Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-09-12
fuckers Opening Speech at Lexington.

large audience, between Hon. Harry
Tucker and Hon. Jacob Yost.
That our readers may know the line
of fuckers argument, we give the re
port of has opening speech as published
by the Rockbrldge NeaOs as follows =
"Mr. Tucker said that after a most
eventful and arduous session of Con
gress he had come to give an account
of his stewardship. He had antici
pated possible rest from his labors
but found his rest to be much like thai
of the harvest hands who coming il
early to dinner were requested by tbe
old lady to pull up few of the stumps
in the back yard while they rested
He would now proceed to pull some
stumps.
He had met Mr. Yost here six year:
ago. Since that time he had been al
home enjoying the distinction of al
ex Congressman. He found him the
same old coon with another ring to hi:
tail. He had the same old cry-"pro
lection" hard times" He reminded
one of Jerry Simpson with his calamity
cry, wheat at fifty cents per bushel
Cleveland and Tucker, the fellows thai
did it,
If we have had hard times, will show
you whence it came When Cleveland
was President he spent 1914 100000 less
than he recelved Harrison $3.50, 900,
900 less Cleveland left $105, 0O0,0 00 il
the treasury, Harrison but $4,000, OC0.-
Only by a transfer of trust funds tC
another side of the ledger, did he pre-
vent deficit of 100000 when Oh
March 4, '93, the Democrats took
charge.
Under Cleveland gold flowed in
under Harrison $15S,000, 900 more went
out than came in. Under Harrison
our expenses increased $50, 100000 and
income decreased $1S,00O,000. Year
ending June 30, 1913, exports of gold ex
ceeded receipts by 86,0OO,O 900. Year
ending June 80, '94 exports exceeded
imports by only 100000. He in
vited a careful consideration OF these
figures. Panics, he said, came in
cycles, Cleveland was not responsible
for it.
Yost's cry was protection for pro
tection's sake. If that was knocked
out his occupation would be gone. He
holds tariff agitation responsible for
the hard times, admit it for argument
sake. where does he stand stand for
the bill which two weeks ago passed
Congress as Democratic measure, as
IL settlement till tried by the people. 1t
was not as good as | wanted but 1000
times better than the Mckinley bill
He wants tC go tosCongress to break it
up. To bring about the trouble he
speaks of by a reagitation. Who, L
ask. will endorse him in this?
Should he break into Congress while
the people are sleeping, as he did be-
lore, he could accomplish nothing. In
81 Democratic Congress he would be
like puppy in high grass. Cleveland
stood in the way OF action by Repub-
lican Congress.
In one respect he regarded the bill
as better than the Wilson bill 1t
for that he voted. Il was a good half
loaf. Itgave the farmer free tools and
machinery, made binding Irvine, wool,
lumber. and in all 1O5 articles free. Re
duced the tariff on woolens heavily
Was that not good for the people
When winter came the cheaper wool
ems would be appreciated. According
to Wanamakers advertisement (Which
he proceeded to ready. Down go the
prices and goods will be cheap to the
people,"
In this bill was found the greatest
step in the interest of the people con
sidered for years. 1t was the income
tax. 1t proposed to relieve part of the
burden of the people through tariff
and internal revenue and place it upon
incomes of over $4,000. Vanderbilt
and Gould, who could buy and sell us,
pay no Federal tax. He would take it
off the people and let men with money
pay it. Yost opposed it. Who will en-
dorse him ? He called it class legisla
ton. 1t is the class we have been after
for thirty years and caught.
The Democrats had repealed the
Federal election laws. That duty had
when Congress met, been put into his
hands by the speaker and it had been
his privilege to put into operation the
law that wiped them off forever.
Repealed the purchasing clause OF
the Sherman law, under which we
bought monthly 100000 ounces OF
silver and paid for it in gold.
Had taxed greenbacks in which to
evade taxation the rich had in the past
invested their money.
Had restricted emigration-passed
laws to keep out the diseased and de
based.
Had reduced by nearly $30,000,O0C
the pension appropriations which since
1878 had grown from $29, 900, 900 to $3.50,
900, 900 and had become SO heavy a
burden to our people, of which the
South paid one-third with no return.
You are asked to send to Congress a
man whose pension record would make
a Northern Congressman blush.
charge upon him (Yost) that when in
Congress he voted for every propo-
sition before that body to increase
pensions. l have carefully examined
the records. Mr.. Tucker then named
list of private pensions to women for
which he voted, women who he said
were rich and arrayed like Solomon in
all his glory. Among them he voted
for pension to the widow of General
P. P. Sheridan. Sheridan was the man
who, when he went through the Val
ley, boosted that he would make it so
desolate that a crow could not live in
it. His widow did not need the money.
but by his vote Yost voted to put a
garland of honor ON the brow of the
man that had disgraced civilized war
fare and made his own people desc
late"