The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-06-02

Free Trade Conference.
DETROIT, June ibis afternoon
session of the Free Trade conference
ACCOMPLISHED little owing to lack Of
therenort fromthe committee on plat
form. The committee organization
snhmitted the following: The con-
farence recognizes and desires to re-
oord it's hearty appreciation Of the
val,able work already accomplished
hv local and state organizations and
every important effort which has been
rendered by American free trade
leagues, and
WHEREAS The latter has proposed
to reorganize upon q basis more
thoroughly representative ana nation,
al and desires to counsel this couhcll
to such end; therefore the conferences
recommends, first, That free trade
work in the country be organized un-
der the general direction OF the
American Free Trade League. Sec
ond. That American Free Trade
League appoint a national committee
comDosed of one delegate from each
State league, such delegate to have
general direction of work in his state
and to be responsible therefor. Thlrd,
The executive committee to appoint
and have power to make q member a
representative on the nationa! COM
mittee in each of those states which
have no state league. Fourth, The
national committee to appoint a gen
eral secretary with headquarters In
New York. A general and informal
discussion followed in which j.. Ster
ling Morton and others participated
The free trade conference assem-
bled at 8 o'clock this afternoon. out
the committee or address being still
out, brief speeches were made on the
question as to the best method vi &C.
ton, whether by organizing a third
party or working inside the lines OF
existing parties. Finally the COM
mittee on address made a speech
which, after discussion, was adopted
as. follows: This conference submits
to Americans t~hatrevenue retorm mas
now become q permanent and vital
Issue in national politics, we desire to
obtain to the great est practicable ex-
tent some freedom oftrade among ma
ticns which exist among states Ofthe
union. We see in the abuses OF the
present tariff the chief obstruction to
continued development and prosperi-
tv of the country. To do away with
these abuses we ask help alike of
those who believe that free trade
is an essential part Of American
freedom, and the only commercial
policy consistent with business
stability; and of those who recognize
that the abuses of the present unjust
and unequal protective tariff keep us
from an enormous export trade that
we ought to have, and form a most
serious hindrance to American indus
trv and progress. We submit that
protection does not protect the classes
it claims to protect; that to protect
the few at the expense OF the many
is inconsistent with the PRINCIPLES
of republican government; and the
revised tariff of 1888, raising some
duties and by Intentionally confused
classification maintaining others that
it pretended to reduce, is only a de-
vice of the alarmed protectionists to
avoid honest revenue reform. Amer
lean labor, even in protected indus
tries, is discovering that it has no
higher wages by protection; that it
can buy less with its money, n can
save less. The poorer a man is, the
more tariff hurts him. While there
is absolute free trade in labor
manufacturers can import the cheap
labor of Europe. The American la
borer is denied the rightto buy goods
in the cheapest market. Labor is
paid less in protected European coun-
tries than in free trade England.
The profits of protection for Ameri-
can labor were importing cheap Ca
madam labor to strip the northwest
of it's forests. The monopolists cor
rupt legislators, and deny to their
workmen the liberty of speech and
free exercise of their votes. Ameri-
can farmers constitute more than
half of our voters, and pay for pre-
lection but get one Oft. They sell
in an unprotected market but buy in
q protected one. Protection taxes
poor men far more heavily than rich.
1t restricts the farmer by shutting
out those who would exchange with
him. 1t burdens manufacturers by
adding to the cost of their materials
without increasing the amount of
their sales, and it reduces the wages
of workmen in every line of business.
The true interests of America are
bound together in free trade and
equal taxation, farmers rights, man
ufacturing prosperity and higher
wages. The government of the Uni
ted States has no constitutional right
to impose taxes on people except with
the intent result of getting sufficient
money to pay the public debt, pro-
vide for common defense, provide tor
the general welfare, and all tariff
taxes called protective laid with diff
ferent intent and results ought to be
ciprocity, and repeal of navigation
laws, which have destroyed our
merchant marine. We do not
counsel the immediate formation of a
new party, although w realize that
many republicans and democrats are
losing faith in their own parties. We
desire to unite politically for genuine
revenue reform in their differences,
their candidates, or designating their
leaders in Congress, persisteDtly OPP
pose and evade reform, we advise
revenue reformers to prepare for in
dependent political action. Mean
while we call upon those who think
with US make to existing:public senti-
ment visible by organization, to ex-
tend it by discussion and to make it
practical at the polls by questioning
candidates for congress. This address
is issued in behalf OF freedomprecious,
and in behalf of prosperity, whose
only lasting basis, found it in perfect
freedom of human activity, bounded
only by equal privileges of all men.
Conference took recess till evening.
Wool Market.
Boston, June 1.-Wool dull. Ohio
and Pennsylvania extra. 81 to 40: