The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-15

of tariff reform until the debasement of
the currency has been accomplished, and,
not satisfied even with those eXtraVagant
and revolutionary schemes, threatening the
industrial and commercial prosperity of the
country, the peace and good order Of So
clety and the permanency of our inStitu-
tons, which were imperiled by the covert
attack on the Supreme Court. and a denial
OF the right of the government of the
United States to enforce obedience to its
laws without first asking the consent of
local officials. There is not a genuine Dem
ocratic sentiment in any of those declara-
tons, and no Democrat is bound by them,
no matter how many state or national con-
VentionS may indOrSe them. You are here
to-day to repudiate them absolutely and
unqualihedly and to reassert the true doc
trlnes of the party, with all these modern
heresies eliminated; and in dIscharging that
duty you will render a service TO the cause
or Tree constitutional government not in
ferior to that Of the petriotic man who,
after long struggle rescued the coun-
try from the domination of federalism and
paternalism and established the principles
OF Democratic equality al the close of the
last century
"A sound and stable currency, just and
equal taxation for public purposes only, a
strict adherence to the letter and spirit of
the Constitution by all the departments of
the government and rigid economy in the
expenditures of the peoples money have
been vital parts of the Democratic faith
from the beginning, and there has never
been a time in our history when the con-
dition of the country more imperatively
demanded the practical application of these
doctrines than 1t does now. Many of our
Industries are depressed for want of a
market for their products. many of our
most worthy people are deprived of employ
ment and many of our most valuable COM
mercial enterprises are languishing for the
want of a profitable trade. AT such a
time every material interest of the people
demands that the currency used in the
transaction of their business shall be abso-
lutely free from even suspicion of I'M
soundness, that the necessaries of life and
the materials used in our industries shall
hp nj ia dams nj q Y a n
order that the poor may live comfortably
and labor may find employment and that
the affairs of the government shall be hon
estly and economically administered and
it's expenditures be strictly confined TO the
great public purposes for which 1t was
established. But, in defiance of these OBJ
Vious requirements of the public interest
the integrity of our currency is still threat
ened, tariff taxes on nearly everything the
are about to be largely increased and the
public expenditures, instead of being dlmln-
ished to meet the exigencies of the situa-
ton, are being extended to new and UNI
worthy objects, many of which are purely
local or private in their character Inc
paralysis of trade and industry, resulting
in the loss of public revenue and in destroy
ing the ability of the people to meet their
private obligations, was produced mainly
by unwise currency and fiscal legislation
and the return of prosperity has so far been
prevented by continued partisan agitation
in favor of still more radical and destruc-
tive measures on the same subjects.
TAX BURDENS INCREASING.
but, Notwithstanding these well-known
facts, the present Congress, instead of at
tempting tofreform the currency laws and
permanently establish our standard on the
gold basis, where Democratic statesman
ship, under the inspiration of Andrew
Jackson, placed it more than sixty years
ago, has wholly ignored this Indispensable
work and devoted more than four months
to the imposition of increased taxation on
the people, and large part of this time
has been spent in acrimonious contests
among the benetciaries of the taxes, over
the division of the Spoils. The whole field
of domestic industry and enterprise; every
calling and occupation in which an intelll-
gent and progressive people can possibly
engage has been subjected to the most
searching investigation by trained experts,
stimulated by selfish personal interests, 10
discover useful articles of consumption on
which additional burdens could be
so imposed by law as to rob the people OF
their honest earnings, WlthOut raising rev.
enue for the government. In this work or
spoliation, the protectionists have had not
only the sympathy but the active coop
GRAFTON and support of many OF the most
able and influential members or the Tree
silver party in Congress, who did not even
receive for their Indispensable services
fair division of the spOils. Without the aid
of the free-SilVer members OF the Senate
the Republican protectioniStS could nave
accomplished nothing whatever In the Ill
rection of increased taxation, and this fact
was so we'll known to the country that 1t
for a long time seriously doubted that
there could be any legislation on the sub
ject In the Senate the free-StlVer party had
the absolute control of the situation and
the conceded power with the aid or the
sound money and reform Democrats TO
pass through the body any tariff bill II de
sired to pass or to defeat any tariff bill 1t
desired to defeat, and consequently 1t can
not escape responsibility to the people Tor
the unjust and oppressive measure which Is
now about to become a law. While some OF
IAat.c rIn hax a
all of their Democratic convictions con-
sstently opposed this spoliation OF the peo-
associates to pass the bill either gave it
their votes or purposely withheld their
votes in order that it might receive a ma
iority and thus by their act 1t Will soon
be placed on the statute books to harness
our industries, Cypress our citizens ana OBJ
struct our trade for many years to come.
THE tariff act of 1928, which was so eX-
orbitant in its rates of duty that even Mr..
Clay, the great apostle of protection, de-
nounced it as bill of nominations was
moderate in it's eXactions in comparison
with the measure which the free-silVer
party by the action of its members in the
Senate is about to fasten on the country.
A political party can be no better than its
worst elements, when the cooperation OF
its worst elements is essential to its sue
cess at the polls or to the execution OF the
policy after it has secured power and it
has now been demonstrated beyond the
possibility of denial that the free-silver
party although claiming to be Democratic,
is, for all practical purposes, protection
list organization, and that as now consti-
tuted, it is not only not willing to reduce
taxation or to impose 1t for pubic purposes
only in a legislative body where 1t has the
undsputed power to do so, but that on the
contrary, it's influence will be effectively
used to increase the rates of duty for the
exclusive benefit of the private individuals
and corporations and to raise still higher
the barriers which Obstruct the free access
for farmers an other producers to the most
profitable markets in the world.
TARIFF REFORM BETRAYED.
1.-THE purpose of the deliberate betrayal of
the cause of tariff reform at Chicago by
the intentional omission of a. real Demo-
cratic declaration on the subject from the
platform is now fully disclosed; it was the
price demanded by Republican and Popu-
list protectionists for their support of the
ticket, and the very men whose support
was thus secured are directly responsible
for the Ubiquitous bill now about to be-
come a law. In adhering TO the policy of
a tariff for protection the advocates of
free coinage at the ratio of Is to l are
perfectly logical and consistent
"A Chinese monetary system to eXpel
gold from the country and give fictitious
value to silver for the benefit of mine own
ers and a Chinese wall to exclude COM
petition and give fictitious value to the
for their justification on precisely the same
economic fallacieS and precisely the same
paternal theory of government. The theory
is that our people should be separated,
financially and commercially, from the rest
of the civilized world and that they can
all be made rich and prosperous by an act
of Congress. 1t is true that the govern
ment can increase the prices of certain
commodities by preventing competition and
creating monopolies, but it can add nothing
whatever to their intrinsic value. II prices