The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-13
THE FREE-TRADE LEAGUE
Adoption of Resolutions Pointing Out
the Evil Results Of Protection.
"A Short Address by Henry Ward Beecher Fa-
Yoring Absolute Free Trade and Urging
Direct Taxation Instead of Tariff.

this afternoon, and the following papers were
read: ''The Pauper Labor of Europe" by Thos.
G. Sherman, of Brooklyn. N. Y; "Does High
land Hazard, of Rhode Island; Agricultural
Machinery and the Tariff" by NJ d. Harter. of
Ohio; 1.-THE Tariff and Ship-building," by VIM.
g. Gibbons, of Delaware; 'sThe Tariff, Manufact
urers and the People" by j. B. Sargent, of Con-
necticut; THE Tariff in Its Relation to the Boot
and Shoe Industry" by James Means, Of Massa-
chusetts. Joseph Quincy, of Massachusetts,
read translation of an article recently pub
1ished in La Union CHILEAN paper, published
in Valparaiso, in which free trade between the
United States and South America was discussed.
At the opening of the afternoon session the
cammittee on nominations reported and the fol-
lowing named gentlemen were elected officers Of
the Free trade League for the ensuing year:
President. David A. Wells; vice-presdents,
Thomas Holland of New York; Justus Clark. of
Iowa; M. NJ. Trumbul of Illinois; w. P. Fish
back, of Indiana; w. p. Wells of Michigan; U.
S. Harwood, of Nebraska; ex-Gov. j. S. Phelps.
of Missouri; B. A. Forman, of Louisiana; T. A.
Dawson, of South Carolina; w NJ. SINCERELY, of
Pennsylvania; Ex-Governor j. s. Robinson, OF
Kansas: j. O. Smith, of Ohio; j. B. Sargent,
of Connecticut; Henry Watterson of Kentucky;
j. Il. Stevens, of New Jersey; w. e. Jenkins,
of Texas; J. T. Whiteman. Of Oregon. William
Gibbon, of Delaware; Rowland Hayward, of
Rhode Island; B. b. Hurlbut of Minnesota
Executive committee-T. G. Sherman, of New
York; j. Quincy, of Massachusetts; A. w.
Thomas. of Connecticut; Fl. B. Stabler, of New
York. W. G. Brownlee, of Michigan; A. A. Hea
ley, Of New York. w. W. Wilmer, of Iowa;
Erskine M. Phelps, of Illinois; NJ. D. Harter, of
Ohio; w. G.. PeckEam of New Jersey.
National committee-R. r. Bowker. of New
York; 0. Woshes. of Iowa; l. NJ. Stiles. Of Iii
nois: p. s. OReurke, of Indiana; W. G. Brownlee
of Michigan; j. Sterling Morton, of Nebraska; F.
Il. Underwood. Of Missouri; w. r. Whitaker,
of Louisiana: j. j. Dargon. of South Carolina
j. G. Jenkins, of Wisconsin, James d. Hancock
of Pennsylvania; Enoch Harper, of Kansas; M.
Osborn, of Ohio; j. @. Srnalley, of Minnesota
Josiah Quincy, of Massachusetts
Secretary, r. r. Bowker, of New York; West
ern secretary, ii. j. Phlpot. of Iowa; central
secretary, Lewis Rowland, OF Indiana; treasurer,
George F. Peabody.
The following resolutions were then adopted
That the chairman of the executive committee be
the chairman OF the national committee; that the
members of the committee from various States shall be
charen for the various State committees and that they
be vested with authority to call State conventions and
form State organizations that the executive commit
tee be authorized complete the national committee
by appointing members for States not included in the
report
The report of the committee on resolutions
amendments however, were made. 1t was
adopted as follows:
We submit to the people of the United States that
the continuance of the tariff with duties averag
ing AZ per cent / 400 articles of domestic
consump tioa, and a much higher specific duty on
many crude materials has prolonged the evils of
in times Of peace and has been the principal of
the commercial and industrial depression of recent
years. BY forcing labor and capital from naturally
profitable into improbable lines of business and by
adding the of production it has increased the
common productive capacity of labor and capital, and
thereby both reduced the price of labor and the
profits of capitals has provoked antagonism between
labor and capital against which great natural
resources and free institutions should have pro-
tected us; and has impaired power to comnete
with other manufacturing nations in the markets of
the world. 1t has destroyed many branches of bust
pess, and has kept people from engaging in other
branches of business which would have given in
creased development to labor. BY preventing orr
buying from nations willing to buy from u.s. and by
provoking retaliation in like spirit instead of promot-
ing friendly reciprocity, it has restricted the
sumption of its agricultural and manufactured prod
nets by other countries and has driven commerce
from the BY impairing our domestic power
to buy it has prevented the full develop
1nent of our interstate commerce, and reduced the
legitimate profits of traffic, and has driven into bank.
ruptcy large number of transportation compa-
MES and made domestic traffic more costly Through
tho influence of it's lobbies it has enthroned iobbery
and corruption in legislative halls and has inn
peded the reform of the civil service In short tax
ing from the energies of class to enrich another
it is opposed to the spirit of American liberty and of
the Constitution; it has imposed new industrial
slavery; it has prevented the national progress of
wealth among the farming classes decreased wages
and their purchasing power, and heightened the en-
forced ideness of working men; restricted our manu-
features from their natural markets. and demoralzed
the general business of the country.
While holding accordingly. that taxes in aid of pri-
yate fN ersst for any other purpose than he re-
qurements of eover2ment are I'm. American, unjust
and unwise and that every r-otect1ve feature must
at the earliest possible date be eraIca,o>t from our
system. invite all who oppose the abuses oY
n in INN lot
steps of practical tariff reform, which believe will
increase wages diminish the frequency of strikes de-
velop business and restore our flag to the seas.
We therefore urge upon Congress- for action at the
ensuing session
First that under pretense shall any countenance
whatever be given to any attempt to increase protect
i've duties.
Second that articles which are Mt the foundation of
great industries should in the interest of labor and
of commerce. be freed from duty, whether they be
crude materials-as lumber, salt. coal or wool ETC.
or partly manufact lred, as chemicals, pg-iron, tin
plate wood pulp, etc.
Third that products from such articles, duties
should at least be correspondngly reduced that
the protection, real or nominal, to manufacturers
have the Immediate benefit of the reduction
We urge that any steps in tariff reform should sim
pity the present complicated classification and should
do away with mixed duties, replacing them with AL
yalorem rates.
We demand free ships and the abolition of our re-
stricve navalaws which together with the tariff law
have driven our flag from the seas; and we oppose
bounties and subsidies shipping.
We urge reformers to vote only for such
congressional candidates openly oppose tariff and
70 nominate independent candidates when all party
candidates are opposed to tariff reform
A minority report was submitted by Mr. Har-
per, of Kansas. who demanded IAN immediate
reduction of all protective tariff to purely rev.
emo basis. We believe that all indirect taxation
should eventually be abolished, and that the
expense of government should be borne by prop
erty instead of individuals"
The majority report, as finally adopted, shows
the sense of the convention.
The announcement that Henry Ward Beecher
would speak at the evening session of the con
yention attracted an audience that filed Music
Hall 10 its utmost capacity. Previous
to Mr. Beechers appearance David A
Wells. president: of the Free-trade League
delivered lengthy address. in which the
audience was enlightened to the benefits ac
cruing from free trade. Evidently, to the
minds Of bis hearers. Mr. Weiss strongest argu-