Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-08-31
HON. ADLAI STEVENSON ON THE AID
MINISTHATIOS

~ tne great DeinOcrhth neeJng m
Blooming m, His. on Aug Ii. Mr.. Steven
SDn discussed the issues OF the campai.,n ~
VI length and with much force. SpeakinL
u .ie last administration be said
"The four years administration ~ Preei
| dent Cleveland was confess dly All honest
admiuistrati 3D. None OF the predicted
evil. of which u, mocratic triumph wea o.
be tho foreruuner followed HIS inaugure
tion In the campaign OF 1875, the peoplt
were told by Republican speaker that
Democratic success would bring blight
anil ruin upon the com mercial interests Of
the country. Those who predicted evil
from Mr.. Cleveland's election proved false
prophets.
The Democratic administrator epdin4
March 4. iesO. has gone into history ~ an
economical aud able administration OF tbe
government No scandals attached 20 an ,
of It's appointments 10 Office. Under IL the
rights of all propertyo of all sections Of all
Tie people were recognized and enforced
Under u the bonded debt of the govern
meut was pail at maturity, trust fund.
wer not used 10 avoid a treasury deficit
and the gold reserve was not monaced by
threats Il invasion To meeS the current
expenses Of the government. Under that
adminis ration no additional burlens were
laid upon the people. At the close OF
President Clcyeland's administration the
surplus In the treasury, exclusive OF the
gold reserve. was In round numbers, ss5
OJ0O00
What Is the condition that now con
fronts us ut the esd od D.. years OF Re
publican Administrations On the basis Of
revenues 10 the government, as estimated
| by the secretary of the treasury for the
| present fiscal year, and OF the liabilities Of
the government on account Of the annual
and permanent appropriations for the
same period, there will be a deficit Of s52,
Ooc00 Upon the assumption that the law
requiring siS OO0, 900 for the sinking fund
will be complied with, there IL no escaping
the deficiency have mentioned And this.
TOO notwithstanding the fact that the ad
ninistration made default in providing for
the sinking fund TO an amount exceedinu
fll 900 during the last fiscal year. The
bankruptcy which now threatens the treas
ury is the result, irst of the enactment OF
the Mckinley tariff law, and secondly, oi
the lavish appropriations Of the Fifty-first
congress."
Mr.. Stevenson devoted a large part OF
bis speech 10 the discussion OF the tariff is
sue, which ho said is the all important
| question Of the campaign. The fssne,"
he said. "is squnrely presented. Upon the
| one side are the advocates OF "A high pro
tectiyr or prohibitory policy-a policy that
enrichcs the few at the expense o the
many On the ot her the advocates Of sucb
| reduction of tariff duties as wfll give to
| our manufacturers the benefit Of cheap
| raw material. and lessen to the consumer
the cost Of the necessaries of life The
argument advanced by the early advocates
~ n protective system was the necessity Of
protecting our infant industries"
Aftera brief presentation OF the main
facts Ia oar tariff history, I'm which he
pointed ont the great prosperity of the
cuntry nnde, the low tariff of isfe, and
called attcntio TO the internal revenue
iaxes and the increased tariff taxes made
necessary by the war. Mr. Stevenson con
tiuued
Where arc the statutes imposing these
internal revenue war taxest With but
few exceptions swept from the statute
books while the nation was yet groanina
under the burden Of enormous debt One
of the reasons given nc that time for The
nigh .-y,Ccticl to manufactures was the
percentage they were required TO pay out
of their earnings as war taxes. With the
war closed Republican congress relieved
The manufad urers from this taxation and
added 10 their profits and TO the bu rdeps
Of the people Wy increased duties grant
che necessity of repealing these ioternal
war taxes whon the exigencies ~ ynr po
louger demanded their continuance.
But why did not the Republican congress
repeal the war taxes-tariff taxes-which
bore 80 heavily upon the farmer, upon the
| ..Ftlu uftn Ia. lals
tfcat lnaSs %, oar peoplep Why was no,
| 'he war tax rducod upon the necessaries.
u hfe' Why wholly remove the tax upon
| corporations aud allow u To remain upu,
the tools ~ ~" mechanic, the implsments
% the farmer upon tie food aud clotbina
o' the poorf Why rsnove from the manu-.
UNc'nref the TAX of less than per cent. AMI
leave lhn the power To tax the oons,in,sr
s" D' NJ per cont upon hats upon shoes
upon blankets, upon clothingt
'i5ut this H. uu all. The protected classeu
growing year by year stronger aud moro
powerful with the protection nfforded
them; demssded ~ the Pity n r,st eone,ess
yea higher duties. A. infant indus ries'
they bad been for the time content with
The moderate protection Given hy Mr.. Clay
.ater they ha1 demanded the higher dude,
imposed by the Morrill, tariff and THAI Of
later congresses. In 1890. during the first
session II the Fiftyilrst congress, their Dc
nand was In substance FOR prohilitory
tarif The response 10 this demand was
tne passage by a Republican congress M
the Mckinley hill The avowed object OF
this bll was 10 check importation. It's
purpose 10 To increase the rate ~ duties.
rs la many instances To exclude absolutely
foreign goods from our markets. and thus
10y cutting on competitioo enah bic the bone
manufacturor without let or hindrance 20
fix the price Of his warrs
In word, TIE Mckinley Law. Ivy its pro
hibitovy feat ures gave It's beneficiaries a
practical monopoly and enabled them in
fact 10 levy an additional tar upon the
consumer a. the extent that the duty had
been increas "a. Was this Legislation dc
manded by he peoplei Was IL ia their IN
terestf Was IL not class Legislation OF the
most odious character Legislation
as enriches the few at the expense OF the
many' The American people unmistak
ably set their seal Of condemnation upon