Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-06-02
FREE TRADE.
CLOSE OF THE CONFERENCE 1T
DETROIT YESTERDAY.
A Series of Resolutions and an Address to
the People of the Country Adopted
Election of Officers and Plans for Perma-
nent Work,


the People of the Country Adopted
Election of Officers and Plans for Perma-
nent Work.
DETROIT, June This afternoons ses-
sion of the free trade conference accom-
plisheG little, owing to the lack of report
from the committee on platform. The
session opened with the reading of several
letters and kilograms. Theodore Roosevelt
of New York favors an immediate return
| to the policy of free ships, the abolition
of preposterous duties on works of art,
and rapid reduction and total abolition
! of duties on raw materials, and a progress
sive modification OF all import duties in
| the direction of tariff for revenue which
| the house concurred in.
| The only kilograms read were those re-
| porting inability to attend from United
| States Senator Vance, of North Carolina,
| Bushrod Moses, of Boston and Jno. S..
Phelps, of Springfield, Mo. Pending the
| arrival of the committees some time was
spent in listening to reports concerning
| the free trade sentiment in various sec
| tons of the country, which were of an en-
couraging tone. Then the committee on
| organization submitted the following:
This conference recognizes and desires
to record It's hearty appreciation of the
valuable work accomplished by local and
state organizations and the very impor-
tant assistance to such effort which has
been rendered by the American free trade
league, and
WHEREAS, the lattor has proposed to re-
organize upon a basis more thoroughly
representative and national, and desires to
counsel this conference to such an end,
therefore, the conference recommends:
First-Ihat the free trade work of the
country be organized under the general
direction of the American Free Trade
league.
Second-That the American Free Trade
league appoint national committee to be
composed of one delegateIfrom each state
league, such delegate to have the general
direction of the work in his state, and
that he be responsible therefor.
Third--That the executive committee of
the national committee appoint and have
power to remove a member to represent
the national committee III each of those
states which have no state league.
Fourth-That the national committee
appoint general secretary with headquar
tiers in the city of New York.
The report was adopted without dissent.
In the course of a general and informal
discussion H. j. Philpot, of Iowa, reported
very rapid growth of the free trade Sell
timent among the farmers Of his state and
]. Sterling Morton, of Nebraska, detailed
the results of last falls campaign in Ne
braska, where the Republican majority
was reduced one-half. Edward Campbell
thought that if the people of Iowa could
pass upon the question of free trade,
separated from other issues, they would
roll up big majority in its favor. The
Democratic party of Iowa are almost
united on the subject and the latter had
been somewhat handicapped by the over
whelming support of the former. To or
ganize a new free trade party would be
fatal in the speakers estimation. He pre-
ferred liberal dissemination of free trade
principles among the members OF other
parties. For himself he would support the
principle of free trade at sacrifice Of
party ties, if the tariff issue was at stake.
He would rather vote for Republican free
traders than Democratic protectionists.
Justice Clark of Iowa spoke in a similar
wen. A recess was taken till afternoon.
The Free Trade conference re-assembled
being still out, brief speeches were made
on the question of the best methods of
action, whether by organizing third
party or working inside the lines of exist
| ing parties. Finally the committee on
| address made report which, after discus
| sion, was adopted as follows:
This conference submits to Americans.
| that revenue reform has now become the
| fol mt ba
| ties. We desire to obtain, to the greatest
| practicable extent, the some freedom OF
| trade among nations which exists among
| Of the present tariff the chief obstruction
| to the continued development and
prosperity of the country. To do away
with these abuses, we ask the help alike, OF
those who believe that free trade is an es-
sential part of American freedom, and the
only commercial policy consistent with
business stability, and of those who recog-
ni2e that the abuse of the present unjust
anu unequal protective tariff keep ne f,oa
the enormous export trade, we GU tc
have, and from the most serious hind 7 O..
to American industrial progress. We SO
nit that protection does not protect thl
classes it claims to protect. If to protect
] LiO low tC Iu6 OK pSuS0 VI IllS HldIN. Is III
consistent with principles of Republican
government the revised tariff of 1885
raising some duties, and by Intentionally
confused classification maintaining other:
it pretends to reduce, is only a device Of
alarmed protectionists to avert an honest
revenue form. American manufacturer:
need cheaper materials III order to con
tend successfully in the markets of the
world against foreign competitors. The
protected manufacturers are few among
the many, and even these have generally
been hindered rather than helped by so
called protection. American labor, ever
OF protected industries is discovering thai
it gets no higher wages by protection, thai
it can buy less with its money and car
save less. The poorer the man is the
more the tariff hurts him. The higher wage:
which generally prevail in America are
due to superior advantages which would be
increased by the removal of tariff restric
tons. While there is absolute free trade
| in labor and manufacturers can import
| the cheap labor OF Europe, the laborer is
denied the right to buy goods in the
cheapest market. Labor is paid less in
protected European countries than in free
| trade England. In highly protected cot