Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-11-24
TO BE CONTINUED.
The Golden Club.
.--F 49,

In recent newspaper controversies
on the subject of tariff so frequent
allusiOn to the Golden Club in Eng
land has been made, references to
the British institution being of al
most daily quotation, that some ac-
count of what it is and for what
purpose its organization was con-
templated, may be interesting to
the reader at this time.
The Golden Club is an association
of British nOblemen, manufacturers,
and others, organized in 1866, the
avOwed object of which is Interfer-
ence with the protective policy of
other countries which interfere with
the introduction and sale of British
goods. But its chief objective point
is the United States of America,
and if all the facts were known the
American public would be aston
isled, perhaps alarmed, at the eX-
tent of its power and the gradual
enlargement of its agencies aud its
gradually encrOaching influence up
on the politics of the United States.
Some idea of the power and influ-
ence of the organization may be
gained by the knowledge of the
fact that no later than three years
ago two hundred members of Par
Lament and twelve out OF the four
teen British Ministers were en-
rolled among its membership.
In 1879 the Secretary of the Club
who was then member of Parlia-
ment, visited the United States for
the express purpose of promoting
the relaxation of protective duties
for the benefit of English manufact-
urers. When he returned to Lon
don, the Times announced that
agencies of the Club had been estab.
lished in those great trade centers,
New York and Chicago, for the dis
tribution of free trade tracts and cir
culars during the Congressional
campaign of that year, and stimuli
taneously a kindred organization
was started in New York, called
"The New York Free Trade Club"
avowedly to enter the political cam
paign and direct its energies large
~ to the Congressional districts.
But this is not the only evidence
that the object which was the inSpi-
ration of the Golden Club, was the
breaking down, if possible, of the
protective policy of America, which
served rs defense against the en-
croachments of English cheap labor
upon Americas struggling indus
tries. At a Golden Club dinner at
Greenwich, England, in the sum-
mer of 1880, the Secretary of the
Club who was its emissary to the
United States the previous year,
said that 1.-THE Golden Club was
now about to enter a contest with a
foe worthy of its steel. Their ewes
were now turned westward they
were going 10 encounter their
friends in the United States; and
he believed they would ultimately
be victorious"
A few days after the dinner Ofthe
Golden Club, the London Times
said at is to the new world that
the Golden Club is chiefly looking
as the most likely sphere for its Wig
curious foreign policy. 1t has done
what it can in Europe, and is now
turning its eyes westward and brac-
ing itself for the struggle which is
to come. 1t cannot rest while the
United States are unsubdued." And
ii added ave hope Mr.. Augustus
Mongredien's excellent volumes
and the other publications of the
Club will, between them, carry the
United States by storm and thrust
reason into all minds, whether will
ling or unwilling to admit it. That
free trade will come some day in
the United States is perfectly safe
to assert but how and when, and
other minuti@ of the kind, must be
left TO the Golden Club and to its
twelve Cabinet Ministers in their
unofficial capacity to decide"
The efforts of the club to control
the Congressional elections of the
United States in 1880 were defeated,
but its energies in this direction
have not been abated. So far from
it the agencies of the organization
in this country are to-day stronger
than they ever were, and the auxil-
larry organization, the New York
Free Trade Club, Is more industri-
Gus than ever in the distribution of
documents and the dissemination of