The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-10-04
The National Commercial Convention,

The delegates to the National Commercial
Convention dined and wined, and made
speeches to their hearts content. They
were warmly welcomed and Hospitality en-
tertained, and will carry back with them to
their homes many pleasant recollection oil
Baltimore and its people. But this was not
exactly the object for which the convention
met That body had before it wide range
OF subjects, and We must Judge it by the
practical work which it accomplished, and
not Ly the juuketing and general High
Jinks of the individual members.
The order of business laid before the con-
vention comprised nearly all the questions
affecting the national welfare and prosperity
OF the American people. A session of six
months would not have been too long for
their mature consideration. What the con-
vention did do may be told in few words.
1t adopted resolutions recommending re-
duction OF railroad "local rates so as to
give them nearer proportion TO through" I"
rates, urging the States to grant reciprocal
rights OF way to all railroads, and declaring
it feasible and desirable to complete rail-
road chain across the continent, south Of
the Central Pacific Railroad; also, report
on immigration; also, q report IN favor
OF specie payments, and q gradual pay
ment OF the public debt, and opposing
the income tax and protection tariff; also,
report declaring the cotton tax unconsti-
tutional and requesting that it be refunded;
also, o report in favor Of popular education,
and several reports in relation to internal
and foreign trade and navigation. These,
we believe, are the questions Of general in
terest upon which the convention acted.
And yet we cannot hope that the recon-
mendations OF the convention will have
any serious effect upon the States, the
railroad companies or Congress. Only
twenty-five States were represented. One
solitary delegate was supposed to speak for
New York. New England had no.voice in
the convention, except that of the delegate
from Maine. The West and South sent
strong body Of delegates, but the conven-
ton was not National Convention, ard
does not speak with the authority which
would be possessed by convention to which
all the States bad sent delegates OF influence
and position. And, at best. it is not once
in hundred times that commercial conven-
tions amount to anything They talk ard
resolve, aud expect to revolutionize the
country; but the country keeps the even
tenor Of its way, and refuses to be upset by
either report or resolution. Reforms must
begin at home. A free-trader can do more
good by explaining the injury which the
country suffers from protection, and by
voting always against Protectionist candi-
dates, than he can do by ventilating the
subject Tor the benefit Of wearied reporters
III a Commercial Convention. When rail-
roads wont put up their rates or put down
their rates, as popular caprice may direct, q
Commercial Convention can't move them a
foot. The stockholders, who own the prop
erty, are the only persons who can force a
change, and they are the persons to convert
It will be easy, OF course, to convince
them that the public good is more impor-
tant than their personal profit. Nor can a
Commercial Convention compel Congress
to. refund an obnoxious tax. The cotton tax
will be refunded, some day, because it is un-
constitutional, but the courts, not conven-
tions, will bring Congress to the sticking
point.
What we want is, less talk and more work.
Resolutions will not build ships, construct
railroads or grow cotton. When patriotic
citizen is bent upon running rairoad to
the Pacific, or upon establishing direct
trade with Liverpool, the first step should be
to say how much he will subscribe to the
capital Of the company-money down. And
when others do the same it is evident that
they mean business, and the work will 60
on. But it costs nothing to be liberal in
convention. The money is the test Of sin.
cerity. Then, again, most conventions are
engineered in the interest Of some particular
State or city. Delegates go to conventions
to help their own people, and, with Christian
charity, only help their neighbors. Taking
them all in all, it is very good 10 go to con-
vention for the sake Of summers jaunt.
Beyond this-what?