | am
afraid, gentlemen, we must admit this charge.
What right or excuse have we for taxing
anybody else for our own benefit We stand
disgraced in the eyes of mankind If we cannot
and If we do not support our own government
We can throw that support on other people
only by beggary or by force. If we use the one,
we are pauper nation; II we use the other we
are pirate nation. The Democratic party
does not intend that we should be either No
more does 1t intend that they shall falsely call
uN1FN han L..
from the possessions of those who own the
property of the country to the bellies
and backs of those who do the work
OF the country. 1t believes that frugality
is an essential virtue of free government II
believes that these taxes should be limited to
the public needs and be levied BY the plain rule
or Justice and economy. But, gentlemen we
are confronted with a new cry In this campaign
The Republican party says Gov Mckinley now
stands for protection ami reciprocity He was
Tor protection alone when be framed his bill in
the House. or rather, permitted his benehciaries
TO frame II Tor him, and firmly resisted all
efforts of the statesman from Maine to annex
reciprocity to it. No wonder he favors the
reciprocity added by the Senate. You may
explore the page of burlesque literature
for anything more ssupremey ludicrousy than
the so-called reciprocity of the Mckinley bill
lt ID uoG reciprocity at all. IL is retaliation
ana, worst OF all retaliation on our own people
IL punIshes American citizens for the necess-
ties or follies Of other people 1t says to q few
small countries south of us:~ "If you are forced
oy your necessities, or led by your foil @, to
make bread higher and scarc5r to your pe1ple
we Will make shoes and sugar higher and
scarcer to our people, - And now we are told
that reciprocity is to be their battle cry. AL
ready we are regaled with pictures of Benia-
MIN Harrison clad in arInor and
going forth to battle for reciprocity
on a plume steed Simple Simon fishing
Tor whales in his mothers rain barrel aud in
great triumph capturing a wiggle-waggle is
only true realistic picture of the reciprocity
OF the Mckinley bill. We are for protection that
protects AMI for reciprocity that reclprocates
We are in favor Of protecting every man in the
enjoyment OF the fruit of his labor. diminished
only by his proper contribution to the support
of the government, and we are for that real re-
ciproclty, not through dickering diplomacy aud
presidential proclamations but by avs of CON
gress, that removes all unnecessary obstacles be-
tween the American producer and the markets
he is Obliged 20 seek for his produets But
gentlemen, must not keep you from the work
that Is before you. Let take up the work
as brothers, az patriots, as democrats in 80
large a convention this larker in number
than any previous gathering OF our party, and
representing larger constituency than ever
before assembled in any convention, it would
be strange. omnously strange, if there were
not some difference of opinion on matters of
policy and some differences of Judgment or OF
preference as to the choice Of candidates II Is
a sign OF free democracy, that it is many voiced
and within the limits OF true freedom tumultu-
Gus. 1t wears no collars; it serves no masters.
We cannot shut our eyes to the fact that many
enthusiasm are to-day calling with excusable
impatlence for immediate relief from the evils
that encompass them. Whatever can be done
to relieve the burdens, TO restore broaden and
increase the prosperity of the people and every
part of them, within the limits and according
TO the principles of free government. that the
Democratic party dares 10 promise that 10 will
do with all its might. Whatever is beyond
this, whatever is incompatible with free govern
ment and our historic liberty, it does not
promise TO any one. Inveterate evils in the
body polite cannot be cured in a moment any
more than inveterate diseases in the human
system. Whoever processes power TO do so is
himself deceived, or himself a decever. Our
party IS not quack or worker of
miracles 1t is not for me, gentle
men, an impartial servant of you
all to attempt to foreshadow what your choice
should be, or ought TO be, in the selection of
your candidates You will make that selection
under your own of responsibility to the
people you represent and to your country. One
thing only venture to say. Whoever may be
your chosen leader in this campaign, no tele-
gram will flash acrose the sea from che castle Of
absentee tariff lords so congratulate him But
from the home OF laborers, from the hreslde
of the toier. from the hearts of all those who
love justice and equity, who wish and intend
that our matchlass heritage Of freedom shall be
the commonwealth Of all our people and the
common opportunity Of all our youth, will come
UP prayers for Ids success and recruits for the
great democratic host that must strike down
the beast Of sectlOnalism and the moloch of