Rock Island Argus., 1894-09-29
MACvEleH 4 PIONEER.
In the Early Battles For Tariff
Reform.
OUR NEXT SENATOR'S RECORD.

OUR NEXT SENATOR'S RECORD.
One Of New York's Most Pr ointment Dem
ocrats Tells Of the Early History of the
Tarin-Reform League of the West rwen-
ty-Five Years Ago.
NEW YORK, Sept. o5.-The candidacy
Of Franklin MacVeagh for the United
States senate is exciting almost as
much interest here as in the west.
Mr.. Alfred Bishop Mason, who was
we'll known in democratic politics in
Chicago from 1872 to 1889, has since re-
sided in New York city, and is one Of
Gcthan's great admirers of Mr.. Mao
Veagh. Mason was chairman of the
campaign committee which carried
Cook county Cor the democratic ticket
in 1879 (the first time the county went
democratic after the war;, was secre-
Cincinnati convention in 1850, was Of
fered the craftsmanship of the city
campaign committee in 1881, when
Carter Harrison defeated John NJ
Clark for mayor, ano was slated for
assistant secretary of the treasury
under Hon. David A.. Wells, when Mr..
Tilden was defrauded Of the presi-
dency. Mr.. Mason talked interesting
iy to-day about the early political
record of Hon. Franklin MacVeagh.
''As early as 1870" said Mr.. Mason,
Franklin MacVeagh held The views
on teriff reform which the democratic
party as whole advanced to in 1885,
With pen and purse and voice he
helped the little pard of tariff re-
formers who worked hard and we'll for
the freedom o: American labor from
the crushing weight OF tariff taxa
ton"
WAS he connected officially with
the tariff reform movement shen?"
HE was himself a very large part of
the movement, and was president of
the Illinois Free Trade league, which
was Professionally organized at a meet
ing held at my house September 3s,
1875, and which Mr.. MacVeagh attend
ed. A public meeting was held after
wards at the Grand Pacific hotel. Mr..
Edward S. Isham presided; Mr..
Charles Hitchcock, then at the height
Of the Chicago bar, made the principal
address: Mr.. S. T. h. Prime, a veteran
in the good fight. spoke: and Mr.. Mac
Veagh was unanimously elected the
permanent president of the league.
Under his wise direction much good
work was done. Large numbers of tariff
tracts, addressed especially to farmers
and organized labor, were circulated
and lectures were given in Chicago
and at other points in the state, by
men OF national prominence, such as
Charles Francis Adams, Jr. David A.
Wells and Prot. William G. Sumner
If remember Alright, my old and es-
teemed friend, Hon. Joseph Medill,
wrote one of the ablest of the argu-
ments for tariff reform which Mr. Mac
Veagh's league circulated. The Chi
cago Tribune has turned tail under
the crack of its party's whip, but Mr.
MacVeagh has always stood like a
rock for the right. The knot of young
er men who looked up to him in the
7os as their leader in the fight against
robbery by tariff have not forgotten
their grateful admiration for him"
what was Mr.. MacVeagh's position
on other reforms?"
HE was one of the first three men
who subscribed one hundred dollars
each to found the Chicago Civil Service
Reform association. In fact, during
the time when knew Chicago we'll,
from 1879 TO 1882, there was no move.
ment which made for righteousness,
for higher civic life or for loftie,
| patriotism with which Franklin Mac.
Veagh was not connected, either as IN
| officer or as a private in the ranks"
| 'Is Mr.. MacVeagh's candidacy fo,
the senate attracting much attention
In New York;"
"Yes. a good deal. No citizen o,
Illinois is better known in the east
than Mr.. MacVeagh. His nomination
| as senator has given new heart to the
men who are struggling for the
triumph Of real democracy in this
state. If he goes to Washington his
| name and his fame will precede him,
and he will be a leader from the start.
will New York state go democratic
| this fall?"
'Unless some incredible blunder is
made in the nomination of q state
ticket it will certainly do SO. If our
ticket is anywhere near the standard
set by Mr.. MacVeagh's nomination in
1 ~