The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-09-17

tlOuc. anu luc1 OTcdu uOt Oull ally CDdubt, Dut
the prospect Of any change. Is II not true. In
presidential year has always been consid-
the future was uncertain. Merchants h~esitated
90 make purchases, or manufacturers TO extend
their operations beyond current orders. or
financIers TO take risks, or employers OF labor 10
make contracts until they knew whether the
verdict In November would leave everything as
could not make their calculations till they knew
what 10 count on.
For the first time. I venture to say. in the
memory OF any OF you. the presidential campaign
year instead OF producing stagnation Is ATTENDED
by general prosperity and brisk business. Not
even the unusual and radical threats OF change
and the unexpected specter OF cholera combined
have this year been able to cast a chill over the
general confidence or slacken the activities or
buoyant business. Whyl Is 1t not because the
business world has made up Its mind That there
Is TO be no change. and the average American
citizen knows how 70 let well enough alonel
BUSINESS CHAOS WOULD RESULT.
III the great mass of men concerned In trans
acting and carrying on the manufact-
ures OF New York seriously believed that in No
vember next the popular decree would be rem
dered for the absolute change now demanded by
the Democratic party, in its convention, and by
the election Of any candidate not dishonesty at
tempting to abandon Its platform, who
replace the present activity; that every
where would be heard the story OF
business curtailed, orders diminished, factories
reducing their output, everybody shortening
sail and getting ready for squalls; that practical
ly the autumn would be lost In waiting 10 see
what happened in November; that the winter
would be lost in waiting 10 see what the new
President and the new Cabinet would do, and
nothing but q d~isavoval by them OF the prom
ises By which they came into power could pre-
vent the ensuing year, before the new Congress
had time to act. from being also wasted IN
waiting TO see how sweeping would be
the changes that Congress would decreei In
short. does not every business man. whatever
his party convictions or his political prejudiees,
absolutely know. as q cold business proposition,
OF things demanded by the Democratic party in
Its present platform as to the tariff, as TO the reel
procity and as TO national banking would neces-
barily unsettle business for the next eighteen
months or two yearsl
do not ask him to admit that, at the end OF
that time. the legislation might NOT, from his
would depend upon whether he Is a protection
ist or a free-trader. a financial conservative or a
financial wildcat But, whether he is the one or
the other. he knows, as you do, that the uncer-
taintles which much exist pending such q ehange
would be throughout the worst possible oostruc-
ton to business. Most OF them would admit
even moro. In view OF our having adapted our
selves, In the last eighteen months, to the Nc
kinley bill and our practically unbroken conduct
OF business since 1862 under a high protective
tariff system. most of them, whether free
traders or protectionists, know that anything
like q broad and thorough execution
Of the scheme laid down by the representatives
Of the Democratic party In their platform at
Chicago requiring the repeal of the Mckinley
law, abandonment of our 'sham reciprocity
treaties" aud the destruction of our banking
system, would be the precipitation OF business
chaos.
in accordance with your personal beliefs. sus-
tained by your business experience and enter
talned by you throughout your business careers,
wholly irrespective of your political viewsi Do
you not instinctively dread a change OF any
kind, and most or all a sweeping and sudden
change for which there Is not a crying
huafnAaa naQaaQffu1 fan Won GlncAlHA of a
change so sudden end for the time being. no
matter what its ultimate effect. so disastrous as
enue tariffs As a mere business question, to be
considered by every man who Is getting fair
wages for his work. or a fair price for his prod
uots, or q fair margin for his sales, Is 1t wise In
prosperous times 10 let well enough alone or TO
upset everything for theoretical rainbowsi
THE PEOPLE wAN NO CHANGE.
have said that the present activity of bust
ness, In the face OF the cholera and the Demo
cratic campaign combined, is the best proof of
the peoples faith that both will be repealed. IL
the people don't believe that, there would be no
accounting for the present business condition, so
different from that usual in presidential cam
polSsnss; s ssSs on the the ps nSpos1ssi' ns s9ss
perform what 1t promises. Now, whatever the
prudent wage-earners and prudent business men
are likely TO tskel IL declared distinctly, in
national convention assembled, through It's au-
thorized representatives from all the States,
after a full consideration In committees and
after long debate. by a vote OF almost a
, sss sds m pnSond,t,ona iOr rep 1ss Of lnms tbe
Mckinley bill as the eliminating atrocity OF
class legislation. and promised instead a tariff
for revenue Go only ayy;n declaring ,S, any |, other ,a,scts s5e cor Q sss
same overwhelming vote the moderate low tariff
prof. osition reported by its own committee, con-
tanning this clause, implying that the tariff
might stin be so framed by Democrats as TO give
O certain measure OF protection to American
wage-earners.
articles of any kind produced In this country
the difference between the cost Of labor here
and labor abroad. when such q difference ex-
fists, fully measures any possible benefits 10
labor. In making reductions it is not
proposed to iDjure any domestic industries. but
rather to promote their healthy growth. Many
Industries have come to rely upon legislation for
successful continuance. so that any change of
law must be at every step regardful OF the labor
That proposition tho convention denounced as
undemocratic; that consideration for American
wage-earners 1t declared unconstitutional. and
10 do so tt slapPed in the face not merely the
wage-earncrs. but every patron saint OF its party
from Thomas Jefferson TO Andrew jackson.
lhe monstrous performance. as you read
but yesterday, has aleady driven their ablest
constitutional exp0under, George TicknOr
Curtis. out Of their ranks. Thus the policy is for
Tended by the national Democratic party that
the tariff should have no relation to wages and
no relation to protection of American industries;
that 1t should be arranged solely for the
Consequence, should have all the char
scteristics OF q revenue tariff, which presses
only upon articles we are bound TO import from
abroad. like coffee. tea and sugar, and so that the
tariff should be a direct, O tax directly felt by
every American citizen. upon the watch In your
pocket or the flour in your pantry. In brief, It Is
che Democratic demand, at last honestly made.
for an English tariff. with. Of course. English
wages to follow IT. On that question alone 1
should be willing to rest this years campaign II
the Empire State.
DO the business men of New York-that is to
say, practically, all the people Of New York.
want an instant and an absolute reversal of
enginesf Do they wish to stop short on their
present course and turn abruptly into an oppo-
site onei Do they think an immediate
as TO reciprocity and as to the banking system, q
good thing for this years and for the next years
businessi They are All intensely practical peo-
ple-our New Workers. Will they face that
question in a practical wayf Do they want that
sort OF O change. DO they even wish 10 run any
risk OF that sort of q changei Ii not. how can
they vote for the party and the candidate who
propose It'll
The Hon. John NJ. Thurston, ofNebraska.
was then introduced, and entertained the
audience with stories. and an eloquent ar
Eument in opposition TO the Democratic
position on the tariff and currency. ques-
bon. He was followed by short speeches
from the Hon. A. j. Lester. of Illinois;
George Gunter, editor of Social Economics,
Ind Representative Allen, OF Michigan.
The meeting adjourned about $50 o'clock.
Tonight there was a grand parade, with
5000 men in line. They were re-
viewed by Whitelaw Reid. Mr.. Clark
son, Representative Allan of Michigan,
General Fairchild of Wisconsin, Henry
Gleason. father of the league. and others.