Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1892-06-29
CH4TRlT4N WILSON'S SPEECH.
The West Tirgiaian Makes a Mastery
Effort

der dog. When that party is out OF power
we NAV be sure there is an under dog to
fight for. and that the under dog is general
ly the American people. When that party
is out of power we may be sure that some
party is in control of our government that
represents a section and not the whole cOun-
try: that stands for class and not the
whole people.
"Never was this truth brought home to
us more de6autly than by the recent con-
vention at Minneapolis. We are not de-
ceived as to the temper, we are notin doubt
as to the purpose Of our opponents. Having
taxed us for years without excuse and with
out mercy, they now propose to disarm us
of further power 90 resist their exactions.
Republican success in this campaign, when
we look to the party platform, the party
candidates or the uttcrances Of the party
leaders. means that the people are to be
stripped Of their franchise through force
bills in order that they may be stripped OF
their substance through tariff bills.
Free government is self government
There is no self-government where the peo-
ple do not control their own elections and
levy their own taxes. When either of these
rights is taken away or diminished breach
i made. no. in the outer delenses, but in
the citadel of our freedom. For years we
have been struggling to recover the lost
right of taxing ourselves, and now we are
threatened with the loss of the greater right
Of governing ourselves The loss Of the
one follows in necessary succession the loss
of the other. When you confer on govern
meut the power of dealing out wealth, you
unchain every evil that can prey upon and
eventually destroy free institutions-exces-
sive taxation, class taxation, billiOn-dollar
Congresses. a corrupt civil service, de-
bauched ballot box and purchased elections.
In every campaign the privilege of taxing
the people will be bartered for contributions
TO corrupt them at the polls; after every
victory a new Mckinley bill to repay these
contributions by which taxes were wrung
from the people For every selt-governiug
people there can be no more momentou'
question than the question of taxation, II
is the question. and, as Mr.. Burke truly
said. the question around which all the great
battles of freedom have been fought. 1t Is
the question out of which grow all the IS
sues Of government Until we settle this
question wisely. permanently aud justly
we build all other reforms on foundation
Of sand. We and the great party we rep
resent are to-day for tariff reform because
it is the only gateway to genuine Democ
racy.
"The distinguished leader who presided
over the Republican convention boosted
that he does not know what tariff reform is
Whoever said that, let US hope, with that
charity which eudure;h all things and be-
lieveth all things, that he is truly as igno.
rant as he vaunts himself to be. Uufortu
uately the people are not so ignorant Of the
meaning of protection-at least Of the pro
lection which is dealt out to them in The
| bin that bears his name. They see tina
meaning writ large to-day in a FRUSTRATED
agriculture. i'm a shackled commerce, il
stricken industries, in the compulsory idle
ness of labor, I'M law-made wealth, in th'
discomfort of the workingmen and the de
spair of the farmer They know by hare
experience that protection as a system o
taxation is but the OLD, crafty scheme b!
which the rich compel the poor to pay th'
expenses of government They know b,
hard experience that protection as a system
of tribute is but the old crafty scheme b.
which the power Of taxation Of the peOpl
is made the private property of few o
the people.
Tariff reform means to readjust this sys
TEN of taxation and to purge away this sys
tenn of tribute. IL means that we have no
reached the goal Of perfect freedom so lonl
as any citizen is forced by law to pay tribut
20 any other citizen, aud until our taxes ar
proportioued to the ability and duty Of tn
taxpayer rather than to his ignorance, hi
weakness and his patience.
Governor Mckinley charges that tn
Democratic party believes in taxing our
selves. Pm afraid, gentlemen, We must ad
nit this charge. What right or excuse hay
We for taxing anybody else, with a continen
for "a country, with freedom and intelligence
as the instruments forts development? w
stand disgraced in the eyes Of mankind
we cannot and if We DO not support GU
own government. We can throw that sup
port on other people only by beggary or b.
force. If we use the one we are a paupe
nation, if we use the other We are pirat
nation.
The Democratic PARTY does not intenC
that We should be either. No more does i
intend that they shall falsely call it taxiu,
other people to transfer our taxes from tn,
possessions of those who own the property
Of the country to the bellies aud backs o
those who DO the work of the country. I
believes that frugality is the essential virtue
Of free government It believes that take.
should be limited 70 public needs and b
levied By the plain rule Of justice and
/ economy