The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-04-21
NEW YORK CRY FOR FREE TRADE.

y 4s4s4 3 aF
/ NEW YORK CITY FOR FREE TRADE.
i Following closely upon the proceeding
i of the New York Chamber of Commerce
on the tariff question, was largely at
tended meeting of the citizens of New
York City, in Chickering Hall, in the in
i terest of the free trade One was Fl
complement of the other, and both hav,
put themselves on record as opposed t.
the Ubiquitous system of taxation called 1
protective tariff. ~
These meetings are significant, for tina
| they show that class of business mer
| who have heretofore been silent on thi.
| question. or Indifferent. are taking a stanc
on a matter of present commanding impor
| tanee. - eszss s-. ss,szss.s =
Nothing will more plainly show the
character and importance of this assem-
| blage than the names of some-of the gen
tlemen who occupied the position Of vice
presidents of the meeting. Among others
are the following well known names:
William r. Grace. Norvin Green, Abran
s. Hewitt, Carl Schurz, David A. Wells,
William Wood, Thomas Holland, William
Henry Hurlbert, William H. Guion, John
T. Agnew, L. NJ. Bates, Algernon S. Sui
Ivan, John E. Develin, Albert Stickney,
Stephen A. Walker, Peter B. Olney, Henry
Ward Beecher, Arson Phelps Stokes
Daniel F. Temann, Fl. G. Marquand. Johr
Bigelow, Morris K -Jesup, Howard Potter
David M. Stone, j. w. Harper, Jr-, G.
Van Santvoord. Dolman B. Eaton. w. II.
Peckham, Theodore Roosevelt, F. L. Stet
son, L. p Di Cesnola, Theodore A. Have.
meyer, B. f. Butler, 8. s. Cox, Albert
Fink, Gustav Schwab. Manton Marble.
Austin Corbin, James NJ. Constable, II. d.
Musgrave. i. a. p, Barnard, Perry Bel
mont. LIE Grand Lockwood, Jose It. Navar-
70, George K. Sistare, Ell Charlier, Thomas
Kinsella and Ogden w. Rood. e w
Mr. Everett P Wheeler was the
president of the meeting, and in
making the opening address said,
that by free trade was meant equal
trade, impartial trade; not absolutely free
from bearing its share of the burdens of
necessary taxation. bull a trade that shall
not bear any greater proportion of the pub
lie burdens than is borne by any other spe-
eies of Industry, and that in view of the
fact that the national debt is half paid,
harvests plentiful. and the national treasu-
ny full, it was time to repeal all duties upon
raw materials, and reduce the duties upon
manufactured goods made from those raw
materials, and to strike off all excessive
and prohibitory duties.
Senator Vance of North Carolina, made
a speech in which he said:
THE protectionists come before the
American people with three falsehoods en-
blazoned on their banners These are:
Protection to American labor; benefiting
the consumer, and adding to the wealth of
the nation. When the American workman
offers his labor it is all he has. He finds
himself compelled TO compete with others
gathered from all the nations of the earth.
From those who offer their labor the man
ufacturer selects the cheapest. But when
the manufacturer has his articles for sale
the tariff shuts off all foreign competition.
The workman's labor is at the mercy of
the manufacturer. Congress, at the behest
of the manufacturer, refused to shut out
the tide of Chinese labor, the cheapest on
the face of the earth, but allows it to come
in and compete with American labor. Is
this protecting American labor? IL the
truth, they would announce as their motto:
Free trade in labor. protection TO striped
calico and blankets Let the American
know that there is no protec-
ton for him but every protection for his
employer. !" r8
Professor Summer of Yale College made
some remarks, in the course of which he
said:
Lut us take the notion that the tariff |
makes the wages high. You are asked to |
believe that the employer goes to Wash |
ngton, employs lobby, aud applies his |
lime to try to get the wages of his men |
'aised daughter and applause) One |
hing is certain-the protectionist theory /
S that the mere people that are idle, and /
the less production there is.
he higher the wages will be-that waste /
makes wealth. Yoa cant make wealth by
egislation. Congress don't give you any
iches, although speeches to this effect
AVE been made in every congress- How
AVE they Gone it2 BY laying tax.
Laughter and applansee Whnt the tariff
las done is to lower wages. The people I
lave less creation. less comforts, and less
iches under system of protection than
hey Will have under a system of free trade
yinteen- fwentieths of the American people I
re sufferers By this system, while but one
wentieth Is benefited, and thes place TO
btain recruits for reform il among the
ufferers
Resolutions expressive of the sentiments
/ the meeting were adopted, declaring that
is the imperative and immediate duty of
ongress to reduce taxation by not less
han $75, 0oO. 600; that nine tenths Of this