New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-12-07
THE MERCHANTS IN COUNCIL.


tradesmen, they will join earnestly in the
reform movement to be started to-day by
their Chamber of Commerce. They themselves
and they only, can now emanclpate So'n''o,'o
from the misrule with which Tammahy uc-
moralization has vcxed every branch OF olSi'
ness. The newspapers have led in this REFORM
and made its success possible; hencefortn tney
can be only accessory in the fight which inc
mcrchants must win for themselves by prompt
and ofensire action. with
VIZ are sure no true merchant WIN
public spirit and common sense ei'o"s" W
recopnizo that his own individual interests arc
involved in those of the port or city IN wh''n
M docs business, will need nrging to attend
this call of the Chamber of Commerce. But
during several months past, in which lie
Tp,pIxr has been fighting the fight OF the
merchants with little support even from the
merchants themselves, we have dlscovercd
that there are many reputable men IN business
who look no further than to-day, and submit
TO cxactiOns because in turn they can charee
them to tho consumer. There arc too
many who, in the wild pursuit of money
refuse to see that rival cities are absorbing
trade after trade which Ncw-YOrk always
controlled until Tammany drove il away. we
have asked of such men help in the work we
have been doing in their interest, ana nave
even been refused information on which 10
base the statements VIC were ready TO put
forth on our own responsibility. We have at
times dcspared of arOusing this class OF mcr-
chants to tho grave duty before them, but we
still urge upon them 10 attend the meeting
to-day at the Chamber of Commerce, and JOIN
in the coming crusade.
The abuses are many, and can be clearly de-
fined. The Quarantine exactiOns under Dr.
CarnOchan have driven the sugar and coffee
trades to Baltimore. They have made this port
n terror to all shippers in the South American
trades, and added an unnecessary cost to
tropical products which places it out OF our
power to compete in price with ncighboring
ports not thus afflicted. TIE TRIBUNE has
time and again denounced the HarbOr- Masters
as q gang of political rogucs who bought their
Offices from rascas greater than themselves,
and. by outrageous and oppressive charges
upon every ship berthed at New
York picr, compel the merchants to re-
fund the purchase money. The docks of
Ncw-York are conducted under a policy and
arc rebuilding upon system which Will for
many years to come he tax upon commerce,
and will, by increasing shipping charges
every year, tend to drive trade away instead
of attracting it. Commerce must exist before
great docks can be built the COstllest piers
in the world will not create great trade.
Lastly, VIC have exposed the rascalities OF
Murphy, and driven him disgraced in every
merchants eyes from tho CustOm-Ilousc.
Yet Carnochan remains ut Quarantine;
Gov. Hoffman sustains in their places the
lIarbor- Masters whom corrupt Senators ap-
pointed for price; the policy and the ex-
travagance of the Dock Commission continue;
and Thomas Murphy's shadow collects tho
customs. All this is yet to be reformed, and
| only tho merchants can complete the work.
| They arc invited to-day to engage in it, and
we trust that from the roll Of those present
at this meeting, which we shall publish to-
morrow, there will be missing not single
honored name among tho many enterprising
and public spirited merchants whom New-iOrk
still boasts.