The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-04-22

il.
Publications; Senatorial Manners; Gleanings
and Gossip.
Fourth Page-The Puritan Lovers, by Mari
an Douglass Rough Acting-A Man that For
rest Played With.
Am Important Meeting.
TEE ORGANIZATION OF A REFORM LEAGUE IN
BOSTON.
1t has been declared that the Reform League
on the point of being organized in Boston was
merely free trade movement in Disguise
The proceedings at the first meeting Tuesday
night, do not entirely Justify the charge, bus
they show that it was not without foundation'
Absolute free trade was regarded by all tne
speakers as something not YET attainapie'
since q high revenue tariff would De necessary
for MANY wears and such tarit Is incidental
ly protective But at the same time they re-
,,ardad a Modification of the tariff in such
,yav as to eliminate its purely protective fea-
tures as the first step in commercial reform,
while the reorganization OF the civil service
and the establishment of reciprocity with
neighboring countries are held to be objects of
great importance, but still secondary to that
WulCu WC 4A@No 0PohOh Va 40 P0A 0AaAVuuts
James A. Dupee made the opening address,
and was followed by Edward Atkinson, whose
financial articles were of SO much service to
the Republican cause during the last Presiden-
tial campaign. He explained the scope of the
Lotion of members of the Reform League as
follows:
Recognizing the practical impossibility of
absolute free trade, they demanded simply the
adoption of revenue in place 81 the present
protective tariff. They desire the duties nee
essary for the support OF the government to
he levied as far as possible, upon articles
which represent the products of labor rather
than upon those which enter into the process
Of labor. They intend to defeat copper tariff
bills. Moorhead tariff bills, wool and wooden
tariff bills, iron and steel association bills, and
to demand of Congress a revenue tariff BILL
enacted for a single purpose of obtaining rev.
euue at the least cost to the community. In
view of the expected surplus revenue OF $30,
100000 to $40 900, 600 in the current fiscal year,
they will endeavor to obtain the abolition OF
the petty taxes upon eggs, butter, cheese,
-four, aneat and fish, and OF the duties on lum
Der, hides, SALT drugs, paints, dye-stuns up,
ON the lead and copper, wool, hemp, gute, ana
other so-called raw materials. On the same
ground they will strive also to have the duties
upon iron and steel, textile fabrics, tea, coffee,
sugar liquors an ] silks, adjusted upon sim
pie moderate and effective plan, tending to re-
lieve the consumer and at the same Tune 10
yield an ample revenue.
mr.. Atkinson then dwelt upon the scope and
meaning of the movement to inaugurate which
this meeting had assembled. The result of the
late elections and the passage of the fifteenth
amendment having substantially settled the
old political issues, the time had come, in his
opinion, for a remodelling of parties upon the
questions of revenue, financial and civil ser
vice reform. Yet while their efforts might
tend towards this end, the Reform League was
not intended to form political party, but to
bring about the desired change in the fiscal
policy Of the nation by moulding public opin-
ion and securing proper representation in
Congress.
William Lloyd Garrison, whom we natural
ly expect to find on any reputable platform
that is built for the proclamation of anything
that is free, spoke at length. Introducing his
theme by reference to the instability of the
prosperity that was founded upon human slav-
cry, which was mistake in political economy
as well as in morals, he said:
There was nothing intricate in freedom, free
labor, free institutions, the law of interchange,
the measure of reciprocity. 1t is the legerde-
sion, sophisticates the Judgment, and dazzles
to betray. Denying the rectitude or feasibili-
ty Of building ourselves up by an exclusive
policy, obstructing the natural How OF materl-
al exchanges, he avowed himself to be radi-
cal free-trader He further said that, wide as
is our country and diversified as are its inter-
ests no discrimination was made or allowed in
the matter of trade and barter. Our territori-
al limits are continually enlarging; but the
same rule holds, and must hold though we
should annex every other country to our own
Would American industry in that case be
struck with paralysis? But if this indisputa-
bly, works well for all classes, why will it not
work equally well if We go with our free ex-
changes beyond the boundaries of our repub-
lie?
In respect to two grand reformatory meas
ures, Great Britain had to our discredit taken
the lead of us, and still held an advanced posi-
ton. The first was the abolition of her colo
NAL slavery; the second, the repeal of her corn
laws, and the substantial opening of her ports
to all corners; reserving only aome half doz-
en- dutiable icles out of fourteen bundled
as formerly on her list His faith was absolute
that unshacklec commerce would prove ad-
vant9geous to every branch OF human INDUS
try, whether at home or abroad. he procesd-
ed to recapitulate the objects of the proposed
Reform League, and trusted they would meet
the hearty approval of all present, and at no
distant day that OF the American people.
Mr.. Garrison concluded by saying that the
object which had brought them together was
neither partisan nor geographical, but patriot
ic and all-comprehensive; not for any one in
terest in special, but for all interests; not for
Massachusetts alone, but for the whole coun-
try; and its realization could not fail to bring
great and signal blessings along with it, and to
foster that expansive spirit of human brother
hood through which at hast all the nations OF
the earth shall strike hands in amity and
peace.
William Endicott, the merchant whose ar
guments have had such weight in exploding
the fallacies of the regulators, presented se-
ries Of resolutions. The one having special
reference to the leading purpose of the league
is as follows:
That in the exercise of sound discretion,
government may properly levy customs duties,
under the power to raise taxes, but such duties
should be laid for the purpose of gaining reve-
nue., and not for the purpose Of diminishing
revenue by excluding goods. That when du-
ties are raised so high as to yield no revenue,
such power ceases to be taxation, and becomes
spoliation, compelling the community to pay
high prices for merchandise, from which the
public treasury gains no benefit, while the ex-
ira price goes to the benefit Of a few persons,
or, more probably, is wasted in the effort to
produce something which could be more adj
vantageousIy obtained by an exchange of pro-
ducts with some other nation.
After speeches by several other gentlemen,
the League was organized by the choice of
Estes Howe, President; Charles Francis Adj
ANS and Francis s. Emery, Vice-Presijents;
William Atkinson, Corresponding Secretary.
The originators of the League being men OF
much ability and prominence, aud the cause
they have taken in hand being one which is
every day becoming more and more conspicu-
GUS, its proceedings will be watched with no
little interest in all parts of the country.