Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-04-30
Observation-Disclosures
Two Hundred Leading BOstOnians Form
an Influential Club.


Boston, April 29.-In response to a
call signed by 775 of the leading gentle
men Of Boston, meeting was held this
afternoon to form a tariff reform league.
About 200 gentlemen were present. Henry
L. Pierce was elected Chairman and
Josiah Quincy Secretary.
The Chairman. in his address, said that he
had long felt that movement of this kind
was imperatvely demanded. Even protec-
tionists declared to him q year ago that there
must be a reduction of the revenue. The
tariff commission was appointed, and their as
sertiOn was that the bill which they produced
would reduce the revenue 25 per cent. Con-
gress passed that bill. ave find upon the
practical working of that measure that there
is no reduction whatever, and that that bill
was delusion and snare. We are
confronted by revenue of $l00,000,000
more than the want Of the country requires,
and undertake to say that excepting our
own there is no civilized government or civil
lzed country upon which the sun shines to-
day that would tolerate such a condition OF
things. Although am In favor of reduc-
tion of the tariff said the Chairman, II am
not for reduction of duties upon whisky
ana tobacco. Taking the tax off them and
puttingit upon the necessaries of life is a viO-
lation of the principles of sound economy. but,
gentlemen, you will never see a reduction of
the tariff, or revenue brought down to the
necessary wants of the government by Con-
gress alone. The movement has got to come
from the people. Now, / take it. that the peo-
pie NAV be reached with correct information
upon this subject, and that the extravaganza
and injustice of the denominations of the pres
ent tariff may be thoroughly exposed and laid
before the people in way that they can un-
deFstand it, and that then they will reach
their representatives thereby, The friends of
tariff reform are for bringing the revenue
down to the actual wants and needs of an
economical administration, and they can only
dO this by making the representatives of the
people in both houses of Congress feel that
they have votes to give and votes to withhold,
men who maintain the present abnormal con-
ditiOn of things.
Assistant Attorney General Harvey n.
Shepard was the next Speaker. At the
conclusion of his speech he read the con-
stitution.
1t provides that the organization shall be
known as the Massachusetts Tariff Reform
League. and fOrmulates rules for its govern
ment. This was adopted by the meeting
The constitution declares that the present
enormous surplus in the national revenues
above the public requirements is demoraliz-
ing and dangerous and should be cut down
by removing the burden of taxation from the
necessaries of life and not from whisky and
tobacco and that the policy of taxing i'm
ports, not for revenue but for the purpose of
obstructing trade, is unsound, and that we'll
considered but decisive action looking to its
ultimate abandonment should not longer be
deferred.
gram, which had just been received
WASHINGTON, d. c., April 29.-The call
under which you have assembled has been read
here with great satisfaction. We congratu-
late you and the country upon the great popu-
lar movement you are about to inaugurate IN
New England.
j. G. CARLISLE,
WILLIAM D0RSHEIMER,
WILLIAM NJ. SPRINGER,
JOHN HANCOCK,
w. r, MORRISON.
The following permanent officers were
elected:
PreStdent-Charles Francis Adams. Jr
Wee PTesidentS-Charles X. Goldman, Henry
/. Pierce, Leveret SaltOnstall, VIM. Endicotf,
Jr, Henry p Kidder. A. T. Martin, Charles
4. Russell. J. NJ. Forbes, Frederick O. Prince,
Julius II. Tetterell. Isaac Il. Burr. p. A. Col
Inns, b. +. Spinney, NJ. ID. Spaulding, Joseph
X. Ropes, Henry III. FaXOn, Chas. A. Welch.
William o. Blaney, j. NJ. Dunham and David
Aiken.
Treasurer-Henry Lee.
Secretary-JOsiah Quincy.
An executive committee of 10 was ap-
pointed.
Charles F. Adams was then escorted to
the chair.
He said that while ne was free trader. he
did not consider free trade to day practical
or living issue. We are practical men, and
what Is the question before us / would not
tomorrow. on any consideration, place this
trade. We all recognize the fact
that when you have induced capital
to go INTO myriads of schemes into which per-
haps it never should have ventured, when you
have built up all sorts of industries which YOU
may say should not have existed. when you
nave done all this, you have no right to make
any sudden violent changes which may in
Yolve long train of ruin. 1t is no purpose of
ours to do that. We desire nothing of the
sort. There is no reason why any man who
beneyed In protection in the past should not
strike hands with us and we strike hands with
nm. All that we desire is that these
trammels which have been thrown around
free trade during the last twenty years should
be removed from manufactures-fhesei infants
OF forty years standing. These should now be
placed IN position where they can go out and
compete In the markets of the world. We
have no fear that the work of reform we will
bring about will come with alarming rapidity
The following resolution was referred
to the Executive Committee:
Res0l0ed, That the Executive Committee be
instructed to start petition to the Senators
ana members of Congress from Massachusetts,
to vote for the Morrison tariff bill.
The following were adopted:
ResOlced, That committee be appointed bv
thePresident of this League which shall COM
munlcate personally OF by letter with the re-
spectlve Committees on. Resolutions at both
OF the party conventions tomorrow, and that
they shall endeavOr to secure the adoption of
plank in conformity with the urinciples
enunciated by this League.
ReS0tred, That the League views with great
satisfaction the passage by the House of Re-
presentatives of the Dingey shipping bill
with the free ships amendment
After the appointment of committee
to confer with the Committees on Resolu-
tions at the State Conventions tomorrow
the meeting adjourned.