Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-12-24

LOT luf sun tALdl
THE CONVENTION
met On wednesday forenoon IN one % iAe
great carr etei and upholstered halls Of the
stately Grand Pacific Hotel. Il wa- a gath
ering of between two hundred and three hun
dred substantial citizens Of ..ghfeea different
States from Vermont TO Oregon, ami from
Canada to Florida. 4, comprised many gen
tlemen Of weight in wealth aud Influence.
Of ability As speakers. ami holding ohciai
relations {, the boari- of trade. railroads.
canals aud commercial organization, OF
many cite and State. 10 was On abe
whole, a remarkably good looking, orderly
and harmonious body AMI 30 member oi it
hai al reason 10 De ashamed Of has mean
bershiY.
In the absence o. uJn josiah Qliu,y.
Of Massachusetts, its president. the eon'en-
lion Wa calle1 to order by Hon. John
Henry, OF NV York, senior vice president
Of the American Board Of Transportation
and Commerce, wh) presided throughout
the sessions Of the convention, and who made
= prompt and energetic chairman. The
delegate, were to have uceu welcomed 10
Chicago By GOV Beyerijge, Of Illinois, but
he Was not able to be present till the second
day His place was supplied by Hon. ). 5
HAYES, comptroller of the city Of Chicago.
The II arkel feature Of bis address. aside
from it. expressions of welcome and oi
grateful acknowledgement Of the assistance
rendered to Chicago, in her time Of need by
other cities, was protest against any further
contraction of the currency.
President Henry followed with an open
lag address. in which he alluded to the
dangers Of railr0al monopoly, and quoted
the suggestion OF the United State, Senate
Committee on Transportation, that the time
might possibly have come for limiting cor
porate aggrandizement by government con-
troll, though AZ the risk Of adding greatly to
the POWER and patronage Of the central
government.
The Secretary Of the American Buard Of
transportation, Mr.. Ferguson, Of Troy, read
brief report, reciting the history Of the
organization and giving some statistics Of
rates Of transportion and Of the production
OF grain. lie urged the formation Of local
boards OF transportation to cooperate with
the national body, and to bring the power Of
organization to bear On grievances affecting
producers, iorwarders and consumers.
The organization of the Convention was
complete by the appointment OF the usual
standing committees, on which the Yer
monters were failgleeognized.
Mr.. Benedict was appointed on the com
on credentials Mr. Kennedy on the
i'm oi tant committee on resolutions arr
reports, and Mr. Dodge on the committee
on organization-t) nominate officers Of the
Nsaonal Roarl Of Transportation and Com
merce for the ensuing year.
Then tegln the reading and reception OF
paper, resolutions sud reports, which con
-titute, 50 large portion of the business Of
eye-y such convention.
Amolg these the Caughnawasa Canal
fou I'D esrlg and Elective presentation. Its
friends had hopel for the active assistance
OF the New York delegation. These gentle
men, rel resenting the New York Chamber
OF Commerce and the Cheap TRANSPORTATION
Associate Of that city. with it, member
sAip OF a thousand merchants Of the great
metropolis, Exercised, not unuaturally. an
slmos. controlling interest in the copyep- ,
ton 1heJ comprised among their number {
several OF the officer Of previous conren-
ions. They had attended the previous con- !
Ientions, were familiar with the routine /
md they eIpectel to have pretty much their @
WI way. 1t seemed - clear 10 the advo-
ste' Of the ship canal. that the welfare /.
nd commercial prosperity Of the city Of "
lew York depended an some means Of a
lpping and drawing a. Thar ci,g is share =
the great tide OF commerce wlicl, will l.. =.
Ouring down the ST Lawrence. when -
'e Welland Canal enlargement i. colnpiet- IN
!, and that by lar the la ut feasible if not a
e only means OF accomplishing that su
ID is by opening the natural water route an
rough Lake Champlsin To the Hudson. VI
u they thought they might fairly count ~,
the scf'ss cooperation Of The frr,s..pts. tai