The Portland daily press., 1873-09-29
National Board of Trade.

National Board of Trade.
Important subjects are to be brought be-
fore the National Board of Trade at its an
nual meeting in Chicago on the 21st of Oct
ober. The Executive Council and the local
boards in nearly all the large cities have sub
mitted propositions and resolutions bearing
upon nearly every matter of general interest
to the commercial and financial public. In
deed, the organization seems to be governed
by the spirit of bacon's magnifcently egotis-
tic declaration and takes all knowledge to be
its province.
The Executive Council submit seven rec
concentrations. The first is that Congress be
memolialized to establish a Department of
Commerce. The second calls upon Congress
to allow boupties for building ships, whether
the materials used in construction be of for
eign or American production; to allow all ar
ticles of foreign product needed for subsis-
tence and general use on vessels engaged in
foreign trade to be withdrawn from bonded
warehouses without payment of duty; and to
allow American citizens to purchase tonnage
wherever built or owned, and to place it I'M
der the protection Of the national flag. The
third requests Congress to pass such laws as
shall prevent any change in rates of transpor-
tation between the interior and the seaboard,
without sufficient previous notice, and as
shall simplify the means by which redress can
be obtained by individuals against corpora
tons in cases of oppression of this kind
The fourth recommends the renewal of the
reciprocity treaty. The fifth reaffirms tie
conviction of the Board that all capitation
taxes collected from or upon immigrants
ought to be abolished. The sixth recon-
mends reduction of and uniformity in post
al rates, and the establishment OF the postal
telegraph. The seventh calls for a uniform
system of weights and measures
The Boston Board submits resolutions en-
bodying the opinion that it is the imperative
aud pressing duty of the national govern
ment to take immediate measures for the re-
form of the currency and the restoration of
the specie standard of values, an d that Con-
gress should call to its aid the best financial
wisdom of the country.
The Milwaukee Chamber of Commerce in
vites attention to the fact that the charging
interests of our inland navigation demand
the removal of lake and liver distractions.
and calls upon Congress to take measures to
that effect.
The Philadelphia Board asks for either an
amendment or repeal of the bankrupt law,
and for such amendments to the National
Banking Law as will lead to an equalization
of its benefits.
The Mobile Board suggests that Congress
be petitioned to establish Bureau of intern
al improvement analogous to the coast snr-
veys, to make preliminary surveys and sug-
geSts comprehensive and thorough system
of improvement.
The Cincinnati Board wants the tariff laws
so revised that the duties on commissions,
packages, and cost of getting goods on ship
board be abolished, and ad valorem duties be
assessed only on the net cost of the goods.
The New Orleans Chamber of Commerce
asks for reciprocal trade relations with the
Spanish American colonies in order to pro-
vide profitable and convenient market for
our surplus productions. In consequence Of
the exclusive Spanish policy, we are COM
PEELED to pay large balances in specie for the
productions of those colonies, while our own
products cannot be given in exchange. The
Chamber also calls the attention of Congress
to the improvement of the Mississippi River
levees, and suggests that the national gov
eminent guarantee bonds to the amount of
S25,000,0O0, to be issued by the States of
Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas, the pro-
ceeds of these bonds to be applied to eveeing
the river banks.
The Chicago Board desires State Legisla-
lures to enact law requiring all persons do
ing business under firm name to register
with some designated county or municipal
officer the name of the firm and of each
member thereof, and person interested there
in, so that all may ascertain who are respon-
sible for the obligations incurred by the firms.
The Board also calls tor the organization of
government for the Indian Territory, so that
the Indian tribes may be rapidly brought
under the dominion of our laws and gradu
ally asSimiIated to the usages of our civiiza-
ton, and so that the rich agricultural and
mineral resources of the territory may be de-
veloped to supply the incoming white popu-
lation now pressing into the Southwest. II
also calls tor simplifying of government
regulations in regard to the export of spirits.
The Philadelphia Board protests against
State interference in municipal affairs, and
wants the local boards to do their best in be-
half of the Centennial anniversary. The
Mobile Board suggests uniform system of
quarantine under national supervision, and
the Milwaukee Board asks for amendments
to laws regulating the coasting trade of the
lakes.
As already announced in the local columns
of the PRESS a meeting of the Portland
Board of Trade will be held this evening for
the purpose of discussing these measures, of
which We have given a synopsis. The sub
jects to be brought before the meeting are in
the main of national interest, and concern us
ALL We trust our local board will so regard
them, and not suffer itself to be Influenced in
its discussions by merely class considerations.
The high character and moderate views of its
members warrant US in our faith.
James Freeman Clarke on PoIt;up