The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-05-22
THE INDUSTRIAL CONGRESS-.
Small Attendance at the Meeting-A Major
ity in Favor of Protection.

CHICAGO, May 2l.-The representatives in at.
tendance upon the National Idustrial Congress
began their session here this forenoon. The at
tendance is light, only forty two delegates being
present j. D. Curtis of Syracuse, N. Y, was
elected temporary chairman. On taking the
chair he delivered an address in strong advocacy
of protection as opposed to free trade, and de-
clared the salvation of American industries
rested in their making a common fight against
the advocates of free trade irrespective of party
lines
majority of the delegates present represent
the beet sugar, sorghum, jute, fax and salt in
dustries, and will urge upon the national Repub-
lican and Democratic conventions the necessity
of protection laws to prevent their destruc-
ton.
L. Bush, of Louisiana, was elected permanent
chairman, and committee on resolutions aD-
pointed Adjourned till p. m.
Mr. Bush made a protection speech. He said
the sugar interests of Louisiana wanted Incl
dental protection.
At the conclusion of his remarks, Judge
Atwater, of Minnesota, said he had come to the
convention under a misapprehension. He thought
it was called for the purpose of discussing the
needs of the industrial interests of the country.
From the tenor of the president S speech he
found the convention had cut and dried its pro-
ceedings in the interest of protection. The flour
and grain interests of Minnesota were opposed
to more protection, and he therefore asked that
he be permitted to withdraw from the conven-
ton.
President Bush replied that Judge Atwater's
assumption was erroneous; a majority of those
present favored protection, but this would not
prevent debate.
At the evening session the committe reported
a long preamble and resolutions, which were
adopted. They declare that the nation should
foster and develop its natural resources by pro-
tect1ve tariffs, that our greatest prosperity was
shown during the operation of protection, and our
financial depressions in time of free trade, that
protection, and not free-trade is the proper
national policy, except with nations whose labor
is on basis equal to ours; urge upon
the attention of Congress that the
tariff should be levied on foreign articles
which come in competition with our products
and manufactures insist that commodity,
the result of American labor, can properly be
put on the free list ask for repeal of the internal
revenue tax, and that importation of paupers on
contract for labor be prohibited by law; that our
waterways and railways, particularly the chain
of lakes and the Mississippi river
and the connection between them
be developed, protected and improved; urge
that the producer of raw material be protected
well as the manufacturer, and specifically ask
Congress to protect by tariff the following
wool, hemp flax iute, sugar, beet sugar, rice,
cotton-tIes, cut hoops, old rails, scrap iron and
tin plate; call for abrogation of the treaties
with the Sandwich Islands and Mexico as COM
petition with semi slave labor for our sugar
trade and conclude with request for revis-
ion Of the patent laws. Adjourned.