Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 January 1888 — YOORHEES. [ARTICLE]

YOORHEES.

The Indiana Statesman's Reply to the Buckeye Demagogue. s An Able Defense of the President from Gross Misrepresentation by Republicans. Unjust Taxation Denounced as Robbery and a Crime Against Every Home. Mr. Cleveland’s Premises, Arguments, and Conclusions Alike Impregnable. In the United States Senate, on Wednesday, the 4th iust., Hon. D. W. Voorheea made a vigorous reply to John Sherman’s weak speech upon the President’s message. The Indiana Senator denounced the statements of Messrs. Sherman, Teller, and other Republicans, in criticism of the President's message, as insincere and misleading, and asserted that by way of preparation for the coming Presidential election, Republican legislators and journals were endeavoring by gross misrepresentations to put the President and the Democratic party in an attitude of hostility to American manufacturing interests. Nothing could be more unjust or unfair. Under the leadership or Grover Cleveland the Democratic party demanded such revision of the tariff, such reduction of revenue and surplus, and such administration of the powers of government as was most beneficial to all interests and most fully in harmony with the general welfare. The President’s message would bear the light of discussion, analysis'and debate. The frosts of next November would blight Republican misrepresentations and rebuke the Republican Senators who characterized as a “humbug" the fearless, sound and statesmanlike ’message of the President. The contraction of the volume of the currency, he said, had always been a policy marked by disaster and suffering and accursed by every friend of the general welfare of the country. But when that abominable policy was still further aided and executed, by suatching, as it were, the money of the people from their very hands at the rate of $10,000,000 a month, without necessity, excuse or palliation, every honest mind had to revolt against such wanton robbery. It was a crime against every home, every fireside, and every living man and woman in the United i-tates. It Is a crime national in its proportions, gigantic In its strength, omnipresent in its visitations, and brutal in its rapacity. And yet the day before the recess the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Teller) sneerod at the idea of the surplus being of any consequence. And the Senator from Ohio (Mr. Sherman) also declared (not by cable from Paris, but on the floor of the Senate) that it was fortunate for the country that there was a surplus of $55,000,00) in the Treasury. It will be for that Senator, if he becomes the Republican candidate for the Presidency next summer, to. explain to the people why it is fortunate that their money is gathered into the Treasury in excess of all the uses, prescriptions, and wants of the Government, instead of remaining in the pockets of the people. There Is in the Republican press, and among Republican politicians, a determined, persistent and brazen campaign of mendacity on this subject; and it will continue in the councils and field-work of the Republican party day by day, morning, noon and night, until the frosts of next November come to wither and blast alike their falsehoods and their hopes. I deny that the President has departed one jot or tittle from the declaration of* the last Democratic platform on the subject of taxation. That declaration was bold, explicit and peremptory. I rejoice in every element of American success. I am proud of the inventive genius of the country and of its vast establishments where skilled labor abounds. I look with delight on the cotton mills, the coal mines, the blast furnaces, and rolling mills of tho South, as well as on those of New England, Pennsylvania, and many Western States. I would encourago them in their gigantic career of development and usefulness, and I hold that the policy of the Democratic party has been always ample for their prosperity and progress. That is the only safe policy for American manufacturers themselves. If it is once clearly understood that the manufacturers, as a class, demand that they be enriched by means of fraudulent taxes, that they accept the guidance of the leaders of tho Republican party and join in their praise, then, indeed, perils will environ the manufactur.ng interests of the country such as were never known before. If the Democratic party, with its record of more than fifty years in the administration of the Government, and its trank and constant declaration of principles, was to be charged with the folly of free trade every time an attempt was made to modify the tariff, the people would very soon and very clearly find out that such assaults were only made to divert public attention from the evil designs and schemes of plunder of which they were the victims. He could not believe, however, that the sagacious and patriotic business men of the country who controlled manufacturing industries would permit themselves, for political purposes, to be put in an attitude of unjust, Belfish, overweening avarice and of unfairness toward the great mass of their countrymen. Proceeding to discuss the message of the President, he said that it was a pleasure to him to declare that this remarkable state paper was true to the principles and teachings of the Democratic party from Its foundation by Jefferson, and that the thanks of the laboring and business classes of the country were due to the Executive for seizing on that vital issue, with the grasp of a strong, honest man, and for presenting it to his countrymen in such a shape and light that it never would disappear until the wrongs therein presented were exposed and redressed, and until the outrages of over-taxation ceased. In the present age of swollen pretenses, of shallow aristocracy, and of gilded vulgarity, the Bplendid utterances of the President’s message fell on the minds of the people as a token, as a promise of relief, reform, and redemption from one who had never broken a pledge or forgot a public duty. The President had declared for the lowly and oppressed. Since the matchless and immortal inaugural of Jefferson on the 4th of March, 18jj, no communication had ever emanated from the Chief Magistrate of this Government more able, more elevated in statesmanship, more humane and benevolent in its purpose, or more conducive to the general welfare and good government than the message under consideration. Coming down to the practical question o 1 taxation, he was aware, he said, that there were many objections to internal taxes, but on grounds far different from a desire to perpetuate enormous and unjust tariff taxes on the necessaries of life. He appreciated the fact that for many years, and especially in several States, the whole system bad been used as a powerful instrument of partisian political warfare and had been rendered odious to every free-minded citizen. He was also often reminded that it was a war tax ami it should pass away in time ol peace. All these opinions had their weight with hun. But, while heavy taxes which had been laid by a war tariff on every article entering into the wants and necessities of the people were not reduced at all, he submitted that the work of reform and reduction should be pursued in that fie d and the internal revenue system left to staud yet awhile, subject to certain modifications. As to tobacco, he suggested that the tax on cigars and snuff—producing sl2,sJo,«oo—might flt> retained, and the rest of the tax—producing sl7,ooo,ooo—abolished. But this, however, was a feat re o, detail, and perhaps a matter of compromise. The great bulk of abatement in the present total nnn cessary taxation of the people would have to take p’ace in a careful aud prudent review of the tariff, and we would have to leave to the future what might seem the best means and arrangements by which to attain that end. As a choice between reducing internal revenue or tariff taxes, he would labor to cheapen woolens, licens, cot on fabr cs, salt, lumber, coal, iron, steel, and all other staple commodities, rather than such articles as were indulged in from acquired habits or luxurious modes of living.