The record-union., 1896-09-13
TALKS TO WORKINGMEN.
Terrence Y. PoNdefly'S Address In New
York City.
He Points Out Clearly Whore the
Interest Of tho Wage
Earner Lies.

A mass meeting was held in Cooper
Union. New York, on Thursday even
ing, under the auspices Of the Cam
palgn Committee Of the Mckinley
League. Terrence v. Powderly, late
Master Workman Of the knights of La
Dor, was the chief speaker. and was
Followed by ex-senator Warner Miller.
The meeting was planned for wage
earners and a very large audience was
present early, and when the speaking
began the large hall was crowded. Sew
eral Bryan men were present and made
their presence known by loud cheers
for their candidate. This interruption
was speedily stopped by the police after
which the programme of the evening
was carried out. Mr.. Powderly said in
brief:
Did l believe an apology for my
presence on this platform necessary I
would say that l am here because I
believe the right of the American wage
Garner to receive the highest rate Of
compensation for service rendered and
the right to claim and receive the best
kind Of money in exchange for his labor
should not be interfered with Mr..
Powderly then took up the Chicago plat
form and compared 1t with previous
platforms Of the Democratic party, say
ing: The Democratic platform of four
years ago pledged the party entering
into power to overthrow the american
system Of protection; and with all his
and their power. with all the force and
influence at his and their command, the
man and party upon which the power
was conferred labored to place the for
eign workingmen on higher plane
than his American competitor, and that
platform was anything but meaning
less. Four years ago the pivotal point
around which the Democratic platform
swung was free trade.
When that Congress assembled
there was no deficit; the revenue was
amply sufficient and their was no in
come tax law upon the statutes of this
nation. The income tax law was an
after consideration; 1t was no part Of
the platform of 1892, and was only
thought Of when it became manifest to
its originators that they had sawed off
the revenue limb on which they had
been sitting In their mad attempt to
undo what their Republican prede-
cessors had SO we'll planned and so
faithfully executed. To make amends
for blunder they would perpetrate a
crime. and the income tax law was no
less than a crime. may be charged with
opposing one of the cardinal principles
OF the Knights of Labor, which demand
ed that a graduated income tax be lev
led. That section was adopted by the
knights of Labor in opposition to my
earnest and emphatic protest. l never
believed In 1t and have always opposed
it.
When Congress assembled in 1898
there was no income tax law upon the
statute books. Under the provisions of
such law no revenue accrued to the
Government, and 1t Is unfair as well
as dishonest to charge a falling revenue
to something which had no existence
When the agitation for a change in our
economic law begun. Does 1t not ap-
pear inconsistent to the defenders of the
Chicago platform to assert that they
are opposed to English rule in America
on the financial question after they
have opened our ports to the product of
the English factory and mill? Our chief
competitor in the domain of manufac-
ture is England; and he must be an
ignorant man, indeed, who will de-
mand the abolition of our tariff laws
and not know that the gamer by the
land. They tell US that the manufac-
turers are robber barons. and that the
tariff which protects them and those
who work for them is a robber tariff.
Well, what Of it? If workingmen will
not organize. as the window-gl trade
and railroad workmen are organizing,
to unite with employers in protecting
their trades and callings. they have
themselves to blame for not securing ali
the advantages Of protection
The fact that $3.50 100000 worth of
agricultural products was imported to
this country in one year and that 1t was
bought and consumed by Americans
proves most conclusively that to that
extent. at least, the agriculturalists of
this country were the losers. and had
they been protected In their industry by
a judicious tariff law the consumers of
the land would have bought that pro-
duct Off their hands instead of that
which came from foreign hands. and
that vast sum of money would be circu
lating among the people Of the United
States, paying taxes and debts in the
United States instead of enriching the
producers Of foreign lands-the robber
barons of Europe. The farmer is told
that the cause of his ills is because he
has not been blessed with free silver
But whoever tells him that deceiyes him
TO his injury. Those who advocated free
silver tell the farmer that the crime of
1878 is responsible for the ills he bears.
Since 1873 farming IN the United States
mas undergone a radical, an almost to-
tai change. and causes other than the
demOnet1zatiOn of silver have conbjpa