The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-01-28
DOWN WITH HIGH TARIFF
AN ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING AT
PHILADELPHIA.

Congressman breckenridge, or Ken
lucky, Takes the Quakers by Storm
Letters of Regret Read from Many
Prominent Gentlemen-The Audience
Composed Mainly of Business Men.
PHILADELPHIA, PA, Jan 27-The tariff
reform meeting which was held at
the Academy of Music this evening
''to enforce and indorse the recon-
mendations of President Arthur and Presi-
dent Cleveland for revenue REFORM" was
one of the most successful demonstrations
of the character ever held in this city. The
Academy was filled to the top gallery,
and most of those present were
business men. The meeting was called
to order by William NJ. Singeriy, proprietor
of the Philadelphia Record, who has been
chiefly instrumental in arranging the affair.
Mr. Singerly introduced Wilson Welsh, of
the Commercial Exchagc, as President of
the meeting. Ex-Secretary of State
| William =. Stenger was elected Secretary,
and 250 business men who signed the call
! for the meeting were constituted Vice
| Presidents. There was a spruklng Of
! ladies through the audience and one of the
boxes was filled with large party of ladies
and gentlemen.
| on THE STAGE.
Upon the large stage of the Academy
! there were over 200 well-known Philadel-
! phia citizens of both parties. Among them
were ex-Gov. Henry VI. Hoyt and his sue
| cessor, eX-Gov. Rob ert PattisOn, chairman
| of the Pacific Railroad Commission; George
| w. Biddle, Walter Wood, William Brice,
Henry Flanders and c. McMurtrie. The
audience was attentive and enthusi-
astic throughout, but the feat
ure of the evening was the
| splendid ovation given to Congressman
| Breckinridge, Of Kentucky. Mr.. Breclln-
ridge had left the stage before the first burst
of applause which followed hls peroration,
but was compelled to return by the cheering
audience, which fairly shouted itself hOarse
until he stepped again to the tootlights.
With a voice full of emotion, Mr. Breckin
ridge thanked the audience for so uneXpect-
ed greeting to one who was almost a stran-
ger to a Philadelphia audience.
CALLED TO ORDER
1t was but a few minutes past o'clock
when Mr. Welsh assumed the duties of the
chair. He said that the significance of this
| demonstration consisted not only in an aSso-
citation in necess ty for tartr revision and
reform, but also the right and necessity for
a fair, manly, intelligent discussion of the
questions appertaining to it. The
American people are entitled to judge
and know the result OF this dis
cuSsion, whether those who believe in
the magnificent and unequaled resources of
their country, and in the ability of their
cOuntryInen to develop and utilize those
resources, are less wise and patriotic than
those who contend that we are unable to
compete with the inferior resources and in
feriOr methods that exist throughout
Europe in almost every particular.
LETTERS OF REGRET
Letters of regret were read from Hugh
McCulOch and S. 5. Cox, who says: 81 do not
know if | were present that | could add
anything to the discussion OF the industrial
business or constitutional question involved
in revenue reform But my wishes
go with all Just, moderate
and economic efforts to relieve labor, and to
hteralize our fiscal and taxing systems"
jackson 5. Schultz, of New York; Speaker
Carlisle who writes: IAN early and sub
stantia! reduction of taxation is what the
country now most needs, and | hope your
meeting will materially assist in bringing
about that result William L. Scott; Sec
retary Fairchild and Others. Secretary
Fairchid writes: The call for the meet
ing tonight described the true protective
tariff, based upon due consideration of all
the interests of the people. 1t described
what the tariff will be if the people study
the subject and act upon their convictions
after such study. l regret that | cannot
attend, but if ! were there | could only en-
phasize what my lamented predecessor said
so well and after mature dellberation; and
he but followed the precepts of two Secre-
taries who held Office before him. Our
people, to prosper, must be free. Let them
reason together how best to secure and
maintain their freedom"
MR.. BRECKINRIDGE's SPEECH.
The first speaker introduced was Con-
gresham W. c. p Breckinridge, who in
stantly impressed his audience, and was
frequently unable to proceed because of APP
platlse. Mr.. Breckenridge said that the
question of taxation was the most impor-
tant one with which the'government had to
deal, and that that question was now before
the American people in an imperative man.
ner. Congress had but recently refused the
question consideration, but since then the
great, brave President ha declared that the
tariff is to-day the one question the most
worth the attention of Congress and Of the
country. The surplus now accumulating is
so much subtracted from the business Ell
terprises of the country: it fostered corrup-
ton and was a perpetual menace to honest
government. But great as these are they
are the least of the evils which confront us
now, for this accommodating surplus threat
ems business panicS and Is educating the peo-
ple TO false ideas of their relations to the
government.
NOT A PATERNAL GOVERNMENT.
''This is not paternal government. This
government is but trustee of the people,
with powers limited bya deed of trust which
we call the constitution. The money in the
Treasury is not the money OF the govern
ment it is the money of the people, wrung
from them by false and wrong policy of
taxation Twenty-se' en- years ago our flag
was in every port, now it is scarcely in any.
The trade of Canada, of South America,
and of Mexico, has been taken by
other nations and lost to Ils
by the false system which makes the rich
richer, but the poor poorer. We cannot
carry cargoes 20 other ports because we can
not bring back to our prOtecton-curse1
country cargo from foreign ports in re
turn. To obtain some idea Of what we can
do look at the leather trade of the country
and how it has thriyen since we allowed
hides to come III free. Before that
we exported leather by the hundreds
of thousands of dollars worth
Der wear, now we export it by millions of
dollars worth per year. We are getting
along thought said the speaker, "and re-
gard it as a great element of progress that
Frank Hurd and ] are here in Philadelphia
talking tariff reform before such an audi
ence Of Philadelphia business men and man
ufacturers as this"
ExToLLING THE PRESIDENT.
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