The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1894-03-02
BOARD OF TRADE.
Proposition to Establish Boot and
Shoe NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
on Tariff Changes Adopted.

The Board of Trade held an i'm
portant meeting Monday with a
good attendance.
The committee on membership rec
commended the names Of J.H. Stewart
and A. G. Meyer as directors, and they
were elected as such.
w. M. FAIR brought up the matter
Of the local wheat, hides and pork
market, saying that he had heard it
stated by farmers that higher prices
are paid at St. Peter, GAINESVILLE and
Mapleton than in this city.
Others had heard similar reports.
and as no reason seemed to exist why
our local markets should not be as
good as those of other towns, dis
cussion of some length followed. 1t
was stated that farmers near this city
haul their pork to St. Peter, their
fax to Mapleton, and their wheat to
GAINESVILLE. and that other produce is
hauled longer distances to another
market than Mankato. No reason for
such state of affairs to exist was
known, and many expressed the opin-
ion that the reports must be erron-
iOus.
On motion of M. G.. Willard, COM
mittee was appointed to investigate
the matter, consisting of w. M. Farr,
James Shoemaker and Leo Lamm.
M. G. Willard introduced the follow
Ing resolutions, which were adopted
with but one dissenting voice after
short discussion:
WHEREAS, Business throughout the
country is stagnant, and thousands of
industrial enterprises in an uncertain
or critical condition, aDd
WHEREAS, 1t is impossible for a
large body of men like the congress of
the United States, whose membership
is constantly changing, to become
thoroughly cOnVersant with economic
questions, questions of revenue from
customs duties, questions of protection
to manufactures, and other pro-
ducts to the industrial interests of
our extensive country, especially when
these are made party questions, there
fore,
RESOLVED, That in the opinion of this
Board of Trade, of the city of
MankatO, the tariff should be
taken out of politics and that to this
end, Congress should speedily pro-
vide for permanent competent eX-
pert, bipartisan tariff commission,
with power to make and change tariff
schedules and rates Of custom duties,
from time to time, as the exigencies
of the government and the best in
terests of all our people require.
ReSOlUed, That copies of these reso-
buttons be forwarded to the president
of the United States, the Senate f.
nance committee, the Senators from
Minnesota, and our members Of the
House of Representatives.
Chauncey III. Austin appeared be.
fore the board and stated that a boot
and shoe manufacturer of a Wis
consin city, desired to make change
of location owing to the hard times
there, and thought of locating in Man
kato. He was young man and was
acquainted with MI. Austin, and they
had talked the matter over Saturday
night. The gentleman would be in
the city again on Wednesday of this
week. He desired to invest $4,000 in
the business, but thought that CAPT.
tai of $4,000 would be required, the
balance to be raised among our citiz-
ems in stock. Mr.. Austin thought
that the business would be profit
able one. The stock now manufact-
ured by the gentleman is we'll liked,
and thousands of dollars worth of his
shoes have been sold in this city, and
have been worn by most of our people
with good results. The gentleman
proposed to manufacture only to sup
ply the western trade. Mr.. Austin
stated that he and his son would take
some stock.
Leo Lamm stated that he thought
that such a factory in this city would
pay.
Jno. n. Hall thought that this
might be the opportunity that we
have been so long waiting for. He
had always advocated the establish
ment of a boot and shoe factory in
Mankato as profitable establish
ment. They had paid at other points.
Mr.. Austin stated that the gentle
man had also submitted another
proposition, that after paying the
stockholders ten per cent dividends,
he should retain the remainder. This
showed that he had confidence in the
business
The matter was referred to the man
ufacturing committee, and the board
adjourned.
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