Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-06-16
The Atlanta Convention.
Toledo Blade.l


The recent Commercial convention
at Atlanta was noteworthy gather
ing. Over 400 delegates, represent
ing 20 different states of the Union
devoted the time of its sessions to
the discussion of the most vital
questions affecting the prosperity of
the county at large. The topics con-
sidered were: The necessity of a
national bankrupt law, the continual
lion Of the compulsory coinage of
silver, the best methods Of extending
our trade with our sister republics of
The American continent, The contin-
uance of the system of internal
revenue taxation, and the improve
ment of the Mississippi river The great
highway from the interior 10 the sea.
On these questions, these 400 del
egates, by decisive majority, adopt
ed a resolution in favor of national
bankrupt law; also, resolutions in
favor of the improvement Of the
Mississippi favoring the extension,
by all practicable means, of our trade
with other American nations; and
also, resolution favoring the aboli-
tion of the internal revenue lax on
tobacco-though we can see no reason
for taking tobacco out of the same
category as whisky and all other
forms of body-rot. 1t is no more of
a necessity than whisky, and the
people who use it should pay the tax
thereon, and thus lift part of the gov
ernmental burden of the shoulders of
The nation at large.
The most important discussion,
however, was on the silver question,
which came up for discussion in the
form Of resolution that the compul-
sorry coinage of silver should be con-
tinued. On this proposition there
was a most animated debate. When
the vote was taken, the resolution
was lost by vote of l0S yeas to 29S
nays-the convention thus emphat-
ically recording itself in favor of The
sound doctrine that The compulsory
coinage of silver should be stopped.
An analysis of the vote show that
Connecticut, Florida. Indiana, Illinois,
Kentucky, Michigan, New York,
New Hampshire, New Jersey, Penn
sylvania and Texas, and the delegates
from the city of New Orleaus, were
all opposed 10 compu lsory silver coin
age. The California delegation was
the only one solid for it; and, outside
of the silver states, Virginia and
North Carolina are the only ones
strongly in favO. of il. North Car
olina favored it 5 10 ! Missouri So 10
35; Kansas, 5 10 4; Alabama. 8 TO 2,
and Virginia, to 1921 voies were
given in favor by Georgia, and 42
against IS by Tennessee, to IA against ;
2 by South Carolina, to IL against; 2
by Ohio, TO 65 against and | by a
national delegate, 10 A against.
From this discussion and the vote
ofthis representative gathering of
business men, it seems clear that the
business community of tne entire
county is very largely in favor of the
repeal Of the compulsory feature of
the silver dollar coinage law; and
this emphatic action is one which the
representatives of the people cannot
afford to ignore when Congress assem-
bles next December. lis conclus OH
on the other topics discussed, were
those which commend themselves
to the favor of the people general
ly, unless it be the removal of the in
nal revenue tax on tobacco; and its
action will go far TO unity the senti-
ment of the general public and the
business community at large on all
these subjects, and should also have
great weight in the deliberations of
Congress when politics is given a
respite and matters of practical legis-
lation are given some attention.