Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-04-03
HILL NOT WITH EN-.
The Governor States His Posi-.
ton on the Tariff.
LETTER TO A FREE TRADE MEETING,

Inc FRO meters Thereof Given to Under
stand That He Is Not One of Them
He Also Objects to the Implication
That the Democratic Party Is for Free
Trade, and Intimates That the Afore-
said Promoters Are Masquerading.
NEW YORK, April a-The free trade
mass NEE ting at Cooper Union last night
was largely attended. Louis +. Post, the
president of the single tax club, presided.
Letters Of regret were read from Congress
men job nson. Stout, Breckenridge Of
Arkansas, Harter, Vaux and Springer,
David A Wells, Governor Davis, of
Rhode Island, and Henry George M.
Post announced that he would read IL g
only letter received in opposition to the
meeting. 1t was from Governor Hill,
was dated at Albany, April ], 1891, and
addressed to Louis F. Post
Why He Ceuld Not Attend.
Governor Hill says: II am in receipt of
your letter Of March IS, inviting me to at
tend free trade mass-meeting' to be
held at Cooper Union on Thursday even
ing, April =. While thanking you for
your courtesy, can not attend the meet
ing because have no sympathy with its
professed purpose. ] had supposed that my
opinions upon the tariff question had been
subsequently expressed III public that nc.
body couldeNpect me consistently to attend
a meeting intended 10 promuIgate the
doctrine of free trade. am not an adyo.
cate of free trade and never have been. /
stand with the Democratic party in favor
Of tariff reform, which means reduction
Of the present excessive and iniauitous tar
If and the retention of the tariff limited
to the necessi ties of government econom-
tcaily administered
Stands by the Party Platforms.
Il do not believe in reforming the tariff
by wholly abolishing it. l believe that the
best interests Of our country-industrial
agricultural, and commercial-demand
the establishment Of that tariff policy de-
clared and particularly defined in the ma
tioEal Democratic platforms of 1876, 1884.
and 1885, and am earnestly opposed to
the attempt which is now being made in
some quarters to undermine the sound
and conservative position of the Demo
cratic party uuon this question, and then
commit it irrevocably 10 the doctrine OF
free trade.
The men who are engaged in this eff
fort, no matter how honest or sincere they
may be in their individual convictions.
have no right to longer masquerade as
live Democrats, while seeking to commit
the party to a policy which it has
always distinctly repudiated, and
which if adopted must inevita-
bly,, in my judgment, effect inju-
riously the welfare of the country, and
unfit the Democratic party for the main
tenance of those wise principles of gov
eminent of VIII h it has for nearly CEN
tury been the proud representative.
Significance of Last Election
They mistake public sentiment who as
sumo TO construe the revolution last
autumn at the polls as a peculiar mani
festation for radical tariff legislation.
1t was so far as the tariff was an issue a
popular outburst against excessive duties,
against restricted markets, against war
taxation for the benefit of favored indus.
tries; bat only blind theorists could see
in it any indication that the people are
impatient of all tariff and desire TO resort
to direct taxation to secure the treasury
revenues for the support of the govern
ment,
Declines Democrat.
LAS Democrat ! must respectfully de-
cline TO support any movement, no mat
ter 10y whom instigated or championed,
having for its purpose the adoption of any
such suicidal policy as is sought to be
promoted by the meeting to which You
have invited me. In my opinion such
movements only embarrass and endanger
the cause of tariff reform. / remain
very truly yours, DAVID 3 HILL"