The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-20
A Superhuous Club.

The Reform Club Is now sending out from
Its dreary headquarters In the Fifth ave-
nue. o solemn circular for the purpose of
drumming up additions to its membership.
The inference Is, of course, that the concern
is not f1ourishinR. In spite Of Its d~inners,
Its statistics, its ponderous essays, and the
itself. the Reform Club Is falling back, in
stead Of forging ahead.
The reason for this melancholy %retrogres.
sion is explained in the circular. 1t Is be-
cause the Reform Club Is to-day the only
organization In the country with q record
Of effective and disinterested work on the
important subjects Of the currency and the
tariff" Public sentiment having turned
squarely against the doctrines so painfully
~propounded and taught by this club, there
is no longer any reason for even its singular
existence. hat sentiment now unmistak.
ably and almost unanimously demands
that the wearisome and fruitless tariff dis.
cussion shall cease and the question be set
aside as settled for the present by the
passage of the Dingley Tariff bill. It has
no liberation for the further academic dis
cussion of the subject by Reform Club bores.
Both parties are Of one mind, and more
than ever before In our history all parts Of
the Union are in agreement in the desire to
dismiss the question from politics, 1t being
evident that there Is not any strict partisan
line of separation as to it.
1.-THE club" says the circular, "opposes
tariff taxation except for revenue pur.
poses" Then II stands alone. 1t has no
party at it's back. Both the Democratic
and Republican parties have declared
In actual legislation that they are
in favor of a tariff for protection. They
may disagree as to the precise adjustment
of tariff rates. but this difference Is not be.
tween them as parties 80 much as it is
within the ranks of each. AS opposing
parties, simply, there Is no tariff issue be.
tween them. and there Is no ground on
which any can be made. BY offering
the distinctively revenue tariff on tea the
Republicans Of the Senate even proved
themselves to be more of a /" tariff for reve
nue" party than the Democrats, who die
not dare to propose 1t when they made the
Wilson tariff.
The Reform Club, therefore, Is shooting
into the air with Its heavy tariff artillery
and 1t is no wonder the noise of the pur
p~oseless explosion drives sensible peopl,
away from Its neighborhood.
A cardinal article Of faith proposed by
this s%uperfluous club is retirement of tn,
~greenbacks, provision for a safe and elasti,
bank-uote currency, and q withdrawal o
the Treasury from the business Of banking
and issuing notes." That Is not less opposed
to public sentiment than to sound ~1nancia
policy. Such a proposition would hardl,
receive serious consideration in Congress
and any political party making 1t would b.
overwhelmed by popular condemnation. I
Is a proposition to increase the ~nationa
bonded debt enormously, and tho Interes
charges paid by the people to the extent o
100000 900 or $l5 ,OOO,O 600 a year. witt
no advantages gained, but rather the dete
rioration Of the currency In soundness an,
security. 1t Is not worth a moments con
sideration by a san mind at oil acquainte,
with the currency situation and the princI
Piles Of finance.
Among the signers of the circular sen
out to drum up recruits for tho Reforr
Club, In which appear these stale doctrine
and futile purposes, that prince of politics
bores and muddleheads, Mr.. EVERETT F
WHEELER, Is, Of course, one.