The daily gazette., 1880-10-09
MIR. HEWITT ON THE TARIFF.

~sAAss - - W - ~ - OAN = - - u AAAtA Il u
THE BUSINESS INTERESTS OF THE
COUNTRY AND THE DEMOCRACY
EVILS OF TIE PRESENT TARIFF
SYSTEM-MR. GARFIELD'S TARIFF
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. YAM
PIRES STRUGGLING FOR EXIST
ENCE.
TRENTON, n. j., Oct. 7, 1880.
A large democratic mass meeting
was held here tonight and addressed
by Abram S. Hewitt, John p. Stock.
ton, Congressman Hezekiah b. Smith
and others. Mr.. Hewitt's large in-
terest in the iron and steel business
in this city, which gives employ
ment to about one thousand men,
had the effect of attracting numbers
of workmen who were anxious to
hear him discuss the subject of the
tariff. He opened his speech by
alluding to the time-thirty-fve
years ago-when he and his young
partner, Mayor Cooper, walked from
the Trenton House, in this city, to
the banks Of the Delaware, through
deserted streets, to establish the
works which have hourished ever
since. The population of Trenton
was then only 1850. They began
to build up the city, and with but
one exception their works were
never idle, although they never
yielded one dollar of profit to the
owners. They had paid out in that
time SIS, 200 900 for wages alone,
and had never broken a promise
made to their workmen. There was
but one thought in the minds of the
owners-that it was better to give
steady employment in bad times
when money would be lost than in
good times when money could be
made.
THE BUSINESS ARGUMENT.
The reason he spoke tonight was
to contradict the report made by
republicans that if the democratic
party got in power business would
be FRUSTRATED, establishments would
be closed and wages reduced and
discontinued. All the owners of
the works in which he is interested
are democrats and always were de-
mocrats, but they never asked the
politics of any man in their employ
ment. While most of their fore
men are republicans, IS they had a
right to be, still they never would
be interfered with on that account.
But that was no reason why the
PROJECTORS and men should be iden-
tilted with the republican party. In
case of democratic success times
would be no worse than they were
under Grant for eight years and
Hayes for two years. 1t was lncon-
ceivable why the democratic party
should take the bread out Of the
mouths of those who would put il
in power. He commended that the
only hope of continued prosperity
lay in the success of the dem ocratic
party.
THE TARIFF QUESTION.
He said that the tariff was enacted
to pay the expenses of the country
during the late war, and tariff that
would wiring out of labor its last dol
lar during the war is not tariff thai
should exist during peace. The
present tariff is a war system OF ex
action, is a tax upon consumption
or, in other words, a per capita OF
poll tax, and the rich pay not in pro
portion to their wealth. The Who'll,
system needed revision. Garfield
voted against the reduction in tn,
duties on tea and coffee, and for max
ing free trade speech in 1868 he
was made member OF the Colder
Club. He advocated the placing O
! duty on the fewest possible arti
cles, and thus swept away the facri
OF protection as now claimed by tn
republicans. He 1.-THE speaker wa
not in favor of a prohibitory duty
and he would be glad when custom
houses are abolished, and hoped TO
a time when trade would be as FIRE
as air. He said the tariff would tax
care of itself, and all the people ha,
to do was to preserve personal libel
ty, individual rights and universe
suffrage. The present contest wa
not between parties, but was wage
by vampires who had held Office 10
twelve years and who wanted to cor
tinue doing 30. After abiding t
the election of 1876, when, he sale
Tilden was counted out by fou
= means, he concluded, amid great ar
I plause.
, Mr.. Stockton followed and dis
. cussed the leading national issues
and after hearing from Mr.. Smit
the meeting broke up. In anothe
: part of the city General Hoxie an