Omaha daily bee., 1888-12-29
TARIFF REFORMERS MEET.
Annual Banquet of tho Massachu-
setts League.
uNoiscoURAGED BY DEFEAT
They Still Have Faith I'm the Justice
of Their Cause and Unabatcd
Confidence in lts Ulti-
mate Success.


| bNNIVN, DtCs -N.--l tic dUlludl OUuUueu Oh
the Massachusetts Tariff Reform league took
place at the Hotel Veudomc this evening.
| The principal guest of the evening was Sec
| retary Of the Treasury Fairchild. Hon. w.
L. Russell presided and in the opening
speech said the gathering was not one OF in.
tcrcsted capitalists to rejoice over political
victory, but gathering in the interest of the
! propagation of a great political economic re-
form. A letter was then read from President
Cleveland, as follows
EXECUTIVE MANSION, WAsuiNGToN, Dec.
| 4.-Messrs. Sherman, Hoar and others,
| Committee: Gcntlemen-l am exceedingly
| sorry that cannot be present at the annual
| dinner of the Massachusetts Tariff Reform
| formal and common expression of regret. 1t
| truly indicates how much | should
| enjoy meeting the members of your
| league, and how glad | should be
| to express in person my appreciation of their
Important services in the cause to which |
| am earnestly attacned, and to acknowledge
| at the same time their frequent and cncour-
| aging manifestations of personal frondli-
| ness. know too, that it would be profta-
| bic and advantageous to be, even for u brief
period within the inspiring influence of the
atmosphere surrounding the patriotic and
unselish men banded together in the inter-
ests of their fcllOw-countrymeu and devoted
to the work of tariff reform. This reform
appears to me to be as far-rcaching in its
purposes as the destiny of our country, and
as broad in its beneticonce rs the welfare of
our entire people. IT is because the efforts
of its advocates are not uscreditcd by any
sordid motives that they are able boldly
and confidently TO attack the strong
holds of seltishness and greed
Our institutions were constructed
in purity of purpose and love Cor humanity
Their operation is adjusted to the touch of
national virtue and patriotism. and their re
suits under such guidance must be the pros
"A ~
long as the advocates of tariff reform appre-
Ciatc the sentiments in which our institutions
had their origin: long as they apprehend
the forces which alone can guide their
operations; SO long as they, in the spirit of
true patriotism, are consecrated to the ser
vice of their country. temporary defeat
brings no encouragement 1t but proves
the stubbornness of the forces of combined
scltshncss and di5closes how far the people
have been led astray, and how great is the
necessity of redoubed efforts in their be.
halt. To lose faith in the intelligence of the
people is surrender and an Abandonment
of the struggle. To arouse their
intelligence and free it from darkness and
delusuSion gives assurance of speedy and
complete victory. In the track of reform
are often found the dead hopes of pioneers
and the despair Of those who fall in the
march. But there will be neither despair nor
dead hopes in the path of tariff REFORM nor
shall It's pioneers fail to reach the heighths,
holding fast their faith and rejecting every
alluring overture, and every deceptive com
promise which would betray their sacred
trust, they themselves shall regain and re
store the patrinony to their countrymen,
freed from the trespass of grasping cncroach-
ment and safely secured by the genius of
American justice and equality Yours very
truly, GROVER CLEVELAND.
The presidents health was then drank
standing Secretary Fairchid was then in
trOduced and in the course of his speech said
the election had by no means decided the
Question Dt tariff and tariff rnfnrm The -
cord of the late canvass brings high hopes
for the future We lost only in those places
where the mind was dominated by passion
where partisanship and blind prejudice of
race and section overcame bcnevolence and
love for whole country The tariff should
be settled and removed forever from the
domain of politics, for it not only disturbs
business, but prevents. the simple
purpose of universal beneicence
for which alone our government
is fitted. 1t converts our legislative halls
INTO scenes of barter between conflicting in
terests whore wrangles over the means to
enable men to get more and still more money
from our citizens becomes the chief charac-
teriStic of the peoples representatives. How
can this question be settled! The statement
of the principles Of modern protective tariff
shows it can't be settled. 1t could even be
embodied in the constitution. We have but
to provide that no articles which can be pro-
duced or made in this, country, shall
be imported, or that they shall be
subjected to duty of say 1000
per cent ad valorem. This would settle the
question and remove it forever from politics.
This settlement, however, can only be had
after the principle involved has been held
naked before the people and approved by an
overwhelming majority. This question has
not yet been so presented to the people and
the blame for its non-prcsentment rests with
those business men and manufacturers who
were so active in the late campaign and who
will now complain that your agitation tends
to disturb that which, for their interest,
ought 5"5 that be this settled aooern We tar are
idea is popular in some of the southern
states. and that the party who advocates it
will soon be strengthened by their support.
This may, or may not. be true If any of
those states can be gained, after argument
fairly made, it must be remembered that
many northern man must be released Tor
broader thought, and that the exchange thus
made will be an advantage TO the great cause
we call our own.
Representative Fitch of New York said
President Cleveland's message had voiced
the principles held by many leading republi-
cans.
Letters of regret were read from Secretary
Endicott, President Hyde, of Bowdoin col
lege; Carl Schur2 and others, Also the fol
lowing from Speaker Carlisle:
Speaker Carlisle expressed his regret at |
not being able 10 be present and said: Under |
the circumstances, all can do is to send you |
the assurance of my warmest sympathy with |
every effort that may be made |
TO advance the peoples cause IN |
the struggle now going on between |
tho friends of industrial freedom and the |
bcnefciaries OF industrial slavery. This |
struggle has just commenced in this country,
and those who drlude themselves with the |
hope that it will be abandoned before the |
triumph of right over wrong, are simply aug
menting the weight of the blow that will in |
evitably fall upon them in the future. This |
is not a threat but friendly warning The |
history of all movements for necessary SO
cial or political reforms show that they grow /
more radical by opposition and delay, and it |
would be wise and patriotic upon the part of |
our opponents to recognize the |
inevitable and accede TO reasonable
demands now, rather than be |
forced to accept harder terms hereafter. So
far, the sentiment in favor Of reduction of |
taxation and the removal of commercial re-
strictions has been conservative, and IL il |
does not continue 10 be so, the responsibility |
will rest solely on those who unreasonably OPP
pose it. They alone can stop the agitation,
or conhne it, within reasonable grounds by |
proper concessions to the demands Of the
people. The result of the contest in which
we are engaged is not in the least doubtful,
and unless the evils OF which
we complain are removed, which is not at
all probable, the agitation should go right on
with increased vigor and force until the pub
lie judgment and conscience refuse to Justify
or condone them. Nothing has yet occurred