The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-04-28
TARIFF REFORM CLUB.
ONE ORGANIZED Nv TINS CITY
,,s Object 20 Collect and Disseminate heha-
bio Information on the s"haeee-i""
Presidents Address.

y
,,ats was held in the courtroom OF the Guy
Cironit Court last night to form "rl"
,esor,n club to collect end distribute papers
and speeches on the tariff and TO aid IN odu-
cutting Virginia voters 70 see correctly INC
lsaue in tho coming campaign temporary
accumulation was effected with MI John
uunter. Jr.. in the chair aud Mr.. Archer An
derson As secretary. On motion of MIR. ". H.
s.1aoo 1.-THE Democratic Tariff reform
cinhn wes adopted as tho name OF
49, c,oh and on motion OF Cap
tain Alexander Coke. Mr.. John huh1e1, -,
ues elected president and Mr.. Arcmei
Anderson. Jr secretary and treasurer i.o
following were elected vice 'S s.,3
Messrs. " 81. Culingworth' y. =. hlcn NJ
s~n beverly n. Crump. w. NJ. IuTpln' hieA-
an1er coke. =. =. T.. fatteson W. l.. Seduon'
Hiu Montague, P ii. c. Cabell ana George d.
Me- election Of the executive committee
vas postponed until the next meeting
ON motion of MI Montague the ciuD was
adjourned unit. next "Wednesday al o'oO
O'Clock. - Al.
Tho following address was read by the
president and unanimously adopted
PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.
,rbe Democratic Tariff Reform Club has
becn organized for the purpose Of collecting
AMI disseminating among the people OF our
city and State reliable information upon the
subject OF tariff reform. IL IS beheNed thaI
xhe meagre Democratic majority III lhls ol"to
IN lss, was largely due TO want OF info1ma-
ron or tc mislnfOrmatlOn upon TINS import
ami snbiecl. II will be conceded by all that
tariff reform viii be one OF the principal
issues in the coming campaign. what
ever We may think OF It's relative
Importance to the people Of the South
a. compared with other issues. IL Is obvious
that II cannot 10 l.nOred; II must be met. IL
S. believed that the position OF the Demo
cratic party upon this question. when under
stood and appreciated. will commend Itself 10
the great body IF our people as safe ana wise.
The Democratic party IS not now ana mas not
been AZ any period IN Its history since the
adoption of the ederal Constitution Tree
trade party. Since 1883 we have had duties upon
imported goods and it Is not the policy OF the
Democratic party 10 abolish such duties. Dut
so T. modify and regulate them as TO raise an
amount of money sufficient 10 meet the needs
o. "A government wisely and economically al
minstered and no more. With the Democratic
party the chief end and object OF tanh on
imported goods Is revenue and protection is
incldeutal. while with the Republican party
the great end and declared object or such "a
tariff Is protection.
The Democratic party holds that t. exact
more money from the people than the needs
Of the Government REQUIRE ana 10 90 TINS Tor
the purpose of building up industries IN which
only one class of the people is interested. IS
lepalized method of taking money out Of the
pockets of the many 10 put it into the pockets
of the few. that il is the worst sort of class
legislation. that in short. 1t Is robbery under
the form of law The simple statement of the
positions of the two parties on thlsquestlOn' II
would seem, ought to impress every unbiased
mind in favor of the Democratic party; but We
hot Ha al
not allow Judgment 10 go 10y default upon
this question. The Republican party Is now
largely controlled by the protected corpora
tions and the money kings. and they have
every motive which ayarice can suggest 10
ho0dwink the people. This party. therefore,
will have many specious and plausible argu-
ments and appeals TO make IN favor Of protec-
ton, and will sing the changes on those clap
trap expressions and catchwords, "protec-
ton 10 home industries and protection
TO American labor" 1t will be tho prov
ince OF this club so to disseminate use
full and reliable information among the
people that they will easily detect the tallacies
and misstatements of the protecti0nsts; that
they will come to understand that the period
OF the greatest general prosperity was while
low tarif was the policy of the Government
and that their only hope of relief from the
burdens under which they are groaning IS il
"A return TO that same policy. The people
will not doubt, perhaps. the assertions
OF the proteetlonisls that high tariff ha:
created wealth and built up fortunes. bu
they will see that 1t has produced al
unnatural and unhealthy distribution o.
the wealth of the country; that it ha
built up giant mOnOpolies, but LET
the masses as poor as ever; that 10 has created
"a millionaire class on the one hand and made
tramps and paupers on the other. The peO
pie will come 10 understand that this concen.
tration OF the wealth of the country in tn,
hands of a number OF corporations and indi
yiduals Is "a source Of peril 90 our free institu.
tions: that it is used to degrade American
lnanhood to destroy the dignity and sanctit,
IF suffrage. 20 carry elections by corruption
to secure unwise and oppressive legislation
and that SO far from protecting labor, it en-
slaves IT,
THIS club in recognizing the necessity o
combating the false and vicious economic
theories of the Republican party does not an
derrate the fact that there are other and per
haps stronger reasons for the defeat Of thi
party. Its centralizing tendencies, its opel
disregard OF constitutional limitations. il
CONTEMPT of the chartered rights of the States
its bitter sectional spirit its proscriptiye legis
laton and that peril to free institutions whicl
make It's overthrow An imperious necessity ]
the Government. az established by the father
of the republic, is worth preserving IN its IN
tegrty.
Every good Democrat who believes in re
vision and reduction of the present tariff ant
who intends to give hearty support TO tn
nominee of the Democratic party for Pres
dent. whoever he may be, is cordially invite
80. L. l4.l.