Speeches of Alanson J. Fox

1. Taxation and Tariffs,  March 26, 1897, Detroit Home and Day School
   Note that this speech was given some 16 years prior to the permanent establishment of a National Income Tax via the 16th Amendment in 1913. Thus the funds to run the federal government of the United States at the time came primarly from tariffs or duties on imported goods. It is also important to note that US tariffs were a much debated topic at the time with numerous legislation being passed that greatly changed the amount of, and goods subject to, these additional costs. Typical examples from the period are the McKinley Tariff, the Wilson-Gorman Tariff, and The Great Tariff Debate of 1888.
2. Political Sound Money Talks,  Oct. 6, 1896, Majestic Building, Detroit, MI
   Alanson's speech here was on the Free Silver debate of the late 19th century in the United States that contested the "free coinage of silver" against the traditional Gold Standard. Here Alanson broke with his Democratic Party, as many did at the time, in supporting the Gold Standard or "Sound Money." This debate reached its political climax less than a month later when William McKinley who supported the Gold Standard with his Republican Party defeated the Democratic canidate, William Jennings Bryan in the presidential election of 1896. Note that Alanson sided here with McKinley's stance against Free Silver but opposed McKinley's support of protective tariffs in his Taxation and Tariffs speech.
3. Memorial Day Address,  May 30, 1889, Paintied Post, NY
   A typical, yet eloquent patriotic speech honoring the sacrifices made by men of the United States since before its origination. Given in Painted Post, NY where Alanson had made his fortune in the lumber business before the trees ran out there and he moved operations to Manistique, MI. Alanson had been living in the house at 63/205 Alfred Street for some 9 years already when this speech was penned. (Speech has not yet been put in electronic form, if you are interested in being notified when it is contact jmk@63alfred.com).
4. The Value of Early Investments,  May 30, 1895, Remarks by A.J. Fox the American Baptist Home Mission Society at Saratoga Springs, NY
   A rare and revealing look at the distinctly non-secular side and attitudes of Alanson J. Fox as well as a window on the thoughts and prejudices of the people at that time when arguably Christianity was deeply embedded in the country, its people, and its policies. Alanson's family had deep Baptist roots dating back to the 1700's. He was trustee of the Woodward Baptist Church in Detroit as was as a trustee of of Kalamazoo College, Rochester Theological Seminary, Rochester University, and Vassar College. The location of this speech, Saratoga Springs, is not far from Glen Falls where the Fox family started there ashery, saloon, and eventually their lumber business at the dawn of the 19th Century. (Speech has not yet been put in electronic form, if you are interested in being notified when it is contact jmk@63alfred.com).

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