Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-04-28
FOR REVENUE REFORM.
BOSTON BUSINESS MEN WORK
ING FOR LOWER TAXES.

Leading Capitalists of Every Branch of
Mercantile Life Lending Their Names
to Can for the Formation of a Club
Bad Effects of the surplus.
For several weeks past, SAYS the Boston
Herald of the 25th instant, quiet move
ment has been in progress among the
business men of Boston, and OF other
cities Of the State, looking to the formation
of revenue reform club. The can for a
meeting TO advance the matter received
an unexpected number of important sig
natures. When the movement began.
under the auspices of outspoken free
traders, it was predicted by certain pro-
tectiOnists, who had knowledge Of what
was going on, that no success would be
had among Boston business men. But it
appears that of the tifty-tw0
national banks situated in the city
proper thirty-fOur are represented
lures of the President or Cashier, or both
Ten of the most prominent private
bankers, being all who were applied to,
signed the call. In the shoe and leather
trade twenty-fOur manufacturers of those
applied to signed, and four refused. In
the sugar trade twenty signed and two
refused. In the crOckery trade eighteen
wholesale grOcers signed and two re-
fused. Except as above indicated, no
systematic canvass was made, but it ap-
pears from the reports of the gentlemen
who have assisted in collecting names
that fully three-quarters of all those who
were applied to signed the call, and that
many of those who refused were in
sympathy with the movement, but for
various reasons were unwilling to give
public expression to their views. The
entire list OF names, with addresses, is to
be printed in circular form for the use of
Massachusetts Congressman and such
others as may care to subject i to further
examination and analysis.
Outside Of Boston a large number Of
signatures have been obtained. In all
there are about 700, and so easily were
signers obtained to the call that the num-
Der could have been quadrupled with lit
tie effort. The projectors of the move
ment are earnest free traders, and the
success Of their effort has far exceeded
their most sanguine expectations. The
purpose Of the projectors and their assO-
ciates is permanently 70 establish in
Massachusetts taritf-reform or free
trade club, the title not being a matter Of
much Importance, to disseminate tariff
reform literature, and to stake hand" in
political contests wherein tariff matters
may fairly be considered an issue. Fol
lowing is the call:
"The undersigned, believing that the
present enormous surplus in the national
revenues Is demOraliZing and dangerous;
that it should be cut down without fur
ther delay, not by increasing the public
expenditure, but by lessening the burden
of taxation; that this burden should be
removed from the necessaries of life, and
not from whisky and tobacco, and that
the policy Of taxing imports, not for the
purpose Of raising revenue, but of OBJ
structing trade, is unsOund and must III
timately be abandoned, invite all those
who hold these views to meet at Young's
Hotel, Boston, room i, on Tuesday,
April %, at p. m, for the purpose of
forming a league for their advancement"