Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 November 1885 — TO LIFT UP COMMERCE. [ARTICLE]

TO LIFT UP COMMERCE.

Conference of the National Free-Trade League at Chicago. The Free-Trade Conference which was held at Chicago recently attracted general attention, and was attended by a number of gentlemen of national reputation, among them Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, David A. Wells, Josiah Quincy, Frank Hurd, J. Sterling Morton, and John S. Phelps. During the closing hours of the session papers were read as follows: “Iron and Its Manufacture,” by Mr. Lindley Vinton, of Indianapolis; “The Tariff and Ship-build-ing,” by William S. Gibbons, a Delaware ship-builder; “Pauper Labor of Europe,” by Thomas G. Shearman, of New York; M. B. Harter, of Mansfield, Ohio, spoke on “The Relation of the Tariff to Agricultural Implement Manufacture.” He argued that free trade would be a great benefit to this industry. E. W. Cole, of Connecticut, spoke negatively on the subject, “Does a High Tariff on Wool Benefit the WcolGrower?”

The committee on nominations submitted a report which was adopted. It named, the following as the future officers of the league: President—David A. Wells, New York. VicePresidents, Thomas Holland, New York; Justus Clark, Iowa; M. M. TrumbuU, Illinois; William P. Fishbone, Indiana; W. P. Wells, Michigan; N. S. Harwood, Nebraska; ex-Gov. John S. Phelps, Missouri ;B. R. Forman, Louisiana; F. W. Dawson, South Carolina; William M. gingerly, Pennsylvania; ex-Gov. J. G. Robinson, Kansas; J. Q. Smith, Ohio; Henry L. Pierce, Massachusetts; J. B. Sargent, Connecticut; Henry Watterson, Kentucky; J. T. Stevens, New Jersey; William E. Jenkins, Texas; J. D. Whitman, Oregon: William Gibbons,Delaware; Rowland Hazard, Rhode Island; B. B. Herbert, Minnesota, and representatives from other States whose names were to be subsequently reported. Executive Committee —Thomas G. Shearman, Josiah Quincy, A. W. Thomas, H. B. Stapler, E. P. Doyle, William G. Brownlee, A. A. Healy, W. W. Witmer, Erskine M. Phelps, M. D. Harter, and W. G. Peckham. National Committee—R. R. Bowker, New York; O. Mosher, Iowa; I. N. Stiles, Illinois; P. S. O’Rourke, Indiana; William G. Brownlee, Michigan ; J. Sterling Morton, Nebraska; F. L. Underwood, Missouri; W. R. Whitiker, Louisiana; J. J. Dargan, South Carolina; James G. Jenkins, Wisconsin; James D. Hancock, Pennsylvania; Enoch Harpole, Kansas; J. M. Osborn, Ohio; P. J. Smalley, Minnesota; Josiah Quincy, Massachusetts ; honorary secretary, R. R. Bowker western secretary, H. J. Phi.pot; central score- . tary, Lewis Howland; treasurer, George F. Peabody. The committee on resolutions submitted its report, which was adopted after several amendments had been made. The report was as follows: We submit to the people of the United States that the continuance? of the war tariff, with duties averaging 42 per cent, on over fourteen hundred articles of domestic consumption, and a much higher specific duty on manv crude materials, has prolonged the evils of wiir in times of profound peace, and has been the principal cause of the commercial and industrial depression of recent years.

By forcing labor and capital from naturally profitable into unprofitable lines of business, and by adding to costtof production, it has decreased the common productive interests of the country, and thereby reduced both thp wages of labor and the profit of capital; it has provoked an antagonism between labor and capita], against which our great natural resources and our free institutions should have protected us ; it has impaired our power to compete with other manufacturing nations in the markets of the world, and so obstructed national progress and development. It has destroyed many branches of business, and has kept our people from engaging in other branches of business which would have given increased employment to labor. By preventing our buying from nations willing to buy from us, and by provoking retaliation in like spirit, instead of promoting friendly reciprocity, it has obstructed the consumption of our agricultural and manufactured products by other countries, and has driven our commerce from the seas. By impairing our domestic power to buy it has prevented the full development of our interstate commerce, and reduced the legitimate profits of, and has driven into bankruptcy, a large number of our transportation companies, and made domestic traffic more costly. Through the influence of its lobbies it has enthroned jobbing and corruption in our legislative halls, and has impeded the reform of the civil service.

In short, taking by force the earnings of one class of men to enrich another class, it is opposed to the spirit of American liberty and of the Constitution; it has imposed anew industrial slavery; it has prevented the national progress of wealth among the fanning class, decreased wages and their purchasing power, and lengthened the enforced idleness of workingmen, restricted our manufactures from their natural markets, and demoralized the general business of the country. While holding, accordingly, that taxes in aid of private interests, or for any purpose other than the requirements of government, are unAmerican, unjust, and unwise, and that every protective feature must at the earlist possible date be eradicated from our revenue system, we invite all who oppose the abuses of the present tariff to join us in promoting immediatesteps of practical tariff reform, which we believe will increase wages, diminish the frequency of strikes, develop business, and restore our flag to the seas. We therefore urge upon Congress for action at the ensuing session—first, that under no pretense shall any countenance be given to attempts to increase protective duties; second, that articles which are at the foundation of great industries should, in the interests of labor and commerce, be freed from duty, whether they be crude materials—as lumber, salt, coal, ore, wood, etc. —or partly manufactured—as chemicals, dyestuffs, pig iron, tinplate, wood pulp, etc.; third, that on products from such articles duties should at least be correspondingly reduced, so that the protection, real or nominal, to manufacturers shall not be increased, and that the consumers shall have the immediate benefit of the reduction. We urge that any steps in tariff reform should simplify the present complicated classification, should do away with mixed duties, replacing them by ad valorem rates instead of by specific duties, which are most burdensome to low-price goods consumed by the great body of the people. We demand free ships, and the abolition of our restrictive navigation laws, which, together with the tariff, have driven our flag from the seas; and we oppose bounties and subsidies on shipping. We urge revenue reformers to vote only for such Congressional candidates as openly oppose tariff for protection, and to take steps to nominate independent candidates when all party candidates oppose tariff reform, preparing for the step by diffusing sound economic literature and promoting organization, especially in close congressional districts. The following resolution was also adopted: Resolved, That it is the sense of this convention that no further reduction be countenanced in the internal revenue tax on spirits and tobacco until the existing tariff has been brought to a strict revenue basis.

A mass meeting in behalf of free trade was held at Central Music Hall, of which a local paper says: “The hall was crowded to overflowing, and hundreds were unable to obtain admission. Standing room was at a premium, and tickets could have been sold at a liberal price for admission to the house. The audience was a cultivated one r and included all classes of Chicago society, with many leading protectionists.” Addresses were delivered by David 1 A. Wells and Henry Ward Beecher. The former asserted that all trade and commerce, in the practical business of life, is the interchange of products and services, and there can be no buying without selling: or selling without buying; and the latter claimed that a paternal government was always an infernal government; that the cus-tom-house is a tran and a snare, and that commerce should be as free as thought.