Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-09-28

|
. fund for success, and the Republican Tari
League of 1900 members have pledged to rails
8, 900 each, making 81, 500 coo from that sourc
above.
SPEECH OF CHARLES ". MEREDITH, ESQ.
! At the conclusion Of the excellent and elo
quent speech of Capt. Woods, Capt. Opie In
troduced Chas. v. Meredith, Esq, as the Pat
rick Henry of Richmond.
Mr.. Meredith said he was surprised to lee RI
that he was an orator. He would attempt &c
eloquence, but would talk plainly to the peo-
pie, in such a manner as he would wish people
to talk to him when they wanted to convince
him. He then proceeded with his speech which
was most capital one, both in matter and
manner, and we think IL reported in full and
circulated as campaign document, 1t would
do vast deal Of good, as 1t would show the
Third party people the evil character Of the
policy recommended in the platform of that
party. We regret that our want of space pre-
| vents US from doing more than speaking in a
general way Of the character Of this fine and
clear speech. He took up the preamble, declar-
alton, and platform, Of the Third party, and
showed the character Of its different planks
and how ruinous It's policy would be II at
tempted to be put In force and more partlcu-
larly to the interests of the farmers OF Virgin
lb-buaU III LOOKS 10 bHe interests OF FARMERS Ill
the West and not to those In Virginia.
II the government would own the railroads,
it would add at once 1900 dependents on the
governme nt-that being the number OF rail-
road employees at this time-that many More
voters under control OF the party i'll power.
If the people borrowed money from the gov
eminent at 2 per cent their lands would be
mortgaged and they would not be free to vote
as they wlshed-their liberties would be Sold
To own the railroads would make a public
debt of ten billions-$lO,O 600 900. OOO-which it
would take three hundred years of burthen-
some taxation to pay. 1t meant National
bankruptcy.
If the government owned the railroads the
rates would be reduced for the benefit of the
Western farmer and the Eastern consumer
and the Virginia farmer would be injured, If
not ruined, by the competition,
He contrasted the policies of the Democratic
and the Third parties on the question of tho |
coinage Of silver and showed that whilst that
OF the Third party was in the interest of the
miners of silver, of the Dthat emocratic party
was in the interest of the government and
the people generally.
In reference to the lands, he said that all
that was good in the platform of the Third
party came from the Democratic party, and
all that was evil was their own
The Democrats would reclaim lands from
the mOnopOlies, who have forfeited them IN
der their contracts as Cleveland had reclaim
ed 100000 acres. The Third party would
have the government to buy the lands from
alien owners to compete with our lands, and
would prohibit aliens from buying our lands
when we wished to sell to them.
He then took up the platform of the Repub-
lican party and discussed the tariff question,
showing that it operated for the benefit Of the
few at the expense of the many. That the ad-
vocates of protection first said it was to pro-
tect infant industries but they are protected
more now than when the government was es-
tablished-the tariff has been increased in
stead of diminished.
They next said 1t was to increase wages, but
it has not done so, and the laborers have
found it out At the last Presidential election
in Richmond seven or eight hundred laborers
voted for Harrison under that delusion. but
they have learned better and now none of
them will do SO again. Wages are governed
by the universal law of demand and supply.
Then that it was for the benefit Of the farm
er; but it does not benefit him, for it makes
him buy in dear market and sell in a cheap
one. What adds another pang to the distress
VI
fore the Republicans said they would reduce
the tariff, but they increased it; but now they
say they are governed by a principle and not
q schedule, and give US warning that they
will increase it as much as they please. Com
missioner of Labor, Peck, who reported false
ly an increase of wages in N. Y, on being call
ed upon to show the reports from manufac-
turers upon which he said he had based his
report, he burnt them and for that he has
been indicted. He was bribed, said the speak
er, to make false report.
He then exposed the absurdity of the claim
of the protectionists that the foreigner pays
the tariff tax.
The Prohibition and Third parties say the
Force bill is a bugaboo, but the Republicans
do not say SO. They are pledged to its pas
sage; but when they saw the rise of the Third
party in the South, they tried to keep it out of
sight, and let the Third party fool the Demo-
Gratis. He then in forcible manner showed
how the Force Bill would operate to destroy
the liberties of the people and subvert the
fundamental principles Of Republican gov
eminent. His speech was an able, clear, and
forcible presentation of all the questions he
discussed,
Tact Mondav ovenino Mr. Haskell A roen-