Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-11-24


where il was thought he bad been to attend |
the Chicago commercial convention. He has |
given more attention to the consideration of
the que, tons likely to come before such a
cow ention than most public men, and as he
had been represented in the newspapers,
through the ssociated Press, as having taken
part IN the debate, an Enquirer representa-
tive waited upon him as soon as possible to
learn his views as TO the character aud aims
OF the Chicago gathering. The first sur
prise was TO learn that Mr.. Beck had not
been in attendance at the convention, al
though appointed by the governor to repre-
sent Kentucky.
A MEETING or SUBSIDY SCHEMERs.
He expressed his opinion of the cJuventi1n
with energy and emphasis, feeling evidently
indignant that he should be supposed 70 take
any part in it. SAID Mr. Beck: 81 went from
central Illinois, where | had private business,
to Chicago for the purpose OF attending what
| supposed to be a commercial convention IN
the broadcast sense called to discuss our tar
If. tax and navigation laws, and expected
to give my views on these subjects, but
soon found by inquiry that was mistaken,
and never entered the ball after the organ
lZltIOn of the body; so that all reports as to
any participation 10y me N It's action are IN
true. Ii seemed 70 me 10 be simply NEE T.
ing Of the friends Of various subsidy schemes,
each set willing to support all the others, so
they secured what they wanted-that is the
fundamental vice in the system of subsidy
monopoly, or class legislation, each scheme Is
made part OF every ether. Banks, tariffs,
bonds, railroads, steamships, etc, get all
they ask by the united vote Of all those who
want anything. They combine and pool
their issues in their raids on the treasury,
which has to be supplied by taxation levied
ia the most unjust and expensive way. am
unable TO see how this people can endure any
further or higher taxation, either by tariff or
s.fs4r mol ~ Il Lea r,f
the schemes now so urgently pressed upon
congress.
WHAT OUGHT TO DE DONE.
II was plain that the senator differed radI-
csllv from the majority Of the Chicago con-
ventIon as to the best means o. building up
ou- foreign commerce, and as he had grown
warm upon the subject the interviewer in
CURED what were Mr.. Becll's views as to the
best means to accomplish this object.
Mr. Beck-That Is too big question to
answer in a few words. | would begin by
repeating the navigation laws relative ~
ships engaged IN foreign trade, and let our
people buy ships, as the people of every other
civilized nation now do, where they buy
them cheapest. The monopoly OF the coast
wise trade is a sufficient burden to carry for
New England. We have not now a ship in
the great ocean commerce of the world leay-
ing the port Of New York. England, France
and Germany are our common carriers, our
They combine and charge what ireights they
please. We pay them nearly one hundred
million dollars annually. Our tariff laws
make it almost impossible to build hips and
our navigation laws absolutely prohibit Us
from buying them. Eighteen years ago foreign
nations paid us over twenty-three million dol
lars annually as the balance in our favor in
the carrying trade. That was under a Dem
ocratic revenue tariff. The present protect
i've system has driven us from the seas.
Think of the donations of land and money
TO railroads to reach the Pacific ocean! We
have gwen them more land west of the Mis-
siEsippi alone than there is IN the thirteen
original States, and more money in principal
and interest to one of them than it cost TO
carry on the government from the Inaugural
ton of General Washington till the war of
1912 broke out, in order to reach the trade of
China, Japan and the Indies over the Pacific
ocean. Yet our tariff excludes the landing
of the goods we need from these countries,
and subsidies are demanded to run steam
ships on that great sea. We can not be
prosperous while these obstacles and obstruc-
lions to commerce are kept up. Yet the rep
resentatives of each monopoly and subsidy
IN congress have to maintain them all in or
der to secure their part OF the public plum
der.
BALANCE OF TRADE \ FRAUD.
Reporter-B 1t is not the balance Of trade
largely in our avor now, and will not that
remedy many of the evils OF which you com,
plain?
Mr.. Beck answered with some vehemence.
Said he: That Is another fraud or deluslon
which is greatly relied on by men high in
authority. Even the President has more
than once spoken OF it as a sure means OF
giving relief, All congress has to do to have
all the trade Ia o1F favor (no bslance about
it,, IS to make our present protective tariff
laws absolutely prohibitory. How is it now
4 ~ A
ships cargo of wheat to Liverpool and sells
it for one hundred thousand dollars; all he re-
ceives is the residue after paying for freights,
interest, insurance, commissions, ETC., which
ae has deducted from the price paid to the
farmer. Our agricultural surplus constitutes
seven eighths of our exports, and the for
eign market prices regulate the prices of the
whole. Our merchant must sell in sharp
competition with the Russian or any other
pauper wheat grower IN the world who sends
a similar article of wheat TO the LIverpO) d
market. Our protective tariff does not reach
there. that Is obvious. Our merchant needs
clothes machinery, hundred things, all of
which he can buy for sixty thousand dollars
Ehere in open market. His foreign COMPETE
tor, who sells cargo of wheat similar to his
lust as he has done, bEyG all of the same
Things he nelds and sends .etlrn cargo TO
his home for sixty thousand dollars, The
Cincinnati merchant cannot buy because lie
would have to pay forty thousand dollars
more before he could land his
goods at New York or Boston. H
can buy the same things Ia New England for
ninety thousand dollars. Our monopolists
take care 10 sell just under the foreign price.
with the tarif-tax added. He buys here AND
pays ninety thousand for what he could have
bought abroad for sixty thousand dollars, and
kh2 ship comes home empty, so far as h Is
concerned. Our customhouse entry of the
transaction Is: | nited States exports wheat
A.. Il r. I II
lars, imports nothing; balance of trade IN
favor of the UnIted States, one hundred
thousand dollars What ID the truth :?
Seither the people of the United States no.
their government have made one cent, either
N the way of revenue or otherwise. The
exporter has been forced to pay to some pri-
vate protected person or corporation IN New
England thirty thousand dollars more than
any other man anywhere else pays for the
same goods, and the party to whom he paIG
ninety thousand dollars Tor what he had been
offered for sixty thousand dOiiars, does not
paw one dime of it to the government IL any
form. If it is invested in bonds it escapes all
taxation-Gtate, Federal, and municipal.
Incomes pay nothing; palatial residences,
and everything that armies and navles are
maintained to protect, pay nothing Mr..
Astor's and Ar. Vanderbilts coachmen
pay more than either of these millionalres,
if they happen to have more chill
dren to clothe and feed than their en-
ployers. Labor and poverty are unduly bur
dened, wealth in every form escapes Federal
taxation That Is all there is IN the balance
Of trade. Each transaction is ike that have
stated. Some person unknown to the trans
action, unknown 10 ths government, and En-
titled to no more rights, If OK laws were Just,
than any other citizen, is the only peTsop who
gets the balance in the trade-some congress
slonal secret partner, who does nothing and
takes all the profits But the question Is too
10 u~Nr
conversation. 1t will force itself on congress
soon, and, when it is understood, TIE system
will be overthrown.
THE ISsoLEET BANKS.
The opportunity seemed a favorable one to
ascertain the senator's views in relation to
the money question, and especially the recent
action of the New York bankers in regard to