Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-09-21
FLEMING
FEW SHOULDER HTS TO RE-
UBLlCAN PREIENSES
the Tariff as at Present Imposed, and
here It's Burdens Fall and Who are
nefciaries-Sone "htsIligOncer"
iaiemenS Rsated-Elk City
Ablsza With Democratic
Enthusiasm.
.lsOram 20 he Register.

-ESTON, W. VA, september 70
ty was ablaze this evening with
attic torch lights and the people
rilled with Democratic enthusiasm.
altitude of eager listeners assem-
hear the gospel Of Democracy
ID.
ibid addresses were delivered by
Tor Fleming and Hon. w. 4. Chiffon,
Chahzpan of the Democratic State Com
mitteeI
Governor Fleming spoke briefly upon
national issues, and dealt the Republican
policy Of high tariff some effective blows,
and burned his attention 10 State issues
and scored some telling points.
lnhis references 70 the tariff, Governor
Fleping showed that the present tariff
rat5 as fixed by the Mckinley act, cannot
be tgnt nor Just; that aside from all Dem
Oclatic utteranceS on the subject, it can
easily be proven that the Republican posi-
ton is erroneous. lie showed that every
Republican national platform from 1865 till
the present one, had declared in favor of a
reduction and revision of the tariff laws;
that the message OF every President dur
ibg that period has found fault with the
Nigh tariff rates; that the leading Re
pnOlican statesmen in aud out OF Congress,
from year 20 year iuveghed against the
high tariff; that the Tariff Commission ap-
pointed by President Arthur, which made
most complete investigation of It's sub
iect. reported that the then existing tariff
was TOO high and recommended reduction
of at least twenty per centum; and that
Notwithstanding all this, every effort made
in the way of reduction has been IN vain or
resulted in an increase, until the platform
Of the present year boldly declares in favor
Of the highest rates we have ever had. He
argued that, from all these facts, the Re
publican party could
NEVER BE EXPECTED To GIVE RELIEF,
and especiallyas long as IL remained under
the cOntrOl of the highly protected mOnOpO-
lists of this country. In his DISCUSSION
Governor Fleming quoted from q letter
from Henry Clay 20 Mr.. Bronson, OF
Georgia, written in 1913, found on page
2l5 OF SargelJ's life Of Clay, in which the
writer characterized the tariff Of 1923,
forty-seven per cent. rate, as highly
-aiscreditable to American legislation
and expressed the hope that nor
the honor OF the nation il
viii never be repeated" He further
showed that the farmers of the country
suffered most from high tariff rates; that
under the more moderate tariff existing
prior 70 the war, the farmers owned one
half OF all the wealth of the country, but
under the determinations of high prOtec-
tive tariff the wealth of the farmers has
not kept pace with the growth of the Ma
ton. iu support of this statement he in
trOduced the following statistics from the
Census Reports from 1850 10 loSO-
Is5J-Total value Of all property. s. zI35 $50 29S
TOral wealth OF farmers o.. i,6l3 ld3Ut4
1S60-Tots' value % al property. Us l5J,6l6,O5S
DO al wealth o farmers. S29il63l5S
1S70-To ~ value OF all property 81 OiS SIS 5O1
Tote. wealth of tanners see. II, l956Ss.9J
1ooJ-IOtal value oi al property. l3t41O1OJO
Total wealth Of iarmers..... H,s7j,7s2,134
From these figures Governor Fleming
argued that during Democratic admins
trat.Ous prior 10 the war half of all the in
crease in wealth belonged 20 the farmers,
but upon the enactment of high tariff laws
the situation changed and the farmers
came very short OF holding their own; that
Of the so, 4s0, 3S4, 132 increase Of the wealth
Of the nation between 1860 and 1850, the
fltuers had only }6,5S5,6lJ,566, while the
gains Of those ia other pursuits was So
S94, ga, 1866. His argument was continued
at length on this line and was listened 10
with marked attention. He then devoted
some time 20
A DISCUSSION or THE FORCE BILL,
which he said was an issue of even moro
importance TO all the people than the tariff,
because 10 involved the right 10 manage
their own local affairs without the interior
ence Of the Federal government and was
standing menace 20 the liberties Of the
citizen. Ia this connection be also warned
his hearers TO remember the time when au
election law was enforced i0 this State in
the interest of the Republican pOrty, then
i'm power and ia some counties even
at the point OF the bayOnet In
the hands of soldiers from other
States, and always at the eX-
peEse of our own taxpayers, and showed
that there was not only paid % the boards
e a
OF nearly ten thOuoaLd dollars year, bus
that those boards doubtless guaranteed
protection, were always defended at the
cost Of the State, whether sued for dam
ages or indicted for hagrTUt violations Of
law. He referred 10 the acts of 1861, ), @.
and 40, where appropriations aggregating
-, 200 were made % pay attorneys fees and
other charges. and stated that these apprO-
priauOns being insufficient the Republican
Governor Of the State in 1870 and al sup
p.emeuted them from the civil contingent
fund, and that so far as
TIE RECORDS OF THE OFFICE
show the last act of a Republican admins
tratlOn Ia this State was 10 pay Judge Lee,
Of Clarksburg, 500 for defending these
boards, j. H. Nash goo for five indIct-
ments in Fayette county, and w. Z.
RuCker 800 for like service In Fayette
county thus showing that the State both
prosecuted and defended the same cases.
ia the conclusion OF his remarks on this
subject, Governor Fleming asked what
would be thought az this day of any EXecu-
tive who would use the funds Of the State
placed 40 his disposal for the enforcement
Of law 10 defend indicted criminals. The
Governor then made many interesting
comparisons between Democratic and Re
publtan administrations ln West Virginia,
and made many telling points IN favor Of
Democratic rule.
he then read from tho IHtsaigsHcer Of
September IS the repeated assertions that
the only force ever used at an election Ia
West Virginia was when the Democrats
had marshals at the polls in Ohio county
in lSSS and remarked that if the HtelligsR
Ger mad been familiar with the
MESSAGE OF GOV. FOREMAN
70 the Legislature of 1869 aud documents
printed there with in the journals OF 1859
under the title Of Marion county
riot' and with the facts in the case, such
sQuibs would certainly not have appeared
in that Republican organ. He stated that
too many people had taken the test oath
and registered iD 1865 20 suit the Republi-
party, and in many counties hundreds of
ioval and law abiding citizens who had
taken no part in the war were summoned
,stO show cause Why their names should
rot DO stricken from the lists of voters;
in Marion county 800 Of these persons
red before the Board OF Reg
20 answer this summons
at once declared 70 be
IL was supposed they would
yer tdis summons and their
erased 0y default; that
lard could not afford 10
Sc persons; that there
single witness against
,uld prove their loyal