The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1896-09-02
TARIFF DEBATE ALREADY WON.
Country Has Had Teacher Called En-.
perience, Harrison Says.

Country Has Had q Teacher Called En-.
perience, Harrison Says.
do not intend to sp end any time In the
discussion of the tariff question. That
debate has been won lap plausel, and need
not be protracted. II might run on
eternally upon theoretical lines. We had
had some experience, but that was histori-
cal, remote and not very instructive to
this generation. We needed an experience
of our own. and we have had ii. Laugh
ter. 1t has been hard lesson, but a
very convincing one, and everybody was
In the school house when IL was given.
Laughter. Mr. Depew Applause and
laughter, whose absolute accuracy and
veracity when he tells a story you can all
bear witness to, in telling that story of
our talk on the White house steps did an
unintentional injury to my modesty.
Laughter.
did not for a moment suppose that any
of those influences that have elevated
American prosperity until the mark on
the stones was higher than any other rec
ord that had been made was at all signifi-
cant or OF consequence. AS l have more
than once said, il was controversy not
of men-it WIS not question of what
men controlled the government-it was
wholly controversy between Dem ocratic
followers and Republican followers, and
In this tariff debate-if it Is TO go on-we
have history so fresh and recent, history
so indelibly written on the hearts and
minds of our people that certain things
must be admitted, and among these
things is the historical fact, that in 1892
we had the most prosperous times, the
most general diffusion of prosperity, the
most universal participation in prosperity,
and the highest mark of prosperity we
have ever attained as a nation. APP.
plause.
Now, what has happened since? Then
our business prosperity was like the
strong current of the mighty river;
now ii is like the fading spring in an
August drought. A panic in 1893 of
most extraordinary character has been
succeeded by gradual drying up-less.
and less, and less, until universal bust
ness distraction and anxiety prevails
all over our community. / do not be-
lieve there has ever been a time, except
perhaps in the very heat Of some active
panic, when universal business fear
and anxiety and watchfulness even to
the point of desperation have charac-
terized this great metropolis as 1t does
today. [Applause.] Men have been
afraid to go away on a vacation. They
have felt that they must every day in
this burning heat come into the city
and watch their business. That is the
situation. What has brought ii about?
Gentlemen, who is there to defend
the Wilson tariff bill? Who says IL is
good tariff measure? Applause. and
a voice: "Nobody."l / do not believe
Democrat can be found TO say that
IT is. Mr.. Cleveland repudiated II.
1t was so bad that he would not attach
his signature to IL. and it became a law
without it. He said it was full of in
congruities and inequalities. And II
was a better one than he wanted to
give us. Laughter and applause
What has been the result of that meas
ure? When a few years ago, during
the Morton campaign in New York
tapplause]. 1 discussed this question I
said that the old Democratic doctrine
used TO be that the burden of our pub
lie expenses should be laid upon i'm
portations, that the tariff should pro-
vide for the cost of running our gov
eminent. and l pointed out then how
our Democratic friends had left that
platform and were now endeavoring TO
obtain revenue by internal taxation
rather than to allow the support of the
government Of the United States to be
maintained upon the importation of
foreign goods.
What has been the result? One of
these experiments in internal tax
ation-the income tax-was held to be
unconstitutional by the supreme court.
So eager were our Democratic friends
to relieve their embarrassment and to
put directly upon the people according
to the English system tax to support
our government that they passed an
unconstitutional act In order TO levy
internal taxes and help out tariff bill
which had reduced the duties upon i'm