, 1885-11-12
FREE TRADERS.
Convention of Revenue Reform
ers at Chicago.
j. Sterling Morton, of Nebras-
ka, Chairman.
They Propose to Make a ROus-
ing Campaign.
A Conference of Free Traders.

A Conference of Free Traders.
CHICAGO, Nov. 1.-The national con-
ference Of free traders and revenue re-
formers met at Haverly' minstrel hall, in
the Inter Ocean building, shortly after 10
O'Clock this morning. Some two hun
dred delegates from all parts Of the u
try were in attendance. The conference
was called to order by President Davis A.
Wells; the report and address of r. r.
Bowker, secretary of the conference was
read. Bowker stated that there were
state organizations in behalf of revenue
reform in thirteen states. and local organ-
~izalions in many other states. The
speaker urged on the free traders the ne
cessity of the planning for d great am
paign, the first step toward which is the
raising of a fund of $50. 900, which will
be needed this and next year, in view of
the congressional elections of 1886. One
third of this sum is already pledged.
1--WE will show before New Years day.
's7, such use of it that the country will
come to our support, as England came to
the support of Golden and Bright"
A prominent feature in the morning
proceedings was the unanimous election of
ex-Gov. J. Sterling Morton, of Nebraska,
as chairman of the convention. A com-
mittee Of FIVE on nominations to present
names for consideration as future officers
of the league, and a committee on reso-
%lutions, consisting of one member from
each state delegation, were appointed. In
the afternoon, on motion, the committee
on resolutions were requested to remain
and listen to an open discussion of the
principles of free trade, before retiring to
draft resolutions. A lively interchange Of
opinion followed, in which the greater
par. of the convention members partici-
pated; there was a decided difference of
opinion in regard to the proper method of
instructing the committee on resolutions,
and before any conclusion was arrived at
the business session of the convention
adjourned until to- morrow.
A large audience containing a fair
sprinkling of ladies assembled in Central
Music hall tonight for the purpose of lis
tening to the free trade speeches an-
nounced to be delivered by Henry Wat
terson, J. Sterling Morton, Frank Hurd
and others, A telegram was read from
Henry Watterson, expressing %disappolnt-
ment that at the last moment he found
himself unable to be present. EK Gov
ernor Morton, in the course OF a short
address, stated hat Chicago, by special
act of congress after the great fire, was
exempted from duties on everything but
lumber. The people Of that city only
wanted the right to buy where they could
buy the cheapest. If this was a good
thing for Chicago, why not for Nebraska
and the whole Western country. Contin-
uiug, he said the negroes in the South
we're once deprived of all their earnings.
A farmer who is now compelled to pay a
tax of 25 per cent only lacks IS per cent
of being a slave,
Benjamin Reese, of Toledo, said he had
under him 1000 miners in Hooking valley
starving for want Of corn, and Iowa was
burning corn for fuel. Had there been a
proper method of exchange between the
United States and foreign countries Iowa
would have sold her corn and with the
money bought Ohio coal, and the Ohio
miners would have had money and wages
to buy corn.
Mr.. Dargan, of South Carolina, and
Gen. w NJ. Trumbull, of Chicago, fol
lowed, The concluding speech of the
evening was made by Frank Hurd, o.
Toledo, who in eloquent words declared
Whoever owns my labor own me.
Whoever controls the wages of my toll i
my master. Every dollar increase Of
price on account Of miscalled protection
means a day Of slavery for me. Owe
1900, 900 men, continued the speaker
ARE said by Grand Master Powderly, o
the Knights of Labor, able to work an'
willing to work, are out of employment il
the United States. Why2 Becafse on
mills are idle on account of no demand
the result of so-called over.production.
That word is only another term for n
market, caused by the absence of free
dom for trade, and by ignorant sel6shnes
of protected manufacturers.