The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-04-18
Commercial Congress at Kansas
City Turns q Farce.
a REVENUE TARIFF DEMANDED.
Hot Struggle Over the Adoption Of
Democratic Resolutions.
Non-Partisan Delegates Resfgn-The
Convention Evidently Called to Ce-
ment the Farmers Alliance with
the Revenue Tariff Party.

Kansas CRY, April l7.-At the CONNER
clai congress today the unfinished pro-
gramme OF yesterday was taken UP, the
subject being transportation and the inn
Provement of the waterways of the lakes,
quits, and Pacific ports. S. A. Thompson,
secretary of the Commercial Club, of Du-
iuth, Mimi, advocated the improvement
OF waterways as affording the cheapest
transportation. Colonel Catchings. of
Mississippi, argued that an increase in the
water traffic, however great, would not de-
crease the railroad business. but would
rather increase it. I'M. Murphy, of Iowa,
spoke on the Hennepin canal.
The majority report of the committee
on resolutions favors the adoption by con-
gress Of law authorizing the free and un-
limited coinage of silver and the issuance
OF q sufficient amount of legal tender
notes. to be redeemable in both gold and
silver. 70 restore the equilibrium between
money and all other products; fAvors q
tariff for revenue only, and urges congress
to enact laws to place the tariff upon q
purely revenue basis at as early date as
practicable; declares that the interstate
commerce of the country should be
controlled by the general government;
fayors the improvement of the Mississippi
river and the construction of canals
and other waterways by the government;
favors equalization of taxation, bankrupt
law, suppression of trusts and combines,
amendments to the immigration laws.
restoration of railway land grants to the
pVblic domain and opening the surplus
land to settlement, reclamation of the
arid lands, enactment of laws to prevent
dealing in futures, and commends the sec
retary of agriculture for his efforts toward
removing the restrictions on foreign meat.
The minority report fayors the free and
unlimited coinage of American gold and
silver on a ratio established by an interna-
tional money convention, which shall make
silver and gold of equal purchasing power,
and favors tariff for revenue, with Incl
dental protection. The minority report
was identical with the majority, except in
regard to silver and the tariff.
Colonel A. C. Fisk, ofDenver, delivered
an address upon irrigation. 1t was esti-
mated that there are one million square
miles of arid lands in the Western coun-
try that could be made productive by irri-
CATION at the minimum price of public
lands, $L25 per acre. This land had q
value of 500, ,O00, 600 at s. per acre.
At . moderate estimate of value when irri-
gated would b worth SIS, 20, ,000, 600.
II these lands were properly provided with
water, one could scarcely contemplate
what an empire of population and wealth
it would contain. It vas said the people
of the regions that desire irrigation should
provide it themselves. Without agricul-
ture the lands would never be settled, and
there would be no people to provide irriga-
ton. The government should start this
work.
Mr.. Wickliffe, Of New Orleans, spoke
upon immigration and settlement of va
cant lands from the text, America for
Americans" 1t had been said this land
is broad enough for all, but he submitted
that the Old World has made it Dump
ing ground for the pauper and criminal
classes, and he believed he spoke for the
whole American people when he
said the time has come when it must
stop. There is room enough for
all who want to come here to be one Of US,
but not foot of ground for those paupers
and criminals of the old world. II may
feel deeply upon the subject, /" added Wick
life, s'but have lately come from a most
Gates the need of change in our immigra-
ton laws" He argued for vigorous action
by the national congress.
A resolution, which hailed with delight
the burial of all animosities between the
North and South. received tremendous
applause, and upon motion of Major
Warner, of Missouri, was given three
hearty cheers.
Z. V. Smalley spoke for the minority
silver resolution, General Warner, of
Ohio, replying. The silver clause of the
minority report was then voted down.
The minority tariff resolutions were
then taken up. and Smalley presented the
minority's case. He said there had been
too much politics in the committee. When
he accepted the Craftsmanship he did not
expect that the Democrats would crowd
their party platform down his throat. He
claimed by inference that the convention
had been packed in the interest of the
Democrats, and that the congress had
really been called for the purpose of weld
ing together the Democrats and Farmers'
Alliance.
Speaker Nlblock, of the Indiana legis-
lature, denied that there had been partisan
discussion in committee, and Congress
man-elect Bryan, of Nebraska. wanted the
congress to have the courage of its convic-
tions. The debate was participated in by
Others and became acrimonious. Final
Iy General Warner, of Ohio, submitted the
following as substitute for the tariff reso-
iutions of both reports:
s.we favor neither free trade nor the exciu-
sion of trade, but favor tariff for revenue. lin
tied 10 the actual needs of the government
economically administered. but so levied as 10
cover the differences in the industrial relations
between this and other countries, but not to
create and foster monopolies-'
After long debate, President Francis
ruled the resolution out of order. Gridley
of Minnesota then offered substitute for
the minority report similar to Warmers,
and it was adopted
Debate on the minority report as whole
was begun, and the discussion again as
sumed q violent form. The minority men,
bers of the committee charged the congress
with being nothing but Democratic con-
yention. The charges caused tumult.
Finally the representatives of the business
union of st. Paul withdrew from the con-
vention. The minority report was voted
down.
Consideration of the majority report
was proceeded with. and the debate again
became intensely partisan and heated.