Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-01-10
BATTLING FOR REFORM.
What Was Said at the Annual Banque.
of the massachusetts, League.

What Was Said at the Annual Banquet.
of the massachusetts League.
The annual banquet of the Massa-
chusetts Ta1iff-Reforn League, which
took place at the Hotel Vendome,
Boston. proved to be one of the most
brilliant political gatherings OF the
season. The principal guest of the
evening was United States Secretary
of the Treasury Fairchild. Among the
others were President Eliot, of Har-
ward; Colonel T. W. Higginson. Hon.
2. A. Collins. not to rejoice over a po-
litical victory, but a gathering in the
interests OF the propagation of a great
politico-economic reform Referring
to the election the chairman said there
was misfortune in the defeat of Pres
ident Cleveland, q brave and honest
man. who refused to catch at votes
when his country's good was at stake.
Three cheers were given for President
Cleveland. President Cleveland's let
ter was then read as follows:
s'ExFCUT1vE MANSION, WASHINGTON. Dec
a4-NessYs Sherman H1nr an / others, Commit
tee-Gentlemen: am exceed ingly sorry that
can not be present at the annual dinner of the
MASSACHUSETTS
is not merely q formal and ommon expression
of regret. 1t truly indicates how much should
enjoy meeting the members OF your league,
and how glad 1 should be to express in person
my appreciation of their important services in
a cause to which l am earnestly attached, and
to acknowledge at the same time their fire.
euent and encouraging manifestations of per-
sonal frendliness. 1 know, too, that 1t would
be profitable and advantageous to be, even Tor
brief period, within the inspiring influence OF
the atmos phere surrounding the patriotic and
unseltish men banded together in the interests
of their fellow countrymen, and devoted to the
work of tariff reform. This reform appears to
to be as far-reaching in its purposes as the
destiny OF our country, and as broad In ITS
bene ficence as the welfare Of our entire peo-
pie. It is because the efforts of its advocates
are not discredited by any sordid motive
that they able boldly and confident
ly to attack the strongholds OF sell
fishness and greed Our 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 he
the prosperity and happiness OF our people;
and SO long the advocates of tariff reform
appreciate the sentiments in which our inst
buttons had their origin; SO long as they app-e
bend the forces which alone can guide their
operation; so long as they in spirit of pure
patriotism are consecrated to the service OF
their country, temporary defeat brings no dis
couragement. 1t but proves the Stubbornness
of the forces of combined selishness, and dis
closes how far the people may have been led
astray and how great is the necessity of re-
doubled efforts in their behalf. To lose faith
in the intelligence of the people IS a surrender
and abandonment Of the struggle. To
arouse their intelligence and free it from dark
ness 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.
But there will be neither despair nor dead
hopes i'll the path of tariff reform; nor shall
its pioneers ia to reach the heights. Holding
fast their faith and rejecting every alluring
overture and every deceptive compromise
which would betray their sacred trust, they
themselves shall regain and restore the patr.-
mony of their countrymen. freed from the
trespass of graspng encroachments, and safe
~ secured by the genius of American justice
and equality. Yours very truly
"GROvER CLEVELAND
The applause following the reading
of the letter having abated, President
Cleveland's health was drank stand
ing. Another three cheers was given
and Mr.. Russell then introduced Sec
rotary Fairchild as representative
of the Administration. The Secretary
spoke in substance as follows:
He expressed his appreciation of the honor
conferred by asking him to be the guest of the
league, and said that the last election had by
no means decided the question OF tar fl and
tariff reform. The struggle has only begun
and the end S not yet; the record of the late
canvass brings n o encouragement to our cause,
but on the contrary high hopes for the future.
1t shows that wherever intellect was
aroused, thought invoked and experience ap
pealed to, made great gains; that we lost
only in those places where mind was dominated
by passion where partisanship and the blind
prejudice of race and section overcame beneV-
olence and love for a whole country. 1t is true
the tariff should be settled, and forever re-
moved from the domain of politics, for it not
only disturbs business but infinitely worse, it
prevents the simple purpose of universal be-
nefcence for which alone our Government 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 cit!-
zens becomes the chief characteristics Of the
peoples representatives 1t degrades business
and often makes success therein the prize OF
dishonor; it corrupts the people.
But how can this question be settled? There
are two kinds Of sO-called protective tarff-the
one old-fashioned, now nearly obsolete that of
Henry Clay, sometimes called the promoter of
infant industries, the underlying principle of
which was, if l rightly understand it, that there
were certain important industries which, if
sustained by the promise OF an assured mar
ket in this country, would in a short time be-
come established that they could give their
products to people cheaply as they
could be bought anywhere in the world; the
other the modern protective tariff. The tar #
which was embodied in the platform of the
party successful in the late elect on has as its
foundation the principle that it is best for the
American people to buy and use certain ar
tices, or in the language of the late Republican
platform, articles which can be produced in
this country, only when thus produced or man.
ufacturel, what they NAV, and that to the
promotion of this end all the powers of the
Federal Government should be invoked The
statement of the principle of this protective
tariff shows it can be settled; it could even be
embodied in the constitut: on. We have but to
provide that articles which can be produced
or made in this country shall be imported, or
that they shall be subject to duty OF, say, 1900
per cent. ad yalorem This would settle the
question and remove it from politics. This
settlement, however, can only be had after the
principle involved has been held naked before
the people, has been fully considered and DIS
cussed by them and approved by an over
whelming majority.
This ques ton has not been presented to
the people, and the blame for it's non-present-
ment rests with those business men and man
ufacturers who were SO active in the late can
vass, and who will now complain that your ag :
tation tends to disturb that which for Their in
terest ought to be settled. 1 don't remember
one document or one argument actively circu-
lated among the people during the last year
which presented attempted to present this
question pure and simple; on the other hand
we can al recall many documents and appeals,
The sole purpose of which was to divert men,
thoughts from that question and to confuse
their minds upon this issue.
1t would be wearisome, said the speaker, to
tell the long list of non-argume nts, and yet go
to any Northern moral community and ask
the inhabitants to give reason for their action