Year: 1875




return to specie payments, either in the discussions
or our conventions or by speakers the platform
a. every election The duty and wisdom OF this policy has
been urged with all the force OF argument and per
suasion by Governor Tden and others who have been
called upon to state the position OF those with whom
they acted on the other hand, then In no instance
has imitation been suggested or approved.


In 1865 at the State Convention which met to send
delegates TO the National Convention this the Ian
guage used and received with applause:-"If we como
into power there will be discredt ourrency
DO speculation In paying our bonds In paper | thank
God that the faith we all bold as one man seeks TO level
up, not to level down II that sterling coin shall
ring again the counter OF tire radesman and glitter
wounded soldier" could forow down the course OF
years TO this date with proof 70 show tho
injustice Of the charge that We have fought under
the banaer of imitation. ! have disproyed improved
censuss not for partisan reasons but because such
charges, coming from one holding high position, njure
the cause Of public faith and virtue for the demo
cratic party Of this stands in the front rank Of
those battling for sound currency. wish could
show as clear record on this subject Of the actions
and guage OF the republican leaders would gladly
forth for the benefit Of the good currency
to which all parties in New York are pledged will
do no injustice to the party which now governs the
country. admit that


THE SAME SPIRIT OF ExrRAvAGAScE


which marks It's expenditures has been shown py every
State and municipal government without regard TO inc
party which controlled them 'Since the close OF the
the American people have lost much OF their for
habits OF industry, economy and public virtue
Our troubles spring great degree from public rather
than from political Generalization. II is a sad truth
that we must confess that all branches OF government
represent the spirit of speculation and the efforts to
gain wealth by other means than by industry and
economy We cannot correct these evils, we can
not get back our people upon higher plano
OF morals and habits by partisan abuse. Re
form must begin with each man in his habits
and those OF his family Political parties must show
their merits by fcrreting out wrongs in their own
ranks, and they must prove Their claims TO public
support not by concealing, but by exposing the guilt
of their partisans 1t win be asked IL the causes
of bad government pervade all parties alike what to
be gained by changes2 No denies that the theories
Of the republicans make the cost OF government greater
Al nnl1 ln nnHnr aftn arfYtr hath
parties were alike honest, prudent and economical
Every exercise Of power every project undertaking
beyond what we admit il has a right to engage in,
involves expenditure and taxation. They cannot be
carried out without cost Upon these points we shut
the doors OF the Treasury against ourselves Centra
zation means taxation Every extension of jurisdiction
draws upon the pockets OF the taxpayers Great
the evils Of State and municipal taxation that by the
general government is much hurtfu In its nature
and in its operations. beg your attention while
make this point clear The evils Of taxation not
measured by its amount alone. but also by the direction
in which 1t falls and the industries upon which it
presses The OF three hundred millions taxed upon
the people by the general government each year is
great burden, but this does express its mischefs
The debt and taxation fall unequay upon different
tions of our country charge that it is unequal and
unjust, because the people of the West compelled
pay more than their share OF taxes Against them they
are cumulative. The grain or farm products of the
West pay more taxes than like amount raised at the
East The of transportation the markets OF the
world and the cost of bringing back what wanted for
consumption


THE DRAWBACKS TO WESTERN PROSPERITY


WHaI lHese COSTS OF CaTFylDRf Ine rallTOnQS
must have return for the expenses of their structure
and for their operations When you look into the
penses you find not only the paid for the actual
cost of materials and labor, but the paid to gov
ernment for taxes These direct and indirect make at
least one-quarter of the of the highways of
merce, that who live great distance from mar
kets in addition odabe charges Of transpor
taton, have in fact TO pay taxation by the mile the
more they pay for carrying the they have to pay
for taxes II the duties charged upon iron rails and
other materials and the increased cost OF labor
made by taxation are taken into account 1t
will be that have understated the effects
of taxation upon the cost Of these tracks of COM
merce. II these were called tolls they would more
clearly express the truth It'll said there is other
way Of getting revenue That may be true but If IL is
true then our government should keep within Its
stitutional limits; it should not by Capitalization.
make debts and unequal taxation Government debts
and taxation divide Union into debtor and creditor
States. This is dangerous relationship. Already the
passions which i engenders are appealed to by those
who seek to excite sectional passions II has given
birth to the theory OF imitation Denuncations of the
older States Of the East and desire to nure their
secon Msr0 m oho a' as the wn to hsp as s
West Those sectional prejudices have been
felt and seen in the halls of Congress. They have
shaped legislation they disturb the calmness and fair
which should always characterize she legislation
of great country These results have not been acc-
dental; they will always follow in the footsteps OF ex-
pendture debt and taxation by the general govern
ment They we're foretod long since as clearly as they
be described now More than ten years ago, IN
message to the Legislature In speaking OF sectional
jealouses, called It's attention TO this threatened
cloud, in these words:-"The danger of controversy
would De increased Dy our vast national ueDL InlS,
mainly held by few Atlantic States divides coun-
try into the perous sectional relations OF debtor and
creditor regions. The ownership OF this debt cannot
be ddused over country, that the same CON-
munities which pay taxes with receive incomes. The
individual advantages of protective tariffs growing out
OF this debt would be largely gained by the creditor
States, which also enjoy disproportiona share of
political power.


Is shown in its destruction of commerce and business
is the real source oil the distress felt in work
shops and in all the fields of industry tax upon the
expectation Of products would be so hurtful that
our constitution orbids its imposition by Congress-
Yet we find that the taxation made by our debt and
expenditures is Of the nature and works the same
evils. AS l have shown, 1t falls heavily upon the
transportation Of the produce Of the West In great
degree craftsmanship in this country must concern
itself manly about this movement Of property,
This qualify, called value, means simply
thing in its right place-in the place sShere It
is needed. II this could be brought about
and troubles would disappear As We cannot do this,
must get as near to il as we can All taxation is
hostile 70 this purpose and particularly that knd Of
then reacts upon by depriving US OF
our customers. The produce men Of the
city know how disastrous this obstruction
TO commerce has been in numerous instances in the
past They have struggled for cheap transportation by
all the methods known to commerce, mechanics and
science They have appealed TO the Legislature for
lief and II has been given far that body could give
relief But all these efforts to restore activity TO com
merce vigor industry, hope and comfort TO labor,
have been foed by that policy at Washington that in
creases the cost Of government prevents the due pay
ment OF debts and msappes the proceeds oi Taxa
tion Look into all the channels Of commerce, all
workshops and fields OF Industry, and you will find


THR HEAVY HAND or GOVERNMENT


crushing their life and vigor 1t is clear to every
mind that thinks that so long as taxes crssh out the
life of labor and commerce shall have TO bear the
load of personal and public debts While this Is the
state OF affairs wild theories will be hatched about our
currency Debt has always been prolific Of schemes to
make wealth without labor In one Of Hogarth's
admirable caricatures he gives scene in debtors
prison, where man, who could not face his cred
tors drops from his pocket scheme for paying the
British national debt while another unfortunate IS alb
sorbed in his efforts to turn lead into gold And so II
has been in the history OF all nations, under all forms OF
government; that debt engenders all devices from the
old plan OF clipping coin down to the hctons Of printed
paper. Strip or disguses make plain all tricks Of
speeches. deaf TO all proesations OF honor,
look into the facts OF public affairs, and you will find
that every who has, without necessity added one
dollar the national debt author OF the theories
of Reputation and of base money just so far MS the
administration has failed to pay of the debt Of the
country by using the taxes imposed for that purpose
for unconstitutional schemes, born of the
theory Of centralization just far they respons
BILE for all schemes which violate the public faith and