The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1891-04-09
HILL WRITES A LETTER.
The Governor OF New York Says He is For
Tariff Reform But Not Free Trade.

The Governor OF New York Says He is For
Tariff Reform But 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-
gressmen johnson, Stout, Breckenridge
of Arkansas, Harter, Vaux and Spring
er, David A. Wells, Gov. Davis of Rhode
Island and Henry George. Mr.. Post an
nounced that he would read the only
letter received in opposition to the
meeting. 1t was from Gov. Hill. and
was as follows:
Louis r. Post President, etc.
STATE OF NEW YORK, EXECUTIVE CHAM
Der, ALBANY, " Y, April ], 1s9l.-I am in re-
ceipt of your letter of March %, inviting me
to attend a free trade mass meeting to be
held at Cooper Union, or Thursday evening,
April q While thanking youfcF your cour-
tesy, l cannot attend the meeting because
have no sympathy with its professed pur-
pose. I had supposed that my opinions up
on the tariff question had been so frequently
expressed in public that nobo ly could ex-
pect me consist, ntly to attend meeting in
tended to promulgate the doctrines of free
trade.
am not an advocate of free trade and
never have been. s. and with the demo
cratic party TO day In favor of tariff rt form,
which means q reduction of the present ex-
cessiye and iniquitious tariff and the reten-
tion of the tariff limited to the necessities OF
government economical administered.
do not believe In reforming the tariff by
wholly abolishing it. / believe the best In
terests of our country-industrial azr.cult-
ural and commercial-demaudt the establish
ment of that tariff policy declared and par
ticularly defined in the democratic platforms
of 1876, 1854 and 1883, and am earnestly op-
posed to the attempt which is now being
made In some quarters to undermine the
sound and conservative position OF the dem
ocratc party upon this question and then
commit it irrevccably to the doctrine of free
trade.
The men who are engaged in this effort, no
matter how honest or sincere they may De IN
their individual convictions, have no right
TO longer masquerade as live democrats,
while seeking to commit the party to policy
which 1t has always distinctly repudiated
and which il Fdopted, must inevitably, IN
my Judgment, affect inturiously the welfare
of the country and UNIT the democratic
party for the maintenance OF those wise
principles of government OF which It mas for
nearly a century been the proud representa-
tive They mistake public sentiment who
assume to construe the revelation last
autumn at the polls as peculiar manilesta-
tIon of radical tariff legislation. 1t 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 ana
desire to resort 10 the direct taxation to Sc
cure the treasury revenues for the support
OF the government.
A, democrat, must respectfully decline
TO support any government no matter by
whom instigatcd or championed, having FOR
Its p Jrpose the adoption OF any such sulcldal
polic7 as Is sought to be promoted by the
meeti ~ to which you have invited me. In
my op,nion such NOV ements only embarrass
and en- LANCER the cause of tariff reform l
remain very truly yours,
DAVID u. HILL