Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-12-14
AGRICULTURAL.
The NatiO nal Agricultural Co ventiOn at
ChicagO-Address on Free Trade by
Joseph Madill.

The Natio nal Agricultural Co vention at
ChicasO-Address on Free Trade by
Joseph Medill.
HIcAGo, Dec. 13.-The agricultural con-
vention this morning heard an address by
Hon. Joseph Medill upon free trade. Reso-
buttons indorsing the Maryland and Della
ware ship canal were introdU ced and re-
ferred to the mmittee on resolutions.
In the afternoon session, J. Sterling
Morton, of Nebraska, spoke on the tariff,
arguing that all tariff taxes not actually
needed by the government should be
abolished at cnce. President N T.
Sprague, OF Vermont, gave his experience
with . silos and ensitage,' and was de!uged
with questions at its close. The reports
| Of the committee Oh forestry recommend
ing cooperation of state and national
government in planting trees
along water courses and of
that on transportation recommending the
development of water competition by tbs
improvement of rivers and building canals
| were laid over for discussion at the even
ing session. Dr.. VIM. Hope, of Levi,
Scotland, read paper on the exhaustion
of the soil in its relation to fertilizers, and
Hon. j. B. GrinneH, of Iowa, one on the
subject g What is due from agriculture to
posterity.'
Mr.. Medil spoke upon the theme, the
tariff commissioners report" The speaker
said he had been born and bred in the
high tariff school of Henry Clay and of
| the higher tariff school of Pennsylvania
Democrats. but time, reading and observa-
ton led him to change his mind, and be-
gin to doubt whether high duties are good
| for the American people. The speaker
said the report of the tariff commissioner,
il some respects, was a surprise to him.
1t was better than he anticipated from a
committee selected with special reference
to how not to do it. The
committee appointed was supposed
to be for the purpose of maintaining ell the
adding new ones, if possible. 1t was not
for him to say how much the recent cleo
| ZION had to do with changing the original
| Intention. At all events the commission
had made a fairly good report-a com
mencement ia the right direction of tariff
reform. According to their claim they
| had taken Of 20 per cent, and simPlifed
imposing and collecting by throwing of
com pound duties. He noticed, however
that the wooden manufacturers had
influence enough to retain
the present abomination, and So
100000 wearers of wooden goods
must still stand the tax. The commission
admitted the need of q free list, but fell
short i'll carrying out this concession to
common sense. An extended free list on
raw materials was specially needed. The
speaker instanced asphaltum, Poland ce-
ment, soda ash, bleaching powders. elays
Of all kinds, coal, salt, lumber, copper, iron
ore, fax, tow, seeds, coarse woods, as
among the proper things to go on the
free list, and proceeded to argue from
the amount of goods manufactured and the
amount imported that farmers alone pay
5000, 900 to $500, 100000 annually more
than they should for their necessaries.
Farmers sell on free trade principles; the
tariff put down to their credit being mere
straw, chat. and worthless. The argument
that without tariff foreign goods would
press in and drive out home manufactures,
applies to but one-third of the people in
cities and towns, as the articles consumed
by the other two-thirds, not to mention
the farmers, are unprotected.
Wouldn't the manufacturers continue to
supply this two-thirds and the farmers, il
protection was taken off, the other fraction
Sgotectlcst- ne said, was a system of
rec. pfOCal fOODery. On6 manufacturer
protected to the extent of 80 per cent. rob-
ted q brother manufacturer to that extent.
The other manufacturer in turn robbed
him. II protection be taken off both they
would be at evens on lower scale Of prices.
He held Or men are no longer babies, but
able to take care of themselves. As a result
of personal observation he found the Eng
lish free trade laborer as well paid as the
American nrotected lahOrer Earmerc,
wages are one-third less. The price of
things he had to purchase were proper