Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 May 1889 — TARIFF REFORM PLANS. [ARTICLE]

TARIFF REFORM PLANS.

MEETING OF THE ILLINOIS TARIFF REFORM LEAGUE. • Best Way of Reaching Fanners—The Venerable Dr. Davis Maps Out the Work of the Illinois League—A Strong Argument for Continuing and Pushing the Work— Officers Elected. When the first public meeting in the interest of tariff reform was held in Chicago, some time in May of last year, at Farwell Hall, there was much talk of the mugwump character of the promoters of the movement, and much more was said about the political character of the agitation. While the active doings of the tariff reform men disappeared in the excitement of last fall’s campaign, the movement was not doomed to die from political apoplexy. On the contrary, the leading men in the agitation kept bravely abreast of the time, and after the election steps were taken for a national convention, which occurred at Central Music Hall last February, and resulted in the organization osf the American Tariff Reiorm League, with David A. Wells as President. Incidental to this national organization a move was made for a local branch to be called the Illinois Tariff Reform League, which early during the present month had reached a membership of over three hundred.

It was for the purpose of effecting a permanent organization that a meeting was called at the Palmer House, Chicago, a few days ago. The attendance was not large, but it included some'of the most earnest tariff reformers in Chicago Prof. BoltwOod was called to the chair, and the meeting disposed of the routine business on hand in short order. Professor Boltwood stated in the most earnest manner that the future of the lergue depended largely, if not entirely, upon the individual efforts of the members. Each single member of the league shoald put forth his best efforts. There were several places anxious to hear from Chicago, because in this city the league was founded. The next practical work of the league would come in when the next Congressional election came off, and in the meantime the league must be perfectly clear at out the course of acton. The speaker suggested that communication be had with organizations principally interested in the question of tariff reform, such as the KDights of Labor and kindred associations.

Mr. McFadon said, in joining the views of the Chairman, that no good and effective work in the State could be expected before the league in Chicago and Cook County had at least a thousand members instead of the 350 at the present time. To work toward this end would be the chief work ol the Secretary to be selected by the Executive Committee, this Secretary to devote his entire time to the purposes of the league. He could be aided materially in his work by the individual members, each of whom should constitute himself a committee of work for the puipose of enlarging the membership. Mr. Bleike thought it might b_ well that the meeting first of all became plain ato the immediate object, whether the work should be merely educational or should be active in the direction of organizing. There were 1,100,000 voters in the State, and 550,000 were against the purposes of the Tariff Reform League. The venerable Dr. Nathan S. Davis arose at this juncture, and was enthusiastically greeted. “It is for the first time in many, many years that I have said anything at a public meeting of this kind,” he said, “though I spent over thirty years of my life fighting for a purpose which you seek to realize, and voted fifty years in this direction. I came here, out of my beaten track, because I could not refrain from giving whatever my personal sanction nmy be worth to your work. There are various ways of organizing and educating throughout this State as well as anywhere else, but in our State organization is especially required. Organization is one mode of agitating an idea; education is another. Local clubs should be a prominent feature of your work—clubs headed by determined men. No matter whether these clubs are small, be their membership but six or a dozen. Even three will do in every school district, provided these three are men who know iheir purpose. “But organization itself should have for its leading idea the education of the people in that particular locality where the organization has been effected. Our efforts here in Chicago should not cease with obtaining a thousand members. There should be at least 5,000, and I think they can be obtained. Not to-day, to be sure, but bv prompt beginning and energetic continuunce of work. If we intend to carry to success the education of the people we must get -at them at their own homes, in their own neighborhoods, their own districts. In olden times, from ’35-36 to 1860, until the American leaders of protection hod no further territory to go to and spread their pernicious doctrines, the campaigns in New York State were largely carried on in the school district. The speaker would get the farmers together in the old red school houses after the day’s work was over and talk to them in an emphatic manner. But he did not only do that—he invited discussion, and thus got every hearer personally interested. In that way the evening was spent in an animated manner, that gave the farmer something to think of behind the plow or on the barn floor for weeks to come. This was carried on until every school district in the State was leached. “We make a great mist ke by confining what we term work to big conventions. That’s all very well in a heated campaign where the purpose is to get up a hurrah, but the time to convince people and set them thinking is in periods when there is no election going on. Have at least one man, and if possible three, in every school district—men who are sound on tariff reform. Let that be the nucleus. Then get literature in the cheapest way, but of the best kind, and send it to these men in sufficient quantities that they can distribute it to their neighbors. Then, whenever the farmers gather in the fall to vie in pumpkins and fat cattle, don’t let them slip! Lecture to them, give them stirring addresses. They needn’t be partisan talk. On, the contrary, advocate only principles of tariff reform, regardless qf party. Such an address will often reach men who would fortify themselves against arguments if party were talked to them. Have a sound, strong organization here and some kind of a nucleus

everywhere. The more quietly you can work and communicate with the nucleus the better. Be always on the alert for them. We don’t care whether they know anything about us if we only know enough about them to make them amenable to sound doctrine." The remarks of this Nestor of the medical profession in America were time and again interrupted by rousing applause. Attention was called by another speaker to the necessity of reaching the farmer through his favorite paper. Judge Bangs made some humorous allusion to farmers’ characters, stating that he had lived on the farm during his early life. “I was also a Republican for longer than a lifetime,” he said. “Subsequently I got my politics from Horace Greeley and my religion—what little I have—from Beecher. While having been one of the most ardent Republicans I am now an out-and-out free trader.” This declaration evoked hearty applause. Reverting to th 3 farmer again Judge Bangs remarked that the fanner, was slow to think. Every man, more or less, hated to think. Protectionists had relieved farmers from thinking by simply coming to them with announcements. They did not overload the farmer’s brain with arguments, but simply told him that things were so, and not otherwise. In other words, the protectionists did the thinking for the farmer, and the latttr, out of gratitude for being relieved from mental work, was willing to accept as gospel truth the alleged facts given him by the protectionists.