Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-03
TARIFF REFORM TALKS
Distinguished Speakers at New
York Dinner
By A DEMOCRATIC CLUB
Letters From Grover Cleveland and
Mr. A. B. Parker.
ADDRESS BY Ex-G0v. DOUGLAS
Speech by Representative John Sharp
Williams Of Mississippi, Leader
OF Minority in Congress.
ADDRESS BY Ex-G0v. DOUGLAS

NEW YORK. June "A dinner wa,
given by the tariff reform committee or
the Reform Club tonight at the Hotel
Astor to inaugurate a movement to return
10 congress at the election members
pledged to tarin reform legislation
denry Is. b. Stapler. chairman of the re-
form committee presided, and the speakers
included ex-Gov. William L. Douglas of
Massachusetts,. Representatives John Sharp
Williams and ]. T. Rainey. Letters of re-
greet were read from former President
Grover Cleveland. Alton b. Parker and
Henry Watterson. Judge Parkers letter
was as follows:
Mr.. Parker's Letter.
Mr.. Parker wrote: I'm the feverish dis
cussion during the past two years about
the ethics Of business. there has naturally
been recurrence to the causes which have
promoted these conditions; and. as must be
admitted. the fountains of the great deep
OF morals have not been broken ND without
a reason. The more the question has been
considered the clearer IL has become that
protective tariff has been a fruitful nour-
ishing mother Of all our serious evils It's
malign influence has made possible the cor
ruption OF the electorate with money fur
nished by grateful. but always alarmed,
beneficiaries. knowledge of the fact that
plugged part of the time. has led to the con-
clusion. not wholly unwarranted by ex-
perience. that perhaps II could be done all
the time
IF the government. looking for one dol
lar to meet Its own needs can use its power
to reward its favorites with three dollars
why should railway. a public service COM
pany or a great combination neglect Its
chances in Its own special field. II the law
enables these to put their hands into the
pockets OF the masses of the people for
their own benefit. why should their favorite
or responsible officials refuse to take ad-
vantage of what are to them heayen-bo
privileges? So the vicious circle will con-
tfnue to widen until the cause is removed
When this Is done our people may take up
all related and contingent abuses with some
prospect OF removing them gradually from
our life
Every good citizen, every lover OF his
country. every man who can see how privi-
lege grows by what it feeds on. should well
come and applaud the new crusade upon
which you and your club are Just entering.
ALTON B. PARKER"
Mr.. Clevelands letter read:
Mr.. Cleveland's Letter.
Mr.. Cleveland said:
Il am convinced that the value to our
people of wholesome tariff reform was
never more easily made apparent than now.
and that there was neve a more opportune
".
are enlisted in the cause should not allow
themselves to suppose that 1t has been
overwhelmed by other topics which lust
now seem to have taken possession OF pop
ular consideration.
These will prove TO be but temporary
and evanescent when the truth is brought
home to our countrymen that they are daily
and hourly the victims OF an evil underlying
nearly all other economic abuses which
stealthily and unrelentingly betray the In
terests and welfare of the many for the
Denent OF the Selfish and
1T is not possible that our people can
continue to be misled to their hunt, nor
that they VIII continue to condone the
wrongs which are the progeny OF an I'M
just and unfair tariff or fail TO discover
and punish the criminal parent Very truly
yours GROVER CLEVELAND"
Henry Watterson's Letter.
Mr.. Watterson said in his letter:
Hearty good wishes for the club and
God speed the day of our redemption from
protective system which underIies all
sorts or conditions of dishonest money
making and has done more than all other
agencies TO corrupt the morals of our peopIe
and our politics."
An invitation was sent to William Jen-
nings Bryan at Lincoln, Neb but reply
from Mr.. Bryan's brother informed the
committee that Mr.. Bryan would not have
completed HIS tour Of the world In time 10
be present
Representative John T Rainey of Illinois
said In closing his speech:
There is nothing in the balance OF trade
theory. None Of these arguments appeal
to the American people as in the years that
are gone. You concede that an individual
has the right to buy in the cheapest mar
ket VIII you deny that right to 100000
people? Commerce ought to be permitted
to flow unrestrained by tariff distractions"
Former Gov. Douglas said:
Gov. Douglas Remarks.
Massachusetts, like the whole OF New
England. is more remote from the raw ma
terials. foods and other supplies of this
country than are other states. She is also
nearer. commercially. to raw materials.
foods and other supplies OF foreign coun-
tries than is any other section of tho
United States. She is more dependent
than are most other sections II Massa-
chusetts could not obtain food from out
side her borders she would starve and her
mills would stand idle
Because of her extensive seacoast and
fine harbors 1t is cheaper for Massachu-
sets to bring In many kinds of foreign
made goods than to pay transportation
charges on goods from central and west
ern states. But Massachusetts, is not per-
mitted to enjoy the benefits of location
bestowed by nature. The protective tariff
will interfere and deprive us Of access to
our natural raw materials and our natural
markets. What we want, and all We want,
is fair field and no favors. Take us out
of bondage to the hundreds of protected
trusts that exploit us; that charge us
more than they charge foreigners for the
same goods. and that levy tribute upon
our mills and our homes. The specific du-
ties that we want removed at the earliest
possible moment. those that constitute
the minimum, that will satisfy u.s. and
that we will continue to demand of Con-
gress are the duties hides. sole
leather coal, iron, ore, lumber and wood
pulp.
Since July. 1897, just before the passage
of the Dingiey act prices have risen an
average of 46 per cent. No one will pre-
tend that either weekly or hourly wages
have risen IS per cent since 1904 Tho
cost of living has gone up so much more
than wages that the wage Garner is now
worse OF than he was in 1897 Let us by
a fair revision of the tariff remedy the
cause of discomfort
Representative Williams Remarks.
Representative John Sharp Williams said.
In part:
you can look at this tariff question from
a personal standpoint and you win find that
1t Is a question not OF protection but or
fayoritism. It Is Immoral in that IL teaches
the great dogma to support and make pros
porous the individual.
81 am greatly interested In the reading
of the letters OF regret from men like Cieye-
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