Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-09-11
COMPOSING THE FRAUD.
A OOnscIence-SmiGten Tariff Com
missioner BeWaIls HIs Inability 40
save the Commission from RIdI-
cule.
Chicago Special to the Ne,g York World.

Chicago Special to the Neio York World.
The bubble has burst of it's own empti-
ness. One of the Tariff Commissioners has
declared the commission q farce. The fol-
lowing private letter written by him was,
through the treacbeTy or carelessness of q
friend, made public this morning. 1t was
addressed to an Influential public man in
Chicago, whose name has been withheld:
CINCINNATI. September 5. !
'fMY DEAR SIR am going to write you
some plain bottom facts about the commits
sion. The real fact Is the manufacturers
themselves take no interest in It. They
seem to think that the commission was
formed for them and will take care of them
anyhow, and, as you and have experienced
in other matters, they now simply lay back
and expect that the commission is to fight
their battles for them. They don't even
lend us the usual support OF their presence
in the meetings in the cities which we visit.
They may think that this course will pay,
but they will find out perhaps when 1t is too
late that they have been mistaken, for such
treatment will only tend to make those
members Of the commission who are
not interested in any shape or form what
ever in industrial enterprise of any kind
utterly Indifferent, and a minority report
will by no means under such treatment be
an impossibility. The Rochester meeting
was farce. At Buffalo, Detroit and C'eve-
land a few appeared, and some important
matters were presented. The Indianapolis
meeting was on a par, If not worse, with
that at Rochester, and here to-day, In one
OF the great industrial centres, we have had
a couple of men presenting their views In
regard to pottery and a couple on sheet
iron. l have done all that human being
could do to prevent the commission be-
coming the laughing stock Of the country
Aided by Mr.. Postgste, who, you know is with
me, we have seen many newspaper men and
given them the best phase of the work in
progress. But 1t is hardly possible to keep
up this farce throughout the entire country.
| do most heartily and earnestly hope that
the Chicago meeting will be an exception,
and / ask you in all earnestness to lose no
time In seeing the manufacturers and secur-
ing for us an invitation from the Board of
Trade for reception for the sake of the
cause we represent. Beg those men who
are interested to lend us at least the moral
support Of their faces and presence at our
meeting. The free trade papers will watch
the Chicago meeting closely. If 1t is a fail.
ure It will be Waterloo for the protection
lists :"
Every one who knows the commissioners
knows that the writer is Mr.. Robert P. Por-
ter. The Mr.. Postgate mentioned in the
letter is the clerk who resigned Yesterday
from disgust He and Mr.. Porter were
friends when both were employed on the
Chicago papers, and Mr.. Postgate accom-
panied the commission until yesterday as
Mr.. Porter's secretary. That the newspaper
men had been seen and given "the best
phase OF the work IN progress, - telegrsphed
you from Cincinnati, and that It is hardly
possible to keep up this farce throughout
the entire country was predicted IN Boston.
Naturally, the commissioners are greatly
agitated to-day. They would not go to MI
waukee, st. Paul, Des Moines and st. Louis
If sessions at these places had not already
been advertised. Other members do not
now hesitate to express their disgust, and It
is possible that the South will not be visited
at all. It is certain that the trip to San
Francisco will not be taken. Certainly there
is nothing left for Mr.. Porter to do now but
to follow the example of his secretary.
Then it would be wise, II, indeed. not too
late for the SOther commissioners to follow
his example. .,
So turbuleNt has to-day been that the
commission held only a morning session,
Inc greater part OF that session was very
appropriately gwen to hearing five manu-
facturers OF wood pulp and paper, who
represented the American Paper Makers
Association, and askcd, OF course, that the
present duties on their products be re-
tanned. Mr.. c. O. Chaplin, of Springfield,
Mass, did himself the dfshonor to be the
chief spokesman.
Inc JOOners IN JeWelry IN Chicago, through
Mr.. Otto Young, repeated the request made
at Boston bv the watch manufacturers. The
watch makers and their iobbers and
| the wood pulp manufacturers, there
| fore, rival the potters in impudence.
But two very sensible and proper sub.
| jects were discussed to-day. A committee
of fruit growers representing the Mississippi
| Valley Horticultural Society pointed out
| the advantages that would follow putting
fruits, vegetables and plants on the free list.
| Mr.. Kenner, disgusted nc doubt with the
| continued attentions OF robbers, said of
course al fruit should be on the free list.
/ This remark is notable, because It is the first
| expression of the kind that has been made
| in open session. still more important
statement was made by Mr.. d. K0elken-
| beck, of Chicago, who pointed out the
necessity Of total abolition Of the duty
| on fax and tow, and showed conclu-
sively the falacious and selfish posi-
/ tion Of Eastern growers and manufacturers
| Of hemp who appeared In such numbers
| aud with such ado at Long Branch. Mr..
| Koelkenbeck's study Of the chance OF fax
| culture In the West and of the manufacture
| of linen in America is the most important
| and instructive exposition that has been
| made OF the subject. He said that the pan
per labor of Europe was not to be feared bv
| She fax producer in the West, because fax
| could be produced here more cheaplv than
| in any European country, on account of the
| item Of rent paid for land In Europe. The
| average cost OF an acre Of fax IN leland