St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-09-01
Secretary rtnnning,s Circular.

PROVIDENCE, Aug. 31.-About one hun
dred manufacturers of the state met here
to-day to consult on the question of max
ing joint reply to the late circular of
Secretary Manning asking for information
and suggestion in regard to the tariff, with
Il view to having the matter laid before con-
gresS at the next session. A preamble and
resolution was offered setting forth that as
the manufacturing interests of the state
were just beginning to show signs OF re-
covery from q long period Of depression,
but were still in a condition Of extreme
sensitiyeneSS, the meeting believed
that in any such attempted
general revision of the tariff (as
that contemplated in Secretary Manning's
report) would be exceedingly disastrous to
the industrial interests of the country, and
there was: Resolved, That this meeting
hereby enters its respectful protest
against any reopening of the tariff agita-
ton at the coming session of congress" :"
Senators Aldrich and Chace spoke i'll sup
port of the resolution. The latter wanted
it understood that he was
TALKING AS A MAN
and not as a senator. Among other things
he said: 'Why did not the secretary ad-
dress himself to the repeal of the act of
1874, and why not seek to throw the burden
of proof upon the fraudulent importers.
This nation is doing something 10 other
nation in the world has done, offering a
premium upon fraud, and that is the reason
why so few Americans abroad are importing
to the country to-day. The circular of the
secretary is not an impuation or accusation,
but direct charge. | wcS surprised that
i'll such simple matter he found it neces-
sary to go so far off. / don't like myself
the Idea Of an executive branch of the gov
eminent assuming legislative functions.
Senator Chace then alluded to the action of
Secretary Bayard with reference to the
South American commission and of the
postmaster general with reference to the
so-called mail subsidy scheme, and pro-
ceeded to say that the reply framed to be
forwarded to Washington, must be handled
with care, SO that it might not be distorted
or miSuSed to our detriment." He could
not see why in the matter of labor the
question should not be
ANSWERED HONESTLY.
intelligently and for the good of the con-
ventiontlOn, but the secretary could not eX-
pect every individual manufacturer to open
his books to the gaze CT the world. The
secretary Of the treasury might take meas
ures to acquaint himself with the cost of
labor in this country and in Europe, and
the speaker suggested that the report of
Abram S. Hewitt as commissioner to the
Paris exposition, and the consular reports,
contained information of that character.
There were some matters worthy to be
thought of in this connection, he said, and
added: ''It is curious that the woolen
business, which suffers the most from the
tax on raw material, should be the very
first to revive from the depression. I be-
lieve the woolen manufacturing business
and the market is better to-day than any
manufacturing industry in the country. In
the cotton industry, the raw material of
which is manufactured here, and is largely
exported abroad, is most depressed,
although the raw material is not taxed at
all The preamble and resolution were
adopted and committee of fifteen APP
pointed to reply to the questions in Secre-
tary Manning's circular