The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-01-28
THE FREE TRADERS
MEET1Nd IN NPH11ADELPHIA.
ALarro Gathering and Great Enthusiasm.
spollbOuud by KontuOls1'S Great Silver.
TOpEsd OratOr-hugwumPS and Free
Traders in q Common Cause.

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 27.-The tariff
meeting which was held at the Academy
Of Music this evening to "eniOrcs and en-
dorse the recommendations Of President
Arthur and President Cleveland for revs
nue. reform" was one Of the most succest'
full demonstrations OF the character ever
held in this city. The Academy was filled
to the top gallery and most OF those pres'
ent wsre business men. The meeting was
called to order by Mr.. William NJ. Sim
1erly, proprietor Of tho Philadelphia Re,
cord. Mr.. singsFly introduced Mr.. Wilson
Welsh, Of the Commercial Exchange GH
the president OF tho meeting.
The audience was attentive and en-
thusiastic throughout, but the feature Of
the evening was the splendid ovation
0iyen TO Congressman Breckenridge, OF
Kentucky. Nj. Breckenridge had left the
stsVe before tho fist burst Of applause
which followed the conclusion OF hin per
grafton, but was compelled to return by
the cheering audiences, which fairly shout
ed itself hosrse until he stepped again to
the foot lights.
A letter wss read from Hon. John G.
CArlisls. After expressing his regrets he
added these few words: "An early and
substantial reduction OF taxation Is what
the country now most needs, and hope
your meeting will materially assist in
bringing about that result"
The first speaker was Congressman W.
o. P. Breckenridge, who instantly I'M
pressed his audience, and WAS frequently
unable to procsed because OF the applause.
Mr.. Breckenridge was said thpt tho ques-
tion OF taxation was the most important
one with which agovsrnment had to deal,
A congress had but recently refused the
question consideration, but since then a
great brave President had declared that
tho tariff is to-day the one question most
worthy OF the attention Of Congress, and
OF the attention Of the country. The CUR
plus now accommodating 10 so much sub.
tracted from tho business enterprises OF
the country; ioslersd corruption and was
a perpetual menacs to honest govern
ment. But great aa these are, he con-
tinued, they are the least Of the evils
which confront Us now, for this
accumulaing surplus threatens busi.
ness panics and Ia educating the
people to false ideas OF their
relations TO the Government. The money
In the Treasury is not the money OF the
Government, It is the money Of the peo.
pie, wrung from them by false and
wrong policy Of taxation. Twenty-seven
years ago our Gag wSs in every port
now 1t Is in SCARCELY any. The trade
Of Canads, of South America, Of
Mexico has been takon by other nations
and los! to us by this false system which
makes the rich richer, but makes the
poor poorer" But there ia something
wrong In Pennsylvania. The people Of
this State have not been with
ont labor strike for the
past ton years. When labor is
dIscontented the ryBtem must bB wrong.
We don't have tranquility OF labor becauee
our system Ia false and we must abandon
it. Whist Is wanted 10 for the laboTing
peopls to get out Of their minds the
idea that the labor OF America needs
protection sgainst the pauper labor
Of Europe, and to get into 1t that the best
protection for labor is independent man
hood. The idea Of protecting our infant
Industries. The Oldest Of these infants IN
this country 10 now nearly one hundred
years old, snd still has its mouth to the
sucking bottle"
Ex-Oongreasman Hurd, Of OHIO, wsu in.
troduced, and was received with very
warm applause, He proceeded to enter
into an elaborate argument to demonstrate
that the tariff was not in reality q pro-
lection to American labor and American
enterprise, but in some instances the
handmade 10 monopoly.