Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-02-18

~ could proceed Dur
GOV. BoIEs ing his speech he
was repeatedly cheerei and at its con-
clusion the applause was immense
After paying graceful tribute to the
city and state. MIR. Boies turned to his
topic and said:
The democracy Of 1892 What will the peo-
pie expect of it: On what lines must its battle
be foughtt For what principles must it stand
TO be worthy of success:
In broad sense the democratic party must
continue to stand as the champion OF the per
sonal rights of the Individual 1t must at all
times recognize the fact that men inherit from
their Maker certain natural rights that neither
kings, potentates nor majorities riShtfu1ly
oeSpon Ch1ef among these In a government OF
the people Is the right of each individual to be
as fairly and justly treated by the laws thereof
as Is every other member OF the same The
democracy must stand for the inf1exible rule
that between classes, as between individuals,
there shall be distinction or right no favor
TO one at the expense Of another.
Applying these principles to practical Ques-
tons IT Is easy TO foresee the supreme issue on
which parties will divide in the contest of 1892
Three years ago democratic president aroused
the country by his declaration that .'unneces
sary taxation is unjust taxation" and by that
declaration laid down the doctrine that the
rightful power OF this government TO levy as
seSsments, direct or indirect. is limited TO its
necessities for revenue alone. This
declaration of hostility to the manufacturing
industries Of this country. 1t the assertion
that, put into practice, would give 10 them free
raw material-that would stimulate the COM
merce OF the nation and open TO their mills the
markets OF the world-that would send the
American flag at the masthead of our own
merchant marine into ports from which 1t has
been banlShed for generation Carried to lis
logical result the doctrine would lift the burden
OF taxation from the shoulders OF the toiling
millions of this nation and place it where ii
belongs, on the shoulders of those who possess
its wealth
Just and beneficent as would be the result in
this respect, it is not from this source that the
chief advantage to the masses OF the people
would come The United States is to-day in its
agricultural advantages the Egypt OF the whole
world 1t is from her granaries the food
should come to supply constantly increasing
deficit in the markets Of the more populous
countries OF the eastern hemisphere Nearly as
many OF our people engaged in this in
dustry as in all others combined 1t is from the
products of their labor that three-fourths Of
that vast volume of our foreign exports have
come that has developed our trade with the
countries Of the world and enriched more
rapidly than other that ever existed To
them. IL they are not to be enslaTed by lawn
that foster other industries at the expense OF
their own open markets il the great centers OF
civilization are a neceSsity-not those of the
undeveloped countries OF the southern half OF
this hemisphere and islands Of the sea- that
produce more agricultural products than they
consume and furnish vastly better markets for
the product of mills than our farms. but
those of the most populous countries Of the Old
world whose hungry millions are ready TO take
all our surplus food products at fair prices II
exchange for those staple necessities OF life that
they produce and we must
1t is no stinted concession of right in the
lesser markets of the world, such as so-called
reciprocity affords that ought fisfy these
people They have made the bulk OF the wealth
Of this nation, but its laws have turned the
golden stream from theirs to other hands II is
no unfair advantage of Others that they ask
deserve Circumstances have ordained that
the price of the products OF labor shall be fixed
in markets open 10 the world No statute OF
ours can change this condition Simple justice
demands that so far the necessaries of life
are concerned they should be permitted 10 buy
in markets where prices are fixed by the same
competition
Nor are the farmers Of this nation the only
classes intensely interested in this great prob
lem Thirty years ago one could almost count
upon his finger ends those who could riChtfully
be called millionaires Now they are numbered
by thousands Can few Elen absorb the
wealth of this nation and leave the masses in
dependent: Do not let Us be deceived For
every immensely rich man there must from
necessity alone be many wretchediy poor All
wealth is The product of labor Great fortunes
simply represent the earnings Of great num-
hers What is il that has changed the current
of the nations wealth and that is directing IL
away from the many into the hands of the fewr
Let Us stop and think Thirty years ago great
necessity compelled the levy, among Others
OF enormous tariff tax This alone OF all the
burdens the war imposed proved a financial
blessing to single class. Everywhere beside,
among all our people that great struggle a
gigantic, Unsuitable destroyer OF the we1..h of
men But in the height OF the storm when the
nation struggled under the load il was COM
PEELED to bear, that class grew rich When
peace came it was securely entrenched in the
councils OF the republic One by one most of
the taxes disappeared This remained. or
If changed at all IL was changed in the interest
of those whose business profits ii increased
Upon one side is now srrayed the beneficial
ries Of those tariff laws aided by allies more
powerful than themselves in the shape of trusts
and combines that these laws have made posi-
bic, and so strengthened. they are in charge of
the republican party They dictate its policy
they control its action II they maintain their
position it does not follow that this nation as a
whole will cease 10 grow rich We shall still
60 producing wealth as we have done before,
but few viii control il. many viii be poor
Can We change these lawss Can we divide the
mighty currents that are ernpfying the wealth
of this nation into the hands OF a few men and
scatter their golden contents among those who
produce it, This Is the supreme question Of the
hour In the present status of political parties
there is no power on earth that can accomplish
this save and except the democracy in 1892 We
must not falter- This Is the issI-s, and this
alone viii lead US to victory