The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-09-27
ROANOKE. vA,5rUEsDAYe MORNING SEPTEMBER r. 1882 !

~ "ouA0 uOs bHe sumo Dl6SSeQ re-
suit follow II you reduce the tariff and
take the tariff of of clothing. wolIen
clothing, boots and shoes and all the
other necessaries of life.
my iellow-cttizens, will not detain
you by discussion Of the tariff question.
ihere is another question OF yet greater
Importance, but cannot pass from the
discussion OF this question without an
swering one objection. The Republi-
cans have insisted for years that high
protective tariff laws moan high wares
to the laborer; means high wages to the
mechanic, to all men who earn their
bread by daily toll.
They have repeated this year after
year and men who earn their daily
bread by daily toll in many parts Of the
country have gone to the polls and
voted for the Republican ticket, and
have kept the Republican party in
power. What Is their contention then?
That high tariff n cans high wages.
Let me tell you that lie not true. The
only effect Of the tariff upon wages is TO
diminish, to lessen, to decrease the
purchasing power of the ages HowP
By increasing the tariff, by increasing
the tax, by increasing the cost of the
necessartes of life they deprive the
dollar that is earned by the hard laborer
ofits full purchasing power. said to Won
and desire that you may remem Der IL.
that the only effect of the tariff upon
wages Is to lessen the purchasing power
OF the wages, and it is not true, as they
contend, because we have one tariff
that Is universal In the United States,
ana you know, as l know. that in Cali
iornla and Colorado and in the newly
settled portions of this country wages
are double, and in some cases treble, to
what they are in the older parts of the
country, because wages are not CON
trolled by the tariff, but by the great
law OF demand and supply, and which is
universal and above all legislation.
"One word more-when you are told,
address myself especially to mechanics
and laborers and all men who earn their
bread by daily toll, that when you are
told that the high tariff means high
wages, rememb Der this, in 1876 Demo
cratic Congress passed low tariff bill,
which was amended in 1887, which was
Known In this country as the low tariff
law up to 1861; 1t was passed by a Demo-
cratic Congress and approved by
Democratic President and has gone into
history as the low tariff law. In that
phi the average rate OF tariff taxes was
but 10 per cent.
Nov, Republican Congress- has
passed what was known as the Movie
tariff bill, in 1851 and 1862, by which
the tariff taxes were to IS per cent, and
by subsequent Republican Congress.
because the Republican party had the
sole control of all departments of the
Government, and by the election of the
Forty fourth Congress the tariff taxes
were constantly increased, until the
average rate of tariff taxes was ~ per
cent. Then, in 1890, when the Republic
can party had control Of the House, and
had control of the Senate, and had con-
troll OF the executive, and had control, in
fact, OF all the departments OF the Gov
eminent, they passed the Mckinley bill,
by which the tariff taxes were again in
creased to 60 per cent, so per cent. and
100 per cent and in some instances 100
per cent upon the necessaries of life,
bread by your daily toll, have your
wages gone up year by yearp Has this
tariff tax OF 90 per cent. and more than
100 per cent. sent your wages up?
And when you are told by Republi-
can orators and Republican newspapers
that high tariff means high wages to
the laborers of this country ask them
why It is that the tariffs have gone up
year after year, increasing the cost of
the necessaries of life to the consumer.
why 1t Is that the wages OF the people
have not gone up in proportion. Now,
my fellow citizens, leave that subject
with you. want to say few words on
another subject that do not histitate
to say ia OF more Importance to the peo-
Pile Of this beautiful city of Roapoke,
and more Importance to the people of
the old commonwealth of Virginia, of
more Importance to all of the people of
the Southern States .han hundred
tariff bills. l refer to the force bill.
"Since l came from my home in Ill
inois and came into the old North State
have heard it said that the force bill
was dead issue. l have heard that
there wore men who whispered in the
ears OF men who have heretofore been
Democrats that the force bill was
dead issue, and that 1t was only sprung
upon the people by Uemocrat for the
purpose OF frightening them bank into
the ranks Of the Democratic party. You
will pardon me for saying, IL there is
within the sound of my voice tonight,
one man, Democrat or Republican or
Third party man, who believes That the
force bill is u dead issue, then cross the
Blue Ridge Mountains, cross the Ohio
river into Illinois, Indiana and New
York and Iowa. attend Republican
listen to a Republican orator,
and you will find out whether the force
bill is dead issue or not.
You will come back to Virginia i'm
pressed with the fact th ct W ateyer they
may tell you here for the purpose of
lulling you into security that there in
those States where they expect Repub-
lican majorities and Republican Con.
yressmen and Republican electoral
votes, that there the force bill is issue
and very living issue at that.
Well. now want to tell
you that this is no laughing matter.