Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 October 1894 — STEVENSON ON THE TARIFF. [ARTICLE]

STEVENSON ON THE TARIFF.

Vice-President Stevenson spoke at Lincoln, ltl„ Wednesday. An elaborate demonstration had been planned, but the weather proved so cold that the crowd* expected failed to materialize and the outdoor meeting was abandoned, and hall resorted to. Mr. Stevenson spoke at length, and maintained that the Dembcratic party had kept faith with the people and substantially redeemed Its pledgee. He reviewed the conditions leading Up to the panic and held that they were brought about bv the McKinley law. The speaker said the object of protection, or at least the principal object, was to enable the producer to sell his goods at a greater price than he could otherwise obtain. Mr. Stevenson then proceeded tq. show that the Democratic party had pledged itself to reduce government expensea, and showed how it had redeemed that pledge. He strongly advocated the doctrine of free raw materials, and indorsed the policy of Congress in increasing the - tax on distilled spirits from 90 cents to fl. 10 per gallon. The speaker figured out that this tax alone would increase the revenues of the government $20,000,000. In conclusion Mr. Stevenson said: The McKinley law gave to the sugar planters a bounty of 2 cents a pound upon their product. This was to extend for • period of fifteen years from the passage ot the bill. It was paid out of the Treasury of the United States, and amounted during the last year to the enormous sum ot $12,900,000. The tariff bill just passed by a Democratic Congress repealed this sugar bounty, and removed from the statute nooks this odious class legislation. You nave seen in the papers in the past few Hays an account of a convention of sugar planters in Louisiana, in which they resolved to abandon their former political associates, and henceforth to support the Republican party. Why? Simply for the reason that the Republican lawmaker? "favored the sugar bounty which the Dempcratic Congress has swept from the statute books. If the new tariff law had no other merit, this provision alone would entitle it to your warmest commendation.