The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1892-05-26
DEMocRAT1c RALLY.
Speech by Capt. G. w. Bell ON the
Tariff Last Night.

A moderately well filled house greeted
Captain 6. W. Bell last night at the
Court house. The gentleman discoursed
ina quiet, easy and graceful manner,
for fully two hours and a. quarter on
questions relating to the tariff. He was
introduced by J. L. Story who said that
while republicans were now in great
spirits he did not believe they would be
heard from ON the 9th of June. He
claimed that the republican party was
to blame for the delay in opening the
Cascade locks and that it was demo-
cratic governor who had forced the party
in the last legislature to give US tenn
porary relief through the Cascade port
age. He thought the people should
stand by the party that had stood by
them.
Captain Bell, on coming forward said
he knew nothing of the local politics of
Oregon or of candidates. These were
matters his hearers must judge for
themselves. He wanted to reason with,
not instruct, his hearers. They were
the uncrowned kings of the greatest
kingdom in the whole world. He was
not there to abuse any men or party.
Life was too short for abuse. Only
small men did that. He believed opin-
ions should come first, then party afilia-
ton. All wealth was the product of
labor. The production of wealth was
great thing its concentration was dan
gerous. Thirty years ago we had no
il1fonoroc 000 of kIa
half of all the wealth in the United
States, and all their millions were ac-
| cumulated in the last thirty years.
There were three ways OF acquiring
wealth; first, by work, second, by in
heritance, third, by appropriation of
the fruit of other peoples labor. Mill
| ionares were the privileged classes and
their wealth was accumulated through
class legislation. Instead of skill, toll
and effort, it was combination and COM
petition that controlled the price of
labor. God made the world on free
trade plan. Each should apply his
labor to what he can best produce and
| trade for what he cannot produce. In
direct taxation was the most oppressive
| of all taxation. The ways and means
committee confersIwith manufacturers as
to how much the people can bear. Then
| the manufacturers meet and regulate the
output. There was no competition on
wholesale prices. It was only among
retailers. Prices were regulated by the
tariff. The half cent duty on refined
sugar put fifteen millions into the
pockets of the sugar refiners Pro-
lection died in 1857 and was rather
decently inferred, but tariff was levied
in 1851 ''to save the Union" He
had a deep conviction that the war en-
ded when Lee surrendered, but boys
who were then in their mothers lap
seem to think the Union is not saved
| yet. The rich had hearing in congress
and the long ears of congress were laid
| back to listen to them. The first pro-
tective law was framed 80 years ago.
Manufacturers said: ssGive us chance
| for our infant industries Congress
imposed a duty of per cent Then the
infant grew and still the tax kept in
creasing. He prayed the Immaculate
God that the infant might never reach
| maturity, for then it would surely
want a Thousand per cent. No
man can tell how much tax he
pays. He would rather pay less tax and
feel it. Indirect taxation was invented
by monarchy. For every dollar of the
tariff that goes into the United States
treasury ten dollars go into the pockets
of the manufacturer. The workingman
pays the tax that the manufacturer may
! live in palace. If he could buy ia a
free market he could buy dress for his
wife instead of for another mans wife.
There were two sides to the question !:
the robber and the robbed. If the
foreigner pays the tax then how
does the tariff protect. He had
panes of glass in his cottage windows
that cost him $24 each and the
tariff amounted to SO pane. There
was not man in the country capable of
writing an extended article on protec-
tion without damning the whole busi-
ness. Notarif can protect commodity
we export. The Dalles people knew
nothing OF corn but he limited they were
familiar with corn juice. He raked the
reciprocity clause of the KcKinley bill,
fore and aft. The South American re-
publics exported the same things we ex-
port. If we send them farm machinery
it is sold at from IL to 81 per cent.
cheaper than to the farmers of the United
States. A great paper had said SO.
A law that says ''You win not buy,''
says ''You shall not SELL Farmers
were taxed 800 for each family. It is