Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-11-03
TO ARMS!
Democracy Sounds the Charge
for Commercial Liberty.
And when tho Smoke OF Battle Clears
Away November . It win BE Found
That the Hosts Of High Protectiop,
Bigotry and Oppression Have
Been Routed.

The democratic state central COM
mittee has issued call to arms to
every democrat of this state, and if the
patriotic address of Chairman Phelps is
needed, Illinois will roll up good
thirty thousand Isnjority for the demo-
cratic state ticket next Tuesday.
The following is the address in full
OF Chairman Delos P. Phelps to the de-
mocracy of Illinois:
HEADQUARTERS DEMOCRATIC STATE GEN.
TRIAL COMMITTEE, ROOM Al PALMER
House. CHICAGO. H.. Oct. 80. 1894
To the Democracy OF Illinois:
One week from to-day, an election will take
place second in importance TO none occurring
in the last quarter of q century. Upon that
day you are to decide whether Illinois is for or
against the great cause of tariff reform.
For the first time In more than thirty years,
the democratic party has control of the ma
tional government. During that long period
We have once had the executive, and at differ.
ent times control OF the house Of representa-
tives. but at no time, until now, OF both the
executive and congress.
Consequently no law that rests upon the
Slatute books except such as may have been
passed since President Cleveland convened the
special session of congress about year ago
has been created by the democratic party. If
laws remain in effect, passed by our party pre-
vious to said thirty years it is because the re-
publican party left them upon the statute books
for they have had for many years full control
OF every department OF the government, and
could have repealed them at will
1t Is not claimed, even by republicans that
any laws passed during the recent session OF
congress have been in operation long enough
to produce evil effects. 1t is plain, then that
IL national legislation was the cause OF the
business distress OF the last eighteen months,
that the republican. and not the democratic,
party is wholly responsible therefor.
1t is not denied that the business OF the
country is depressed Such was the case in
1872 and the succeeding decade. when the peo-
pie were impoverished and the wealth OF the
country transferred from the possession OF the
many to that of the few. and yet republicans
only were in power and then shaped legislation.
Thoughtful men will look into the past for the
purpose OF determining whom they will, by
their ballots, upon next Tuesday, hold respon-
Sible for present conditions. No man of sense
who stops to reflect can charge the depressed
condition of affairs to democratic legislation.
Democrats for want Of power have made no
laws.
Republicans. of course critciSe the recently
enacted tariff bill We qxpect nothing else.
That party believes in high protection for the
rich, yet labor is left to compete with the work
ingmen OF the world while the laborer buys his
goods in protected market
1t was the republican party which enacted
the Mckinley law. advancing protective du-
ties, beyond anything before known in the his
tory of our country. upon substantially all
articles which contribute to the comfort, and
happiness of the people. 1t is the party Of
monopoly and wealth
Bounty laws giving millions of dollars to q
few wealthy sugar planters of Louisiana while
the farmers of Illinois went home empty.
handed from their toll. was not q creation OF
the democratic party.
IN unlh for 90
timber barons while the poor go with insuffi-
cient shelter was the offsprirSg of republican
legislation. now by the Wilson bin happily
overthrow.
Protection to wool growers, who herd their
vast fiocks, to the ruin of sheep raising on the
farm, by the aid of few Mexican Greasers
upon the public domain, raising their wool on
the public pastures that belong to the
people, and one hundred per cent tariff
taxation on WOODEN goods, while thou
SANDS OF poverty stricken women and
helpless children perish annually for
lack Of SUFFICIENT clothing. are not the chill
cren of democratic teachings, but the monopo-
lisiic brood Matched by interested and corrupt
republican Office seekers, who desire to create
o wealthy class u, the expense of the masses.
from which to fry the fat" to corrupt cleo
lions. and to return them year after year to
place and power.
billion dollar congress does not belong to
democratic creeds and was unknown to our
history until born of republican profligacy and
extravaganza The Mckinley law, with its
high protective duties, was il full force and
effect until few weeks ago, and il the princi-
pies OF protection are beneficial we ought. I'M
der the effects OF that law, to have been enjoy
ing, up to the present moment. the greatest
prosperity Because the democratic party
happened to come into power lust at the time
when the evil results Of republican legislation
were eliminating into financial panic and ma
tional disaster, shall the men who created that
state OF affairs be continued in power. in order
that they may continue high protective lcgis-
lation, and the democracy be held responsible
for the evil consequences OF republican legis-
tation, simply because 1t happened at the Gull
mination of the disaster, to be administer
the government?
At the close of President Cleveland's former
administration, before the enactment of the
Mckinley law, he left the treasury Of the
United States overlooking with YHoney The
question then was how sas.i we get these mil
lions OF dollars, unnecessarily lying in the ma
tional treasury, again into circulation among
the people President Cleveland said in that
famous message. which startled the country by
its courage and force and gave new impetus
to tarin reformation, that taxes should be de-
creased and the money Of the people be left
| with the people. except that alone which was
necessary for the purposes of government
economically and honestly administered.
| Mr.. Harrison became president. Mr. Cleye-
lands policy was not adopted. The Mckinley
law was passed. Taxation was increased. Ex-
| travagance OF every kirh was resorted to to
dissipate and waste the Accommodations OF the
| treasury. lest tariff taxation should be re-
| duced For the first time in the history OF our
| government. that republican congress spent
| over one thousand millions of dollars in two
| years. They became alarmed at their own ex-
travagance as they saw that bankruptcy was
| approaching. Tanner. their own pension
| commissioner. was removed because Of the
| reckless and prohigate conduct Of his de-
| partment. Our credit began to occline. The
| national treasury was depleted. The limit
| fixed for the treasury reserve was almost
reached at the close Of Mr.. Harrison's admin
| 1stration. The plates had been already en-
| graved with which to cngrave bonds and Dor.
| row money to replenish bankrupt treasury
| notwithstanding the enormous taxation OF the
| Mckinley law, when President Cleveland and
| the democracy took charge of the executive
| and legislative departments of the government
| on March {. 1893
| The republican party with its high protec-
tive theories tried protection for thirty years.
| with the above result and now it is intimated
that the people will not be satisfied to test
even for . reasonable period the effect Of
| tariR reformation. This we DO not believe
| There is too much intelligence to longer sue
cessfully convince the people that they can be-
| come rich by taxing themselves The vhia