New-York tribune., 1873-09-02

emen who are leading in this thing representa- What
is their platform They must have one nothing can
be done unless there Is particular object stated and
kept in view There be well-de6ned course of
action.
To whom do you look for redress 10 State Legisa-
turesi Then power is limited, and two might act
unitedy. DO you look TO COnress Wel then there is
something to 0e done; you must elect men to Congress
whom you trust Cres OF =" Hear, heart That Is
the first thing to be done and when they get there you
must tell them what to do. You must have specified
measures that they to attend to- you must have
well defined policy, and this s indispensable.
Now suppose there three in which the great
object may be secured In the first place. by
laws fixing the of freight and passenger fare all
the roads iu the country But there is objection to
this in the difficulty Of fixing upon rates just for all the
long roads, the short roads, aad the cheap roads, costly
roads, roads through tbcky and through sparsely
settled country. 1t seems To me almost i'm
possible TO meet these widely different
cases by a general law. Secondly, by increasing
and competent lnes the expense Of the Govern
ment between the chief marts. as between Chicago,
NewYOrk Boston, &c. This is feasible plan as far as
it goes but unless extending very far, and to all the
principal lines Of freight and travel it would only par
italy the object of the true railroad system The
third plan by purchasing all the roads 10y the General
Government, and leasing them out TO parties
under such restrictions would seem for the
public interest In this the rate Of fare may
national bonds; 1 admit that this plan would be at
tended with difficulty, but is feasible. There is great
work to be DONE but then it great object and 1t can
be attained. There is need OF leasing the whole sys
TEN at once; beginning with two roads at first
sSu ses No may yycniy af an ana tier ' fbe Govern
ment gets possession of these roads, one hv one,
they could DC leased. That there would be competition
for this there doubt If this is TO be done
by Congress, IL makes the question Of railroads poi
cal Question That may he very deporable but cannot
be helped we were a. they i'll some parts OF the
world taken care of ny our rulers we might not need to
ct, but We are not, We must take care OF ourselves
therefore, everything We want must take into pol
itics
But come also to say gentlemen, that we must not
conceal from ourselves the fact that this question OF
transportation, international commerce as we ought
to call it, is greatly complicated by the condition OF our
currency. We have false standard Of value. and IN
tins il is particularly bad beuse If you 90 TO the
men who control these roads and say anything about
reducing fares they will answer "Do you know, SIR,
that we pay enormous price for material and labor
compared with what we did u or II years ago
Are you that we 49, 90 and 70 per cent more
for running expenses than we did then y Jhat OWING
as shan venture to say, TO our currency perhaps
should apologize for introducing the question. some
Laughter Well, he means to, IL he supposes the eur
fency greatest from which the country suf
uses moderation. But there is the question Of Tariff
which The West is opposed they in favor OF Free
the currency thus the three questions Cur
rency, nspOrarOn ana Trade. They all tos tleT;
you dispose themI You have got reconcile
with each other, because as have said, have got
TO nave platform, a policy. Well what is the
work TO be performedi 1 answer you must
circulate "a knowledge of the facts IN
yoa propose to do it. Secondly for this purpose You
must have meetings and public addresses. Thirdly You
must support those newspapers which favor your cause,
and the press Is ready TO listen 10 such PROPOSE
tons. II is always loyal TO its interests aud you must
make 1t understand what its interests are. zap
plause.l YOn cannot trust the present pOlt-
ica parties with the solution OF this question.
sSS oaS but it sSe SGw hen are You TeSdy o
thsi Can you sever your old political aflatonsi If
can q "A a 4. VOu
viii accomplish nothing. There is great encour-
agement 10 go on in tins work; 1t is a
( goG9 the cause Of humanity It Begins @ outside the
present political parties. 1t must be kept there Mark
very able men already that dare say what they
think There is Mr.. shiilabarger, who been . long
men there appanse aud there Mr.. Josiah Quincy Of
this city, and have had great acquisition in Gov
culture Of high order OF abilities, and above all
other qualifications at the present time he is honest
be between the greatest forces OF and
wealth On one hand some 100000 of people
ton OF power that the world has ever seen.
L make no exaggeratiOn-the greatest concentration
hands, world has seen, but the people VIII ,r
umph the labors Of the people will be recOmpensed
the general prosperity OF the nation Will rejoice in the
proud contamination, hearty it now does in the
abolition of chattel slavery. APPLAUSE
The Chairman, rising, said that the Hon. Josiah
Quincy and Deputy Thompson had intended 10 be
present. but they doubtless unavOidably detained
Responding to calls for Banks, Banks" the Hon. n f.
Banks made short address, in which he heartily
dorsed all that had been said by the gentlemen wbe pre-
ceded him. The Hon. Freeman Walker of Brooklyn
called upon. He spoke briefly of the effect which the
nigh rates OF transportation were having upon the
uVs It %s Oh sadn Snd the ne ar@ef
were turning TO manufacturers and competing
OF this was felt by Eastern manufacturers in the
reduction in amount OF orders received from what had
mented these remarks by few incidents illustrating
their force. The meeting then adjourned.