Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-07-05
A LETTER TO TAmMANx
From Grover Cleveland, the ne
fender of the Peoples Highss.

0s
fender of the Peoples Rights.
New York, July 4.-The Tammanv
Society to-day celebrated the anniversary
OF the Declaration OF Independence.
Usually the celebration takes place in
the Wigwam, but on account of the re-
cent fire, they were to-day compelled to
assemble in the Academy of Music. In
addition to the members of the SC
ciety there occupied seats on
Vest, of Missouri; Roger 8. Mills. Of
Texas; Patrick A. Collins, of Massachu-
setts; James B. McCrary, of Kentucky:
Chas. F. Hooker, of Mississippi; Ben.
jamin F. Shively, of Indiana; Melbourne
II. Ford, of Michigan; VIM. McAdoo, of
New Jersey; s. S. Cox and others, Many
letters of regret were read, among then
one from President Cleveland, in which
he says:
/ cannot doubt that the renewal of tho
love and devotion to pure Jefersonian.
Democratic form OF government which
you contemplate, will suggest the inquiry
whether the people are receiving all the
benefits which are due them under such
form of government. These benefits
are not fully enjoyed when
our citizens are unnecessarily bur-
dened, and their earnings and
incomes are uselessly diminished under
the pretext of governmental support.
Our Government belongs to the people.
They have decreed its purposes and il ia
their clear right to demand that it's cost
shall be limited by frugality, and that it's
burden OF expenses shall be carefully
limited by it's actual needs, and yet the
useless and dangerous surplus in the Ma
tional Treasury tells no other tale but ex-
tortion on the part of the Governments
and the perversion of the peoples intan-.
ton. In the midst of our impetuous en-
terprise and blind confidence in our
destiny. it is time to pauEe and study our
condition. 1t is no sooner appreciated
than the conviction must follow, that the
tribute exacted from the people should
be diminished. The theories which
cloud the subject, misleading honest
men and the appeals to selfish interests
which deceive the understanding,
make the reform which should be easv
a difficult task. Although those Who
purpose the remedy for the present evil
have always been the friends of Ameri-
can labor, and though they declare their
purpose to further its interests in all their
efforts, yet those who oppose reform
attempt to disturb our workingmen bv
the cry that their wants and their em-
ployment are threatened. They advo-
cate a system which benefits certain
classes Of our citizens at the expense
of every household in the land; system
which breeds discomfort because it per-
mits duplication of wealth without
corresponding recompense to labor:
which presents the opportunity to
work by sitting production
and limiting the area Of markets and
which enhances the cost of living be-
yond the laborers' hard earned wages.
An attempt was made to divert the at
tention of the people from the evils of
such scheme of taxation, by branding
those who seek to correct these evils as
free traders and enemies OF our working
men and our industrial enterprises.
This is SO far from the truth
that there should be no chance for
such deception to succeed. 1t behooves
the American people, while they rejoice
in the anniversary of the day when their
free government was declared, to also
reason together and determine that they
will not be deprived of the blessings
which their Government should afford.
Speeches were made by Senator Vest
and Congressman Mills, Cox, Collins,
McCreary, Hooker, shiyely, Maisch
and others.