The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-09-26
HE CRATES ON THE COURSE OF
DEMOCRACY DURING CLEVE-
LANDS ADMINISTRATIONS.
MOST JUST TARIFF LAW ENACT
ED IN THIRTY YEARS.
1t Has Equalized Taxation and Abol-
ished Favoritism-A Tariff for Rev
enue Only as Called for by the
National Platform.


States Senator Arthur P. German was
the central planet around which a large
number of lesser stars in the political
armament clustered here today. The oc'
casion was a great oldfashioned barbe-
cue at Glenelg, II miles from here, in
the interest of the Democratic State
ticket. The fact that Senator German
was to take the stump for the first time
during the campaign added interest and
there was a large crowd and plenty of
enthusiasm.
The initial feature was a procession
of carriages from this place to Glenelg,
which reached there at noon, shortly
after which the meeting was called to
order by Colonel Thomas e. Owens of
the county central committee, who in
troduced Ex-Governor John Lee Carroll
as permanent chairman.
The latter, in assuming the chair,
made brief speech and was followed
by John Z. Hurst, the Democratic candi-
date for governor, and his associates
upon the ticket, and Attorney General
John 2. Poe.
1t was after o'clock when Senator
German took the platform. He was
greeted with a roar of applause. The
speaker reviewed the course of the Ma
tional Democracy during the past and
present administration of Cleveland 60
gard to the repeal of the Sherman silver
bill, National expenditures and tariff
legislation. OF the latter he said:
after one of the most remarkable par
liamentary struggles in the history of our
government we repealed the Mckinley
law and placed in it's stead Democrat
ic measure which has reduced the taxa
ton to actual requirements of the gov
eminent. Your party enacted just law
which eliminated the favoritism of the
Mckinley law and lessons the burdens
on the majority of the people. Your
party enacted a wise law, which made
possible the quick revival of business, so
sadly needed and universally desired.
Your party enacted the most logical, the
most fair and what has proved the most
just tariff legislation enacted, as our
State platform says, in the past ~ years.
Under that law more laboring men and
mechanics have had their wages raised
than ever before in the history of the
country, and when business has resumed
its normal condition the new tariff law
will produce revenue enough to support
the government, economically admins
tered Legislation affecting duties is
more fraught with danger to the indus
tries, more certain to affect in one way or
another the well being of the great ma
jority of our citizens, than all other legis-
lation combined. Extreme caution is alb
solutely necessary. rl
"The depression in business has to be
taken into consideration. But, above
all, the bill has to be framed to furnish
revenue enough to support the govern
ment. A revenue tariff which would
bankrupt the treasury would destroy for
a long time the party enacting'it. That
there should be divisions in regard to
the details of such a measure is not only
natural, but desirable when you consider
that we have A States in the Union.
That there should be warm discussions
growing out of the differences over de-
tails may be disagreeable but they only
tend to clear the atmosphere and can not
divide Democrats permanently who have
the welfare of their country at heart.
The people will not judge the Democratic
party upon the construction of the meas
ure, but upon the completed work. And
there it stands, not all that some ad-
vanced thinkers may desire, but it is a
revenue tariff, pure and simple, and moth
ing but a revenue tariff, as called for by
our platform from 1888 to 1892 inclusive;
not perfect in all it's details, for perfec-
ton is not within human power; but, con-
forming to our platform. the law has
equalized taxation, it has abolished
favoritism to corporations and individ-
uals. 1t has taken from every trust and
combine in the Union the unjust protec-
ton heretofore enjoyed and made it i'm
possible for them to combine against the
interests of the people. Our Democratic
tariff law is so fair that the American
people will not soon permit it's provisions
to be changed. That 43 out of A Demo-
cratic votes in the Senate were cast for
such a measure attests it's true Demo-
cratic character. While the dissatisfac-
ton about the details obscured. appa-
rently, for the moment the great common
purpose that drew us together, the enact
ed law stands as the most marvellous
achievement secured by the Democratic
members of the committee which has
this legislation in charge"