New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-10
A MISSOURI COMPLAINT

The members of the New-York Board Of
| Trade and Transportation at their annual ban
| quet Saturday night had not only the great
| satisfaction of being enlightened by Governor
| Stone, of Missouri, as to the business trade
and financial relations between "the mighty
States of the Mississippi Valley and this
| glorious metropolis Of the Western Hemis-
phere,' but tho advantage as well Of Q wan-
| ing from that statesman that unless some-
| thing is done 10 calm the dissatisfaction and
quiet the unrest in the mighty States" there
will be trouble. "Most Western people have
concluded" he says, "that existing economic
and trade systems are constructed on the war
theory, and that they are victims OF hostile
discrimination" This conclusion could adly
be considered discovery. A great many per-
sons have reached it heretofore. and from hay
ing acted upon it in various degrees, ranging
all the way from turtiveness and subtlety to
the more emphatic methods of the highway
man, have at last got even with existing and
trade economic systems" by becoming a charge
upon them in sundry public institutions such US
BlacGwcls Island and Sing Sing. The prisons
and jails Of the country are full OF persons
who have reached the conclusion "that exist
ing economic and trade systems are constructed
on the war theory, and that they are victims
Ct hostile discrimination" The view OF the
Missouri state. man, however is that the West
ern people, should be treated differently be.
cause the West is already the seat of power
and of empire" and the States of the Mssis-
sippi Valley "can dominate the Republic
1.-The West and the South" he says, "may
lay their hands on the National Treasury and
by improving rivers and halbOrs, and by con
struoting canals, find a cheap way ont to the
ocean and the markets of the world They may
do other things not much thought of now along
the Atlantic seab0ard.' And he utters the
warning: "They prefer peace and invite CO.
operation, but arc conscious Of power and are
preparing for conflict
The language is breezy and confident. The
Governor called it "homely and undiplomatc.'
1t is indeed. A little unfamiliar here, cxcep;
of a dark night in lonely ALLEY, when the
victim of a hostile discrimination who has
reached the conclusion that "existing economic
and trade systems are constructed on the war
theory runs up against an opponent who holds |
different views and some portable property |
Similarly "homely and undiplomatic' though |
less circutous was the language with which |
Mr.. Jesse James-a fellOw-citizen Of the Gov |
ernOr we believe-was accustomed at one |
time 70 communicate to bank cashiers at the |
end of a gun-tinancal views OF the same general |
tenor, though rather more in the concrete. 50 |
The Dalton boys" and other citizens Of Mis- |
souri, who in one way and another attained |
cminence were in the habit Of impressing upon |
railroad passengers, express messengers and |
other wayfarers their views OF "existing GO.
nomic and trade systems" 1t was their habit
however, to call the previous question with |
a gun. Governor Stone, for some reason,
neglected this Missouri custom he did not
enforce his argument with gun. lie simply
said that his people were " conscious of power
and preparing for conflict" and that they would
q" Law their hands on the National Treasury"
il his hearers did not leone out to us and
watch events and view conditions from our
point Of view," and laid in removing diff
culties and in solving all these problems in a
way worthy OF ourselves, best for all the sec
tons and for all the people Of our beloved
land.n 1t was very consdelae in him b ex-
tend this invitation to the Oppress0rs Of the
West and South and very nice, also to speak
as he did of our beloved land"
The grievances of which Governor Stone
are. first. "an unhealthy eonccntIa-
ton of wealth in the North Atlantic States
The money and the wealth of the country are
no, fairly distributed" lie neglected to state
a remedy for this condition Of things. Per-
baps because his audience being made up of
wealthy ctizons OF the North Atlantic he
thought a remedy would occur to them with
out being suggested. especially after they were
Informed that the West and South were pre-.
pairing FIR conflict and might lay hands on the
National Treasury. Another grievance was