The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1891-04-10
81 wRIrEa a LErrER.

Ehe Governor of New York says He Is Eos
EuFsH Reform Hut Not Free Trade
NEw York, April 4-The free trade
mass meeting at Cooper Union last
night in honor Of Congressman Jerry
Simpson, of Kansas, was largely at
tended Louis +. Post, president OF the
Single Tax club, presided
Letters Of regret were read from Con-
gressmeR johnson. Stout, breckenridge
OF Arkansas Harter. Vsux and SPRING
er, David A Wells, Gov Davis OF Rhode
Island and Henry George. Mr.. Post an
nOunced that ne would read the only
letter received in opposition TO the
meeting. Il was from GOV. Hill, and
was as follows:
Louis +. Post. President, etc
STATE OF NEW YORK, EXECUTIVE CHAN
BER, ALBAeE, n. Y. April /, IssI-I aJn IN re-
ceips Of your letter OF March -, inviting me
held az Cooper Union, on Thursday evening
April ? While thanking you for your cour-
tesy, cannot attend the meeting because
have no sympathy With ITS protested pur-
pose. had supposed that my opinions up-
on the tariff question had been so frequently
expressed IN public that nobody could eN-
poet me consistently to attend meeting in
tended TO Promulgnte the doctrines of free
trade
am not an advocate OF free trade and
never have been 1 stand with the demo
cratic party to day in favor OF tariff reform.
which means reduction OF the present eZ-
Cessive and iniQuttious tariff and the reten-
ton OF the tariff limited "a, the necessities of
do not believe in reforming the tariff by
wholly abolishing it L believe the best In
terests of our country-industrials agricuiE-
ural and commerce ai-demaud che establish
ment OF that tariff policy declared and par
ticuiarly defined in the democratic platforms
OF 1876, 1854 and 1sSS, and am earnestly cp-
! posed TO the attempt which is now BEING
made in some quarters TO undermine the
sound and conservative position of the dem
/ Ocratic party upon this question and then
4 commit it irrevOcabiy 20 the doctrine OF free
I trade.
The men who are engaged In this effort, no
/ matter how honest or sincere they may be in
/ their individual convictions, have no right
! while seeking to commit the party TO policy
/ which it has always distinctly repudiated
/ and which, II adopted. must inevitably, ia
! my Judgment, affect Iniuriously the welfare
! OF the country and unr1r the democratic
/ party for the maintenance OF those wise
nearly a century been the proud representa-
] tive. They mistake public sentiment who
| assume to construs the revelation last
! autumn a6 the polls as a peculiar manifesto
/ ton OF radical tariff legislation. It was, so
| far as the tariff was an issue, popular out
/ burst against excessive duties, against re-
] stricted markets, against war taxation for
! the benefit OF favored Industries, but only
/ blind theorists could see in it any Indication
! that the people are impatient OF all tariff and
! cure the treasury revenues for she support
! OF the government,
/ As democrat, must respectfully decline
to support any government, no matter by
its purpose the adoption or any such sutcioaL
policy as is sought to be promoted by the
meeting to which you have invited me In
my Opin ion such movements only EN- barrass
and endanRer the cause OF tariff reform
remain very truly yours, 49, p, No.