Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-04-15

o. wsstssn 0tafss convsnsd at Kan,
sas CITY. l1o.

Western States Commercial Congress con
vened here q noon today with delegnti0ql
present from all western and southern
states and territories. Senator Kelley VA
chosen for Temporary chairman. In hil
speech Of acceptance be explained that the
object OF the congress wss 70 b for tha
consideration Of vAfious questions Of
peculiar ints1est to the West and South.
| Hon John W. Springer Of Illinois val
elected temporary secretary. Govefnol
Francis Of Missouri welcomed the delegates
| on behalf Of the stste. he said the con-
efess marked = new era in agricultural,
| commercial and financial history. The
people Of the West are row crying for re-
lief. Hsretofofe. be said. federal leaisla-
ton had been In the interests OF the East.
Congress had been favorable 10 the cred
| itor class and the West vas heavy debtor.
II 10 necessary now for the West to stand
together, Is many things which the West
desired in the advocacy Of which should be
unanimous, earnest and continued. The
West wanted free trade with Mexico, Can-
ada. South America. and sll the countries
of the world. The West wanted the Miss
issippi connected with the great lakes. Il
wanted improved water ways. II wanted
step on & vestibulsd train at Kansas
City and step OF it at Buenos Ayres. He
wanted fuller volums Of currency. These
were the things thai would relieve the dis
tfessing condition of affAifs, and these were
things the West must act together upon.
4 letter Of regret was read from PYesi-
deut Harrison; letter was also read from
Hon. John M. Rusk. secretary Of agri-
culture. AZ.
Charles Farncis Adams, Boston, wrote
that it would not be profitable for him to
prepare an address such - he had been in
vited to present TO the congress. His
views. he said, were SO radical as well as
positive they would not prove 80 acceptable
to such . body as the congress pro-
posed would necessarily be. While
he recognized the hsrdsbips OF the
present situation in the West, he did
not believe that any action except individual
action Wis necessary for s remedy. Con-,
tinuing. the letter said ''TheIe is very
general popular idea which now exists that
the government is a grand paternsl do all
to protect everything and every one and
provids remedies for every ill the body
polite is subject to. do not sympa.hize
in this. On the contrary, am 80 out Of
date and ard antiquated in my opinions as
to think that the world 10 governed alto
gether too much, and that it has rarely
been governed 30 much or 90 badly - in
this country within the last 25 years. What
cur country needs most of all, In my judg
ment, 10 in matters legislative to be severely
let alone and that the industrious and thrifty
people thereof be permitted to work out
their salvation in their own way.
II so left, they will work out that salvation
q great deal quicker and great deal more
satisfactorily than we will ever succeed in
doing while the government necessarily
encumbers them with its we'll meant but
most i'll advised assistance in 90 doing"
Mr.. Adams wrote that he did not believe
there was any general business and sgricul-
turai depression, except that due to natural
and temporary causes; he did not believe
any legislation was required affecting CON-
merce, transportation or finance; he
thought improved transportation by land and
water would provide for itself under the
laws OF supply and demand, il the govern
ment does net continually NEEDLE with it
thought that Western products would And
markets soon enough il the government
would leave the matter severely
alone. The great trouble with the
currency is the excessive tink-
eriDg, il government would leave it
absolutely alone, internal currency Of the
country would regulate itself, just - per-
fectly as the international currency does
the manufacturing interests Of the country
always bad been the mcst successfully
promoted By individuals when government
left them alone; every interference Of
in c. hnI
knew. from the beginning to the Mckinley
bill, had been detrimental to the public in.
terest; the irrigation Of arid lards is set
Ting itself in Idaho, Colorado and other
states where it is being left alone by
government. The fewer commercial
laws we have. in bis judgment, the
the better, il there were On commercial
laws 10 the community it would be far
more prosperous today than it is; in the
matter of tsxs!ion, that which is simplest
and most direc. was the best; he did no, see
why the western mineral lands should not
be best developed, like the western corn
lands OF southern cotton lands or eastern
coal lands, by being left alone to those who
60 into their development - q matter OF
profit; the interference of the government
with immigration has been uniformly mis-.
chievous; be found business combinations
and trusts dangerous to those inside them,
and IL left absolutely alone by government,
they would work nothing but good un-
less they were perverted to some purpose
opposed TO the laws Of trade, in which case
they Inevitably bring about the ruin Of
those concerned in shem; reciprocity and
an international trade extension always
developed themselves more effectively
when the government had least to do with
them. Wherever the government he'd med
died with them it had muddied them. The
In,isn question and openingot Indian lands
was brought into its present unfortunate
condition BY government interference, and
he knew of no way Of getting out Of the
snarl into which it had been Brought.
Other letters were read and the convex
ton was organized permanently by eleciing
Governor Francis Of Missouri president
and Congressman Springer secretary. The
congress adjourned until 10 30 A. M. to.