The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-08-28
ILLINOIS DEMOCRATS.


BLOOMINGTON, Ills, Aug. 27.-The Dem
ocraUic campaign in Illinois was opened
here today. A large number of people
gathered here from various points IN the
central part of the state. The speaking
was opened by General John NJ. Palmer,
who, in his rugged. off-hand way, pleased
che assembled multitude immensely. He
was followed by Adlai 4. Stevenson, can
,idate for vice president, who made the
principal address.
Mr., Stevenson devoted the greater por-
tioD of his speech to a discussion of the
tariff question. Among other things, he
said:
1.-The tariff is the all,important issue of
the campaign upon which we have now
entered. Shall there be revision of our
tariff laws and as a consequence of such
legislation reduction OF taxation; or,
shall it become the policy of our govern
ment 10 maintain, permanently, high pro-
lection The position OF the two leading
political parties upon that question can
not be misunderstood, The Republican
party, as illustrated by its recent enact
meuU of the Mckinley law. stands for a
high protective-in other words, prohibi-
tory tariff. The Democratic party, as en-
phaszed by its utterances and its acts, is
the advocate of tariff reform. The issue
is sQuareiy presented. Upon the one side
are the advocates Of a high protective or
prohibitory policy-a policy that enriches
the few at the expense OF The many. On
the other the advocates of such reduction
of tariff duties as will give to our manu-
facturers the benefit of cheap raw material
and lessen to the consumer the cost of the
uecessaries of life.
"rhe argument advanced by the early
advocates of a protective system was the
necessity OF protecting our infant indus
tries Yet Mr. Clay, the author of the
famous tariff bill with which his name is
iuseparably associated, declared such pro-
lection to be only temporary, aud thar so
soon as such industries were able to stand
alone, tariff duties should be reduced.
The compromise tariff law of 1885, of
which Mr.. Clay was the author, provided
that at the end of ten years there should
begin a rapid reduction of duties, until
the average rate should not exceed twenty
per cent. In view of the fact that protec-
tion to the infant industries has more
than trebled since the passage of the bill
Of which Mr. Clay was the author, Clay
would himself, if living be now denouuc-
ed as free trader by the protectonists
Instead of being lessened, protection has,
year by year, under Republican rule, in
creased. In proportion as these industries
have grown stronger and more powerful,
they have demanded yet greater protec-
ton.
1LG low VI law Vi iStD, Oh WHICH
Robert j. Walker, the Democratic secre-
tary of the treasury was the author, pro-
vlded in substance, first, that no more
money should be collected than is neceS-
Sary for the wants of the government
economically administered; second, that
NO duty be imposed upon any article above
the lowest rate that will yield the greatest
amount of revenue; third, taat the maxi
mum tax should be imposed upon
lttNnefaS. fourth fhuf
should be upon the necesSaries of life:
fifth, that the duties should be so imposed
as to operate equally throughout the
union, discriminating neither for nor
against any class or section. 1t must not
be forgotten that so great were the benefits
TO the people from the tariff legislation,
/ have lust mentioned, that in
1851, representatives of all parties
concurring, the tariff was again re-
duced nntil the average rate OF duties WAS
70 per cent. The decade and a half eX-
tending from the passage of the low tariff
law of lS46 10 the beginning Of our civil
war, has been truly called the golden peri
Cd of our history. The cost OF the neces-
ssries of life had reached the minimum.
and at no time IN our history was ii easier
for Il wage Garner 10 support his family
The farmer, the mechanic, the day laborer
alike realized the benefit of low taxation
\ benefit why: Simply for the reason that
il lesseued the cost of food, OF clothing, of
every article that conduced to his com
fort. Our manufactures did not languish
The fires did not go out in our furnaces
The wheels ant Spindles were not idle in
our great hives OF industry. The demand
for labor was not leSsened, nor WAS its
value deprecated.
"As l have shown, the average tariff tax
at the beginning of the civil war in 1861
was but ~ per cent. To purchase muui-
tions OF war, TO arm and equip soldiers
and meet all OF the expenses incident To
the great strugSle, required large sums of
money. Tariff taxes Nwere largely in
creased The Morrill, tariff bill was passed
Our government was in the throes OF war.
struggling for its existence, and bnt little
heed WAS given by the people To the fact
that duties under the new tariff law were
not only highly protective TO manu-
facturers but burdeusome to the peoDle.
But this was not all By subsequent in
crease by successive Republican congresses
the average rate Of duties reached a. ner
cent. This was the average rate OF tariff
taxes when the Mckinley bill became the
law.
The protected classes growing year bv
year stronger and more powerful with the
protection afforded them, demanded of
the tiIty-hrst congress Yet higher duties.
AS infant Industries they had been for
the time content with the moderate Dro-
lection given by Mr.. Clay. Later, they
had demanded the higher duties impose
by the Morrill, tariff. and that OF later con
crosses. In 1880 during the first session Of
the Fifty-tirst congress their demand was
In substance for prohibitory tariff. The
response TO this demand was the passage
by Republican congress OF the Mckinley
kii:. The ayowed object OF this bill was