, 1888-01-22
WATTERSON'S WORDS.
Meeting of the New York
Tariff Reform Club.
The Courier Journal" Editor
Speaks to the Point
In Defense of the Presidential
Message.
For Tariff Reform.

NEW YoRK, Jan. 2l.-The tariff re-
form club gave a dinner tonight to $50
guests. After dinner half a score of
guests discussed the issue of tariff reform,
Arson Phelps Stokes presiding. The
speakers were Hon. w. Q. II. Brecken-
ridge of Kentucky, Hon. Melbourne III.
Ford OF Michigan, Hon. Henry Waiter
son of Kentucky, Hon. M. d. Harter of
Ohio and a number of local speakers.
President Stokes 10 his address said
that the presidential election turned upon
tariff reform, and j. p. Townsend's reso-
luton endorsing CleYeland's message was
adopted.
Hon. w. G. II. Breckenridge then re-
sponded to the toast tariff reform"
breckenridge, referring to his W re-
corded stand against the abolition of tax
on tobacco, said he would rather have it
reduced than that no action should be
taken in the matter OF tariff reform. He
spoke in scathing terms of the concessions
to Republicans, and said the public credit
had been handled so that it was loaned
for private emolumcnt. This very month
wool manufacturers and SO called wool
growers met to determine u wool tariff to
be adopted by the congress of tie United
States for their benefit. 1t had never oc-
Cured to them that there were GO, 600, 900
people who might be concerned in the
matter. Mr.. Breckenridge asked how
long the people would allow the wool to
be pulled over their eyes in this matter.
The Reading strike he attributed to the
bad working OF the present iniquitous
system.
Congressman Ford of Michigan spoke
on thu" farmer and tariff, and then came
H. Watterson, editor of the Courier
journal. His subject was THE platform
and the outlook" He said: ''The plat
form is the message-the president mes
sage. The outlook most encouraging.
Considering how the painted harlot OF
protection is whistling to keep her
courage up as she stalks across the
graveyard of false VOWS and broken
promises she has had made, mainly to
the working people, / should call it
assured. For more than a year my fear
has been that we might be able in
advance of our national convention to
close the ranks and move in a solid col
umn against the enemy on distinct
lines Of our own deliberate
choosing, and as | believe nothing clears
the political atmosphere like speaking
right out in meeting, | have given the
administration and the country the best
shot it has afforded in the way of disa,
greeable persistency. The tariff plank
in the last national Democratic platform
was not intended to be a straddle, because,
although the platform committee had
been adroitlY packed in the interest o.
protection, the revenue retormers werC
still strong enough to hold their ground
and to carry all their points.
But 1t was made to seem a straddlc,
hence nothing short of q declaration
which might not bear to the construc,
tons would satisfy the demand of reform
in the national platform, and any one
could not be obtained without a fight and
and possibly a split. Just in the nick Of
time the president came to the rescue
with the wisdom of an impetuous courage
and the craft of a common sense deriving
its strength from its integrity. This
brave and honest man, this puzzle to poll
ticians and the contradiction Of all expe'
%riencc, with a single stroke of his
pen did what might for year.
have bafied the efforts of the
greatest statesmen and philosophers. BY
that act he has reversed the situation
from one of cowardly indecision to one Of
enthusiasm and confidence. Upon the
lines of that message | would rather be
beaten than win upon those of a living
substitute. But we shall not be beaten
Hon. NJ. d. Harter, general manager
of the Mansfield manufacturing industry,
responded to Ohio and the tariff
Other local speakers followed until a late
hour.