The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1889-01-05
SOME WHOLESOME DOCTRINE.

banquet OF the Massachusetts tariff
reform league took place at the Hotel
Vendome in this city this evening and
proved to be one of the most brilliant
political gathering for years. The
principal guest of the evening was
United States Secretary of the Trea
sury Fairchild. Among the others
were President Eliot, of Harvard col
lege, Colonel Il. W. Higginson, the
Hon. z. A. Collins, the Hon. George
5. Hale, G. r. Goldman, the Hon.
Leopold Morse, Jesse MetcaIf and w.
M. Endicott. The Hon. w. E. Russell
presided, and in his opening speech
said the gathering was not one of in
terested capitalists to rejoice over a
political victory, but gathering in the
interests of the propagation of a great
political economic reform. All that
fell to him was to raise the curtain.
He referred to those present who had
come from positions of high trust in
the nation, land referring to the election
he said there was misfortune III the
defeat of President Cleveland, a brave
and honest man who refused to catch
at votes when his country's good was
at stake. Three cheers were here
given for President Cleveland. The
presidents letter was then read and
was received with great applause.
When this had abated President Cleve-
lands health was drunk standing.
THE PRESIDENT CONFIDENT.
The letter of President Cleveland
was as follows:
Executive Mansion, Washington, d.
c., Dec. 24.-Gentlemen: am exceed
ingly sorry that l can not be present at
the annual dinner of the Massachusetts,
tariff reform league on the 2Sth inst.
This is not merely formal and COM
mon expression of regret. 1t truly i'll
dicates how much L should enjoy meet
ing the members of your leagne and
how glad l should be to express in
person my appreciation of their impor-
tant services in q cause to which am
earnestly attached, and to acknowledge
at the same time their frequent aud
encouraging manifestations of personal
triedliness. l know, too, that it would
be profitable and advantageous to be
even for q brief period within the in
spring influence OF the atmosphere
surrounding patriotic and unselfish
men, banded together in the interests
of their fellow countrymen and deyot-
ed to the work of tariff reform.
This reform appears to be as far
reaching in its purposes as the destiny
of our country and as broad in its bene.
ticence az the welfare of our entire
people. 1t is because the efforts of its
advocates are not discredited by any
sordid motives that they are able bold
ly and confidently to attack the strong
holds of selfishness and greed. Oul
institutions were constructed in purity
of purpose and love for humanity,
Their operation is adjusted to the touch
OF national virtue and patriotism and
their results under such guidance must
be the prosperity and happiness of our
people; and so long as the advocates ol
tariff reform appreciate the sentiments
in which our institutions had their
origin; so long as they apprehend the
forces which alone can guide their Ope.
ration; so long as they in spirit OF
true patriotism are consecrated to the
service of their country, temporary
defeat brings no encouragement. 1t
but proves the stubbornness of the
forces OF combined selfshness and dis
SioeCS hOW iai thO pCopio uafO oCCu
led astray and how great is the neces
sity of redoubled efforts in their behalf.
To lose faith in the intelligence of the
people is surrender and an abandon
ment of the struggle. To arose their
intelligence and free II from darkness
and delusion gives assurance of speedy
and complete victory.
In the track of reform are often found
the dead hopes OF pioneers and the
despair of those who fall in the march. h.
But there will be neither despair nor
dead hopes In the path OF tariff reform !;
nor shall its pioneers fail 10 reach the
heights. Holding fast their faith and
rejecting every ailurlng overture and
every deceptive compromise which
would betray their sacred trust, they
themselves shall regain and restore the
patrimony of their counlrymen, freed
from the trespass of grasping encroach
ment and safety secured by the genius
of American justice and equality. Yours
very truly, GROVER CLEVELAND.
THE ONE GREAT ISSUE.
Mr. Russell then introduced Secre-
tary F'airchild as representative of
the administration. After expressing
his appreciation of the honor conferred
league, he said that the election had by
no means decided the question of the
tariff and tariff reform. The struggle
had only begun and the end was not
yet. "The record of the late canvass"
he went n,'brings no encouragement
to our cause, but ON the contrary high
hopes for the future. 1t shows us that
where intellect was aroused, thought
invoked and experience appealed to,
we made great gains; that We lost only
in those places where mind was domi-
mated by passion; where partisanship
and the blind prejudice of race and Sec
ton overcome benevolence and love
tor whole country. 1t was true the
tariff should be settled and forever re-
moved from the demain of politics, for
it not only disturbs business, but, in
tinitely worse, it prevents the simple
purpose of universal beneficence fol
which alone our go, ernment is fitted
1t converts our Legislative halls into
scenes of barter between conflicting
interests, where wrangles over means
to enable men to get more and still
more money from our citizens becomes
the chief characteristic of the peoples
representatives. 1t degrades business
| and often makes success therein the
prize of dishonor. 1t corrupts the peo
pie. But how can this question bt
settled? There are two kinds of So
called protective tariff--the old faahiOn
| ed, now nearly obsolete, that of Henry
Clay, sometimes called 'the promotion
of infant industries the underlying
principles of which was, if rightly
understand it, that there were certain
important industries which, if sustaine,
| by the promise OF an assured marke
in this country, would in a shor
time become so established tina
they could give their products t,
our people as cheaply as they could b'
bought anywhere in the world; tht
other modern protective tariff which