The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-12-24
manufacturer., Na,ion.l Conyen,;.n. :,


nG a. .a CLEVELAND, Ohio, Dec. 1s 1887.
To the Editor Of the Press: r.uta1 sssuast 10
The Manufacturers Convention now in
session in this city, is an interesting and i'm
portant gathering. Every section Of the
country is represented upon the floor of the
Convention. The makers of every imagina-
bic articles valuable for its utility or beauty,
which Yankee ingenuity has devised, or
American industry can manufacture, are
minglng and fraterniziug together as becomes
men OF similar pursuits and common interests
AS one looks over the convention and thinks
OF its manufacturing capacity, visions of pins
and piano fortes; pistols and pens; toilet per-
fumery and bone manures; boots and bon
nets; ventilators for chimneys and yentilators
for gentlemen's hats; leather and locomotives;
croquet mallets and trip hammers; betting
for the fair sex and belting for machinery
coal hods and cushions; hoops for locomotive
wheels and hoops for ladies, fit through the
mind until he is lost in the attempt to COM
prehend the scene. 3dto sd at1t rs-. Co.,
The convention partakes partly of the ma
ture of delegated assembly and partly of the
characteristics of mass meeting. Distant
cities are represented by delegates regularly
appointed by local conventions while from To-
caities less remote many have come to repre-
sent their own views and to look after their
own interests. I
The history of some of the individuals gath
cred in Case Hall would be record OF the
country from feeble, foreign dependence to
vigorous and selEsustaining industry. Among
them are those whose integrity, industry,
economy and foresight have lifted them from
the paths of straitened poverty to affluence
and ease. Men are here, whose manufactures
a comparatively short time ago would not ex-
ceed few hundred dollars annually, who now
load daily expresses at their factory doors
with goods far exceeding in value their for
mer yearly productions. ,..
Men are here who fought their way to indie
pence with single hand hammer tor wea-
pom, but at whose nod miles of shafting and
scores OF trip hammers now perform their
will. r5aou r.r.-
But the convention is an interesting gath
ering not alone for the personal history of
the men who compose it. 1t is a gathering
Of the representatives of the most impor-
tant industry of the country. While these
men, or many of them, have been carving
their own fortunes, they have been enrichng
to far greater extent the nation at large.
Around their pertinacity and pluck have crys-
talized tributaries and dependent industries
until populous communities have sprung
from the wilderness which in many instances
witnessed the inception of their enterprises.
1t is convention of the representatives of
that branch of our industry which conquered
the rebeliion-or rather made its conquest
possible. The North did not so much excetd
the South in the number and valor of its
soldiers and skill of its officers, as in the ca
pacity which its manufacturing investments
gave to sustain a prolonged war. Its cause
was just, it is true. and in that was tower
of strength; but that justice was armed by
the furnaces and looms which clothed, trans
ported and armed its soldiers and enabled
Grant to "fght il out on that line.n The
convention represents an industry which di-
rectly supports millions OF our citizens and
furnishes home market for four-ffths of all
our agricultural productions. Its deliber%-
tions, therefore, are worthy of attention and
| its recommendations entitled to respectful
consideration. write at too early period
| in the deliberations of the convention to in
dicate what ITS specific recommendations may
be. IT is already evident that widely diver
gent views are entertained as to the policy TO