The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-08-10
Th. Commercial Convent;ou.

4 Before making any comment upon the do
ings of the Commercial Convention, we have
been waiting, in utter disregard of the tradi-
tons which usually make prompt discussion
of current events obligatory upon Journalists,
till Insufficient time had had elapsed to give
the relations and incidents of the gathering
little perspective. II somehow happened, ow-
ing either to Encouragement on the part of its
projectors or to difficulties inherent in the ma
lure OF the case, that from the time the SUBJ.
]ect Of the Convention was preached down to
Z the evening of adjournment there was no little
obscurity hanging over the whole affair, and
many citizens, not only of Maine but of other
States, were in considerable doubt to the
real purposes which were to be subserved by
those who had the matter in charge rGaGc4
The general impression, as is now sufficiently
evident, was a wrong one and in some States
it still continues to be wrong one. Why a
call for Commercial Convention in Portland
should be looked upon elsewhere with more
suspicion and jealousy than the move nent for
a gathering of the same kind at Detroit in
1865, or at Boston in 1867, or at Philadelphia in
1868, we are at loss to imagine. But it is
nevertheless true that the larger cities have
looked upon the Portland Convention as a
thinly disguised premilinary plot for provin-
cial revolt against their commercial suprema-
ey. Hence some extraordinary announce
ments. The New York Tribune fretfully said
that Portland, apparently ,torgetW Of the
is0tlae7naal lines" desired to perfect its connec-
ton with San Francisco-and that was all.
Here we have the spectacle of a journal sagac-
ious enough on political topics, becoming alb
solutely idotic on another subject. The idea
of idea of limiting railroad communication to
routes that follow isothermal~ lines is surely
novel one, if that is what the Tribune means.
The New York Times is still more offensive,
assuming patronizing tone and talking of
the pretty and pushing city of Portland that
invites the commerce of the continent to do
homage to her -pretentions." 1t says, too, that
there seems to have been little that is nation
al about it, and still less that can be truly
considered International" The Commercial
Advertiser bullies our "pretty and pushing
city" in this style:-The project is very mag
nificent one, and the dream of the enthusiasts
engaged in it is to make New York an outport
for Portland, by opening direct short route
from Liverpool to China, Uia our ambitious
little neighbor in Maine.' No r.''5siA sn'>
An answer to all this arrogance and misrep.
resentation is furnished by the records of the
Convention ITSELF 1t aoas international, since
iG embraced in its membership many of the
leading men of every province of the Domin-
ion of Canada and of Prince Edwards Islands,
and the delegates. from the Provinces were in
thorough accord with those from the United
States SO far as the leading topic of discussion
is concerned SASH #~EE C-l}t @t
Whatever may have been the design of those
who initiated the movement, there is nothing
in the result showing the slightest disposition
in any quarter to make Portland unduly prom
inent. Certain matters of national and inter
national Importance were discussed and recon-
mendations made concerning them, leaving
Portland to reap an incidental advantage if
those recommendations are adopted, from her
position as leading seaport and from the
identity of her interests with the prosperity of
the whole country. lf Ff2lo2
The conclusions arrived at by the Conven-
ton may be stated in very few words. First,
the formation of commercial zolveren with
the Provinces through the negotiations of a
commissioner to be appointed by Congress
with the Canadian authorities. This was the
subject that engrossed most of the attention
of the Conve ntion, and it was on this question
alone that debate rose. The opposition to it
was embraced in a respectable albeit Uery
small minority. Second, subsidies from the
Government for three instead of one Pacific
railroad, and the building of roads to connec-
East and West by the shortest practicable
routes. Third, cooperation between the
United States and Canada in the improvement
of the navigation of the st. Lawrence and an
endorsement OF the principle that the general
Government may grant aid in facilitating COM
merce between the States Or. a-U,a