The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1894-09-07

and in the production OF this shall not be com
PEELED to compete with the countries beyond the
seas, and that the people OF the great west
shall, for all time, remain the producers of raw
material" with which TO feed the factories of the
east, and in this, by means OF this democratic
philosophy, must produce their raw material IN
competition with the people Of all nations.
cannot but believe that the great artihcer of
the, world intended that those of our country
men whose province IN life it is to uncover ma
tures hidden wealth or to secure the fruits of
the hock the herd or the harvest, should re-
ceive at the hands of their government the
same consideration and equal opportunities in
the great battle for existence, as is accorded
that portion of our people whose lot in life IL is
10 shape natures products to the immediate
needs OF the people. In my judgment, free raw
material means serfdom for the producers of
the natural products of the earth, and If this
policy is permitted to be carried out, the west
will be slaves to the east, and the people will be
'hewers Of wood and drawers Of water"
The wool taken from the sheep OF the Mich
gan farmer and the natural products OF his field,
are to the farmer as much finished product as
Is the fabric made from that wool q finished
product in the hands of the manufacturers of
that fabric The farmer and producer of natural
wealth should have an equal chance In the bat
tie for existence with the manufacturers. The
democratic party have taken good care of the
manufacturing classes, sugar combines, ct al.
and to the millions who earn their bread by the
sweat of their brow they have said, swim or
sink, you must take care of yourselves"
The republican theory of adjusting tariff
duties, as 1 understand it is, that all duties
| shall be placed on foreign imports the like OF
which are produced in this country, and that
there shall be no material discrimination be-
! tween raw material and finished products, and
| that the duty shall be high enough to produce
| the needed revenue and tx at the duty shall be
| adjusted as to discriminate in the interest OF
| the American producer, with the highest degree
of equality toward all interests and conditions
provided always, that the necessaries of the
people shall be free-at least, such as are not of
our own reproduction, and that the government
| SHALL through reasonable treaty agreements,
1 upon such terms as shall be of mutual
| advantage to ourselves and such OF our
| foreign neghbors as may seeit of interest
| to themselves to treat with us-to which, after
careful consideration, must yield, believing ii
| to best meet the wants and requirements of the
| American people. sS n
| 1 believe that all elections in which the fed
eral government is interested should be under
| such reasonable supervision of national author
| ity as will Danish all thought of fraud in con
| Quoting such elections, to the end that, through
| the purity of the ballot and the honest manner
| OF conducting our elections, every qualified
elector, regardless of icolor of his condition
in life, shall be permitted at each election to
| cast one ballot in accordance with his own con
| victions of duty and right.
| One of the first acts Of the present administra
| ton repealed all federal election laws. 1t may
be true that these laws were imperfect and not
fully suited to accomplish the purpose which
| such laws should accomplish. III such was the
case think that, in the interest OF honest cleo
| lions, these laws should have been perfected
and permitted TO stand as a guarantee on tn,
part OF the government that every American
citizen should be fully protected in the perform
ance of his great duties at the ballot box.
For these, and many other reasons, believe
1t my bounden duty to throw off my past |politi
cal affiliaton, and in doing so shall assume tn,
Status of republican.
| Very truly yours,
| A. Il. RICHARDS.