Evening journal., 1888-12-29
EXECUTIVE MANSION.

~ ~.
Messrs.. Sherman Hoar and others, committee:
GENTLEMEN am exceedingly sorry TINT l can
not be present at the annual dinner Of the Massa-
chusetts Tariff Reform league on the 2Sth inst
This is not merely formal and common express
sion Of regret. II truly indicates how much
should enjoy meeting the members OF your
league, and how glad should be 10 express in
person my appreciation of their important sery-
ices in a cause to which am earnestly attached
and TO acknowledge at the same time their fire.
quent and encouraging manifestations Of per-
sonal friendliness
know, too, that it would be profitable and ad.
yantageous TO be even for a brief period within
the inspiring influence of the atmosphere sur
rounding patriotic and unsefish men, banded to.
gether ia the interests of their fellow country
men and devoted to the work of tariff reform.
This reform appears to me To be as far reaching
IN its purposes as the destiny Of country, and
as broad in its beneheence as the welfare Of our
entire people
1t is because the efforts Of its advocates are not
discredited by any sordid motive; that they are
able boldly and confidently, 20 attack the strong
holds Of selflshness and greed Our institutions
we're constructed In purity of purpose and love
for humanity. Their operation is adjusted to the
touch Of national virtue and patriotism. and their
results, uxder such guidance must be the pros
perity and happiness Of our people, aud so long
as the advocates of tariff reform appreciate the
sentiments in which our institutions had tLeir
origin; 50 long as they apprehend the forces
which alone can guide their operations; so long
as they, in spirit of true patriotism, are conse.
Grated 70 the service of their country, Temporary
defeat brings no Encouragement. It,hut proves
the stubbornness Of the forces OF combined self
ishness, and dtscloses how far the people have
been led astray and how great Is the necessity Of
.redoubled efforts in their behalf
To lose faith IN the intelligence Of the people Is
a surrender and an abandonment OF the struggle.
n nnH q
darkness and delusion gives assurance OF speedy
and complete victory
In the track Of reform ere often the dead hopes
Of pioneers and the despair Of those who fall in
the march But there win be neither despair
nor dead hopes in the path OF tariff reform nor
shall its pioneers fail to reach the heights
Holding fast their faith and rejecting every
allurng overture and every deceptive cempro-
mise which would betray their sacred trust they
themselves shall regain and restore the patri-
mony Of their countrymen, freed from the tres
pass Of grasping encroachment and safely se-
cured by the genius Of American justice and
equality. Yours very truly,
GROVER CLEVELAND
The applause which followed the reading
of the letter having abated, President Cleve-
lands health was drunk standing Another
three cheers was given, and then Mr.. Russell
introduced Secretary Fairchild as a repre-
sentative Of the administration.
Mr. Fairchild was received with cheers
and clapping of hands. After expressing his
appreciation OF the honor conferred by ask
ing him to be the guest OF the league, he.said
the election had by no means decided the
questions Of the tariff and tariff reform. The
struggle had only begun.
Speaker Carlisle sent lettar expressing
his regret at not.being able to be present, and
among other things saying: Under the cir
cumstances all can do is to send you the as
snrance of my warmest sympathy with
every effort that may be made to advocate
the peoples cause in the struggle now going
ON between the friends of industrial freedom
and the beneficiaries of industrial slavery.
This struggle has just commenced in this
country, and those who delude themselves
with the hope that it viii be abandoned be-
fore the triumph Of right over nTong are
simply augmenting the weight Of the blow
that will inevitably fall upon them in the
future This is not threat, but a friendly
warning
Speeches were also made by Gen. P. A.
Collins, Congressman Ashbel r. Fitch. .of
New York, who said the presidents message
voiced the sentiments Of many leading Rs
publicans; President Eliot, Of Harvard; Col
7. W. Higginson, Leopold Morse and others.