The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1891-04-25
The Commercial Congress.

The Commercial Congress.
KANSAS Cry, Mo-, April IT'S. A.
Thompson, secretary of the commercial
club of Duluth, advocated the improve
ment of the waterways as affording the
cheapest transportation, at the congress
to-day. The majority report of the com.
mittee on resolutions favors the adoption
by congress of a law authorizing free,
unlimited coinage of silver and issuance
of q sufficient amount of legal tender
notes to be redeemable in both gold and
silver, to restore equilibrium between
money and all other products; favors
tariff for revenue only and urges con-
gress to.enact laws to place tariff on
purely evenue basis at as early a date
as practicable; declares that the inter-
state commerce of the country should
be controlled by the government; favors
the improvement of the Mississippi
river; the construction of the Hennepin
canal and other waterways by the gov
eminent; equalization of taxation; IA
tional bank law; suppression of trusts
and combines; amendment of immigra-
ton laws; restoration of railway land
grants to public domain and opening Of
certain lands to settlement; reclamation
of arid lands; the enactment of laws to
prevent dealing in futures, and COM
mends the secretary of agriculture for
his efforts toward removing restrictions
on our foreign met trade. The minori-
ty report favors free unlimited coinage
of American gold and silver on ratio
established by the international none
tary convention, which shall make silver
and gold equal purchasing powers;
favors tariff for revenue for incidental
protection.
E. V. Smalley spoke for the minority
on the silver resolution. H. was replied
to by Gen. Warner, of Ohio. A viva voce
vote was then taken on the silver clause
of. the minority report, and it was voted
down. The minority tariff resolutions
were then taken up, and Smalley pre-.
scented the minority's case. He said
there had been too much politics in the
discussion by the committee. The tariff
and silver resolutions were adopted by q
strict party vote. The delegates had
come to the congress representing no
party and prepared to act in an unparti-
san manner upon important subjects pro.
posed for discussion. When he accepted
the Craftsmanship of the committee on
resolutions. he did expect the democrats
would crowd their party platforms down
his throat. He claimed, by inference,
that the convention had been packed in
the interest of the democratic party and
that the congress was really being held
for the purpose of welding together
the democrats and Farmers Alliance.
The subsequent debate was very acri-
monious and heated. Finally, Gen.
Warner, of Ohio, submitted the
following as a substitute for the tariff
resolutions of both reports: "We favor
neither free trade nor the exclusion of
trade, but favor q tariff for revenue linn
tied to the actual needs of the govern
ment economically administered, but so
levied as to cover the differences in the
industrial conditions between this and
other countries, but not to create or fos-
ter monopolies." President Francis, af-
ter a long debate, ruled the resolution
out of order. Gridley, of Minnesota,
then offered a substitute for the minority
report similar 10 that of Warmers
and it was adopted. The debate on
the minority report as a whole was
begun and the discussion again assumed
a violent form. The minority members of
the committee charged the congress with
being nothing but a democratic :conven.
ton. The charges caused a great tumult,
charges and counter charges being freely
made. Finally, D. s.. Croser, E. NJ.
johnson and W. A. Barnes, representing
the business union of st. Paul, withdrew
from the convention. The minority re-
port was then proceeded.w with. The de-
bate again became intensely partisan and
heated Finally a vote was taken by
call of states on adoption of the majority
report and it was. adopted-66 to a-all
of the state delegations being divided
upon. the question. The resolutions asa
whole were then adopted without divi-
sion. -
- Two Veterans Gone.
MILWAUKEE,, Wis, April l7.-Majo1
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