The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-22
REFoRMER wATTERsoN.
he Describes Protection in Unparliamentary
Language and EulOgizes Cleveland

rcore of the guests discussed the issues OF tariff
reform. Anson Phelps Stokes presided The
makers were Hon. W. c. p. Breckinrdge,
Df Kentucky; Hon. Melbourne FL. Ford,
Of Michigan; Hon. Henry Watterson, OF
Kentucky; Hon. M. d. Harter, Of Ohio.
and number of local speakers. President
Stokes was the first speaker. He said that new
or before had the people shown such o general
and intense interest in the discussion OF econo-
mic questions. The great presidential election
of this year turned upon tariff reform The
large surplus in the Treasury had alarmed all
honest people The Presidents wise, prudent
practical, patriotic message had sounded the
note of warning. The coal miners In Pennsyl-
vania, the wool manufacturers OF New England.
the farmers in the south and
West had como to doubt, at ieast the
advantages of protection. The Tariff Reform
Club welcomed tariff reformers generally. in
GLIDING those who would lessen the duty on
single raw material and those who would lift
some tariff burdens from consumers, those who
would do away with protection and those who
would abolish all custom houses.
Mr. J. p. Townsend, president OF the Maritime
Exchange, offered the following:
We. The members Of the Reform Club, indorse the
message of President Cleveland TO Congress concern
ing the reduction of the tariff taxation.
LIZ WAS unanimously ADOPTED
Hon. w. G. p. Breckenridge then responded
TO the toast, 'Tarif Reform" Mr.. Breckin-
ridge. in opening. paid tribute to Henry Waiter
son. who sat at his right, and said Mr.. Waiter
SON was leader whose follower he was
Hon. Melbourne Fl. Ford, of Michigan. re-
sponded to ''Ths Farmer and the Tariff" The
next speaker was Henry Watterson. who said:
ST rise with difidence and trepidation. Some
how the impression has been conveyed to me
that am expected to stir your enthusiasm by q
great array of statistical information and to
amuse you with a faeetious and ford burst of fg-
ures, not of speech, but of schedules and classif
cation In these lines of the rhetoric art, believe
matters OF fact and tackle the truth. The plat
form Ia the message-the Presidents message.
The outlook Is most encouraging. Considering
how the painted harlot of protection is whistling
TO keep her courage MP she stalks across the
graveyard of false vows and broken promises
she has made-mainly to the work people
o. year my fear has been that we might
not be able, In advance OF our national conven-
ton, to close ranks and move in solid column
against the enemy on distinct lines OF our own
deliberate choosing, and as believe that nothing
clears the political atmosphere like plain speak
ing right out in meeting. have given the adj
ministration and the country the best the shop
has afforded in the way of disagreeable persist
ency and the sincerest candor 1t was obvious
my mind that unless we could agree in Con-
gress should not agree in convention. The
tariff plank il the last national Democratic plat
form was not intended to be straddle because.
although the platform committee had
of protection, the revenue reformers
were still strong enough to hold their
ground and to carry all their points But it
was made to seem q straddle. Hence nothing
short of a. declaration which might u OF bear two
constructions would satisfy the demand of
form in the next national platform, and any one
could see that this could not be obtained without
a fight, and possibly a split
Just in the nick of time the President came
to the rescue With the wisdom of an impetu-
courage and the craft of a common sense,
deriving its strength from it's integrity. this
brave and honest man, this puzzle to the politi-
clans and contradiction of all experience-with
years have bafIled the efforts Of the greatest
statesmen and philosophers. By that
act he has reversed the situa-
to one of enthusiasm and confidence. He has
forced the enemy back behind his earthworks,
and warned stragglers to come into camp Upon
the lines of that message l would rather be
beaten than win upon those of a lying substi-
tute But we shall not be beaten. The Presi-
dents words are presaees of victory. They re-
move all obstruction from our march of progress
and reform. They lead us out of the bushes
and into the highway. An honest Democrat
may now hold up his head, look the world in the
face and call his soul his own without a furtive
side glance at the Republicans.
II believe in clearly -defined political differ
enees, stubborniy and honestly maintained upon
the open field of party combat. and loving
man less because because he does not agree with
me touching public policies, detest him most
who let's Il dare not wait upon would and
possesses neither the candor nor the courage of
his convictions But thousand purposes are
ascribed by the protectionists to the party of
revenue reform which never cross the mind OF
any responsible revenue reformer. These we may
now disavow. The policy of evasion and repres-
sion to De succeeded by a policy of fair and
free discussion and TINS sc, the be1 Re eae
to be nightly pleased with. Let us in the
coming battle give them their belly full Of IT,
Let us go to the people of the East, we have
gone to the people Of the West and the South,
with the truth. The period OF agitation has
passed. Thanks to the President, have the
ear OF the Nation. The period of Affirmation
and construction is upon us, and it's vocal organs
not those of exclamation, but of practical
business. When we seek to arrest the
attention OF ..vs.. friend sSs vo across h see
we have him face to face, we proceed in lower
tone to tell him why we stopped him and what
we want So is it with the movement for reve-
nue. reform. Its friends have for years sought
by agitation to direct the attention of thinking
men to the evils of a tax system full of Unequal
ity and false pretenslon. Iney nave succeeded;
and they prepared to apply definite
measures and methods of reform to the disor-
der. But these uowise precipitate or ex
treme. They contemplate revolution. They
propose ut one and the same time to reduce both
taxation and revenue. and to effect this on the
lines laid down SO admirably by the President in
his message.
And how are we met in this patriotic pur-
pose by the protectionists? With every manner
of misrepresent ation and jeer. All along the
Republican line word has gone forth that we are
N band of incendiaries bent upon blowing up the
custom-h houses and burning down the factories,
and generally DESTROYING the business of the
country. This is as if, having awakened your
neighbor to tell him his house is afre, he should
denoupce you for a burglar and call the police.
Every day we are assured that the President
does not know his own mind; that the message
means nothing at all; that it was thrown out
merely feeler.' and that there
Is something back of it which will
presently appear and surprise every body. In
short. all the devices of ingenious perverson are
put forth to confuse our counsels and mislead
vosers and wish could say that these devices
are employed only by professional
mics. Unfortunately, there are those
who, masqueraded as Democrats, make it
the business of their lives to play
into the hands of the enemy. They
are protectionists first Democrats afterward.
In the end when the process of the redstribu-
ton and readjustmento of party forces. now going