New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-12-15
The Commercial Convention at st Louis
Speech of Thomas Aliens

Louis w 6dn6Sdayt hoH' AuoHd0 AIL9h az
dressed the members on commercial mat
tiers. He said:
Gentlemen of the Convention: With
fresh memories of large local disasters, and
in the immediate presence of a widespread
and inconvenient malady seriously affecting
our noblest race of animals, we feel quite
sure that nothing short of high sense OF
patriotic duty, and an earnest desire to
promote the best interests of your country,
could have induced you, at this inclement
season, to honor St. Louis with your con-
yention Approaching this noble spirit,
and well knowing that your actuatlng mo-
tive is the common good, we hail your pres
ence with emotions of pleasure, and cor
daily embrace YOU with the Warmest well
| come of our people.
He who has noted the drift of thought
and the results Of your former conventions
can not fail to have observed that your Ell
forts concentrated public sentiment, and IN
some instances the recognition of the Presi-
dent of the United States and Congress.
This is realization and encouragement to
perseverance. 1t Is compliment 10 your
GOOD sense, but, at the same time, an
Acknowledgement that the government some
times needs extraordinary influence to get
it to do those right things which local jeal-
0usies OF party spirit would net otherwise
hermit il TO do, Benides mere politicians
are not always good judges OF business
matters or commercial principles, and, II
honest, will sometimes gladly avail them
selves of the advice OF heightened men OF
knowledge and experience.
1t is possible that we look to the govern
ment for too much. 1t requires, however,
not a little judicial wisdom to determine
precisely where the duty OF the federal gov
ernment ends, and where that OF the States
and people begins. Without attempting
any definition. it is probably sufficient tor
us to know that we may consistently look
to that government to regulate commerce
between the States and with foreign COun-
tries; to coin money and regulate the value
thereof; to improve such rivers and har-
b0rs as are of national character; to aid the
building of roads through the pubhc lands
to euualize the burden of federal taxation,
and to interfere in the affairs OF the States
and people no further than is necessary to
nresprve order and secure union and lib
erty. We must invoke the federal govern
ment also in respect to navigation laws the
law of bankruptcy, the postal service, and
| those laws which gave uniformity to the
value of money and to weights and meas
ures For one, | would invoke the ln11u-
ence of every convention like TINS IN pc
! half of a uniform system OF weights and
! measures throughout the civilized world.
| For one. again, | would ask your influence
to stop the further imitation of paper money
until it is convertible into gold on demand
Long acouiescence in wrong induces for
! getfulness of right. When the senses have
| been benumbed by the seventies OF war,
we are apt to bear quietly the ills that have
| fallen upon US rather than exert ourselves
to devise remedy. People can accustom
| themselves to any policy that has the merit
| of stability. Doubtless they would rejoice
| TO see an end fixed to irredeemable
paper money, but they wait for the gov
ernment to set the example OF redemp-
| ton. The great progress made by the
railways of the country IS proof OF
| what private enterprise may do without the
! assistance of government The artificial
state of the currency, in spite ct the
| increased facilities of transit and cOmmu-
| nication, has done much to equallZe prices:
| And SO are commercial advantages sItfused
and equalized by the same means. II there
| be a surplus, it is rapidly dIttused; II a
vacuum. it is as rapidly filed up. II theIo
| be a new invention or new fashion, the
knowledge and enjoyment of it are uni
| versal and simultaneous. For this we are
| indebted to those marvels of modern times,
| the railroad, the telegraph and the CONNER
cial traveller. But what is peculiar IS our
| quiet ac0uiescence in an exclusive paper
currency as the medium OF exchange, and
sort of marriage relation between inc
government and the banks, after divorce
| VI many y S"AN'
Imav, however, be permitted to coAgraS
ulate YOU that the President of the United
States has perhaps gone as far as the most
liberal mind would justify under the cir
Cumstauces, in commencing TO Congress a
ship canal around Niagara Falls, canal 10
connect the Chesapeake and ONO, ana a
canal TO connect, through the Southern
States. the waters of the Mississippi with
the tide water of the Atlantic. There Is
also a recommendation, believe, to bring
the Mississippi, the Missouri and the ONO
under the care of the Lighthouse Board,
so that the navigation Of these rivers may
have the same benefit from beacOns ano
buOys as the navigatOrs OF She ocean
After urging upon Congress IoT thlttA
wears the pr0priety of treating fresh Watel
commerce with equal care and lIDeraHty al
salt water commerce, it is gratifying to see
atlength the efforts and progress OF the W est
ern people aroused in this behalf. Power
resDonds TO power Notwithstanding the
yery. great increase of railways III the last
ten wears. the increase has not been IN eG
cess Of the demand, nor has it, indeed
kept pace with the increased wealth anC
production OF the country. More facilities
are undoubtedly required to remove tht
croDs of the West to market. RLOre taclll
ties are needed in the large cities to handle
freight with economy. Every improvement
Of this sort enhances the value OF commo
ditiGS to the producer, or chedp6h5 IheLl u
the consumer All labor or money saYet
! in handling or moving commodities IS 81
much saved for production. Every man Il
stimulated to exertion when he has mar
! ket for its results at his own door. Ever,
railroad that can shorten its line or reduce
grade, is to that extent taking of d tax OF
commerce.
Our internal commerce is several time
larger than our foreign commerce, AM
only thirty per cent of the latter IS carrle'
| in American ships, while all OF the forme
is handled by our own people. Inc IRE
sident thinks it would be a gain II S0OOO
! 900 were appropriated annually until W
=, regained our just proportion OF the carry II
> trade Of the ocean. Ot how muGh 8fedJe
value to the nation would be the increase an
e Dprfection of our interior channels of con
munication, so that our country might 0
etiIl more developed and our products sen
u down for export to such an extent as
turn the balance of trade in our favor, as
u ought to be. When we produce more tina
we consume, and export more than we III
port and carry our exports to market GU
i selves, then our country will be IN a health
and independent condition.
IS Look to the nayigable waters Of the Mi
Il sisippi valley, over 10000 miles in extent
the whole people of the Union are lntereste
g In their IMPROVEMENT. Who can calculat
their value? By so much as you Sin
u through the perils of navigation; by
much as YOU enhance the cost of transports
/ ton upon them: by SO much do you Jesse
o the wealth of the country and increase TIL
cost of commodities to the consumer IL
Improvement of the Mississippi rive
S. whether by deepening the channel, b