The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-04-30
TARIFF REFORM,
Formation of League in Bos tom and
O@cers Electcd-Represenfati Ding
ley's shipping bill Endorsed.

BOSTON, April 29.-About 200 gentlemen re-
sponded to the call of the leading business
men OF this city this afternoon to form tariff
reform league. Hon. Henry L. Pierce was
elected Chairman and Joshua Quincy secre-
tary The chairman, in addressing the meet
ing, said, II have long telt that movement
OF this kind was imperatively demanded. Even
protectionists declared that there must
be q reduction of the revenue. The Tar
III Commission asserted that a reduction of Is
per cent. would be the result il the bill they
produced was passed. Congress passed the
bill and we find there is no reduction what
ever nd the bill was delusion and a snare.
A rev snue OF more than 800 600 600 had been
-sgollected over the requirements of the coun-
TRY, and there is no civilized country under the
sun Except our own which would tolerate
such condition of things. Taking the tax off
tobacco and whiskey and putting it on the
necessaries of life is violation of the princi-
pies of sound economy. Friends of tariff re-
form are for bringing the revenue down to the
actual wants OF an economical administration,
and this can only be done by the people
Withholding their votes from the men who
maintain the present abnormal condition of
things.
Assistant Attorney General Shepard next
addressed the meeting and read the constitu-
ton, which provided that the organization
shall be known as the Massachusetts Tariff
government, were adopted. The constitution
declares that the present enormous surplus of
national revenues above public requirements
is demoralizing and dangerous and should be
cut down by removing the burden of taxation
from the necessaries of life and not from
whiskey and tobacco, and that the policy of
taxing imports not for revenue but for the
purpose Of obstructing trade is unusual and its
abandonment should no longer be deferred.
Other gentlemen followed in the same
strain. A committee on resolution was then
chosen, and while they were out a committee
on finance and ways and means was appointed.
The chairman then read the following tele-
gram:
The call under which you have assembled has
been read here and gave great satisfaction. We
congratulate you and the country upon the great
popular movement which you are about to inaugu-
rate in New England.
Signed j. G. Carlisle, William Dorsheimer, Will
liam NJ Springer, John Hancock, W. R. Morri-
son.
The following resolution was adopted:
That the Massachusetts, Tariff Reform League
urges upon Massachusetts Democrats and Repub
ncans TO be convened in party councils tomorrow
the consideration of the tariff laws as to secure
the motion of a sound policy of national reform,
and that the secretary be Instructed to transmit
copy of these resolutions to the conventions.
The following officers were unanimously
oioOIous IEeSluoutJ On2rl6S ffanclS ADAMS,
Jr.; vice presidents, Charles r. Goldman, Hem
~ L. Pierce, Lsverett Saltonstall, William
EndicOtt, Jr., Henry P. Kidder. A. T. Martin,
Oharles Theodore Russell, j. M. Fortus,
Frederick 0. Prince, Julius II. Seelye, Isaac
7. Burr, 2. A. Collins, B. f. Spinney M. d.
Spa1lding, Joseph s. Ropes, Henry Il. Fax
on, Charles A. WEIGH, William o. Blaney, j.
M. Durham, David Aiken; treasurer, Henry
Lee secretary, Josiah Quincy and an execu-
tive committee of Is.
Charles Francis Adams then took the chair
and said that while be was a free trader he
did not consider free trade practical or a liv-
ing issue. We are practical men and would
not tomorrow place this country on basis of
Tree trade. We will recognize the fact that
when you have induced capital to go into
myriads of schemes, into which perhaps it
neYe should have ventured; when you have
quit up all sorts Of industries which you may
say should not have existed; when
You have done all this you have
no right to make any sudden or violent change
which may involve a long train of ruin. 1t is
no purpose OF ours to do that, and we desire
nothing of the sort. There is no reason why
any man who believed in protection in the
past, should not strike hands with us and we
with him. All We desire is that these tram
mels which have been thrown around the
trade the past twenty years should, as far as
possible, be removed from manufactures
IL was resolved that a petition be started to
the senators and members in Congress from
Massachusetts to vote for the Morrison tariff
bill. Mr.. Clafin offered this resolution, which
was accepted:
Resolved, That the league views with great salts
faction the passage by the House of Representative
Ongleys shipping bill with free ships amend
ment.
After the appointment of committee to
confer with the committee on resolutions In
the State convention tomorrow the meeting
adjourned.