Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-11-13
Free Trade Convention.

CHICAGO, Nov. 1.-The national confer
ence of free traders and revenue ref,rmers
met at Haverly's minstrel hall shortly after
10 O'Clock this morning. Some 200 dele
gates from all parts of the country are in
| attendance. The conference was called 10
order by its president, the Hon. David A.
| Wells, after which General Stiles, of ChiCY-
go, delivered an address of welcome: after
which the report and address of A. Rowker
honorary secretary of the conference, was
read. Mr.. Rowker said there were state or
carnations in behalf of revenue reform in
thirteen states, and local organizations in
many other states, most of these are in re-
lation with the American free trade league
which is organized us a national association.
Mr.. Rowker asked this conference to select
a man from each state who would become a
promoter of the Organization throughout
his state, and its genesal representative In
relation TO free trade movement the speak
er urged upon the free traders the necessity
for planning for great campaign, the first
step towards which Is raising fund of
SEQ, 600 which will be needed this and
next year ia view of the congressional cleo
tons of 1856. One-third of this sum is al
ready pledged. "We will show before new
years, 1887, such use Off that the country
80 NOhAN ~ DHi SHptoit VI SOputH anu
Bright"
An address on tariff, in its relation to
farmers, WAS then read bv J. l.. Smith. of
Ohio, which ended the morning session.
Frank Hurd, Henry Waterson, j. Sterling
Morton and Others will deliver addresses to-
night. Henry Ward Beecher speaks TO-
morrow.
A large audience, containing a fair sprink-
ling OF ladies, assembled in Central Music
hall tonight, for the purpose of listening to
the free trade speeches announced to be de-
hvered by Henry Watterson, j. Sterling
Morton, Frank Hurd and others. A tele-
gram was read from Mr.. Watterson express
ing disappointment that at the last
moment he found himself unable
to be present. Ex-Governor Nor
ton, IN the course of short address,
stated that Chicago, by special act of con-
gress after the great fire, was exempted from
duties on everything but lumber. The peo-
pie of the city ouly wanted the right to buy
where they could buy cheapest. If this was
a good thing for Chicago, why not for Ne
braska, and the whole western country?
were once deprived of all their
earnings. The farmer now compelled
to pay a tax of 200 per cent, only lacks IS
per cent. of being slave. Benjamin Reese,
of Toledo, said he had under MIN 1000
miners in the Hooking Vsliey, starving for
want of corn, and Iowa was burning corn
for fuel. Had there been proper method
of exchange between the United States and
foreign ports 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.. Dorgan of South
Carolina ard General w. NJ. Trumbull Of
Chicago followed. The concluding speech
of the evening was made by Frank Hurd of
Toledo, who, in eloquent words, declared
"whoever owns my labor owns me, whoever
contracts the wages of nv toll is my master,
every increase Of price on account of
protection means day of slavery
for me. Over 100000 men," continued the
speaker, are said by Grand Master Pow
derby of the Knights Of Labor able to work
and willing to work, are out of employment
in the United States. Why? Because of
want of demand, because of over produc-
ton. That WORD is only another term for
no Market caused by want of freedom for
trade and by the ignorant selfshness of pro-
tected manufacturers.