The Press., 1894-03-15

IN his address last week Wednesday T. U. Rev. J. H. James, secretary of the Conn. Temperance Union, brought for ward as the leading thought, "The Civic Federation" being formed in many places and strongly advocated in the official or gan of the Union, published monthly by Mr.James under the title of the Connect ieut Citizen. The plan suggested is of a ''civic federation'' for each town, with it's business committee, composed of repre- sentatives of the different religious and moral organizations of the town, includ- ing temperance societies and law and or der leagues. Each local federation to grapple with it's own foes in the most practical way. The town committee eventually to be represented in fedora tions for the senatorial districts, the coun- ties and the state. This would not be an added society, but combination of socie- ties already existing. Not a new party, or an effort to gather people into any po- litical party. To succeed it must be ''omni-partisan and omni-denomination- al." To have practical value the work ing committee must be composed of pick- cd men, and they must be representative, having behind them not merely commit tees of churches and societies, but the in- dividual members declaring their approv- al of the movement, and their purpose to aid it financially and with their personal influence. It should be a permanent or ganization prepared to meet exigencies as they shall arise. The organizations rep resented in the movement, protestant or Catholic, secret or open, need not lose their distinctive character for being thus united by representation. Each could do it's specific work same as before, and yet all combine to be power against the sa- loon, working with a strength to be had only from union of forces. All that might be done by law and order league could as well be accomplished by such a federa- tion. The work may also extend to the providing of reading or club rooms, coffee rooms, temperance restaurant, or any other provision for comfortable and safe passing of leisure hours by young men or women, all under non-sectional and non- partisan control. But the main idea is the combination of forces, now scattered and futile because of lack of union in eff fort into one mighty army to war against the saloons and the evil teachings of the saloon. For in the saloons are plotted most of the great crimes against society and government, as we'll as formed and fostered appetites and habits that ruin the man and do untold injuryto every one dependent upon or connected with him.
 
 At Stafford, where the product is chiefly heavy kerseys for overcoats and cloak ings, there is some falling off. as might be anticipated at this this season of the year, but the mills have had fairly good win- ter's work. In fact, they have suffered far less from the business depression than during the "hard timesn in the winter of 1SS3-4, when they were shut down from September until the following spring.
 The above paragraph is from the Hart ford Times. Something like it has before been published, and talked upon the streets, generally getting contradiction from residents who could not remember the circumstance, which fact shows how little impression was made by that visita- OAOAi Ol hoAu do Wllu 1uc present, which will long live in memory. It is not true that the mills have suffered far less now than then. That was tenn porary suspension, caused, as is the pres ent, by tariff tinkering. Congress, by the act of March 3, 1883, at the instigation of wool growers, against the protests of man. ufacturers, reduced the specific duties on certain worsted coatings and yarns from 40 to 30 cents per yard. The effect of the reduction is shown by the British export of worsted coatings and yarns to this country. Bradford, England, increased her exports of these to the United States from E4,0O0 in July, 1892, to s26, ,0O0 in July, 1883, those of August, 1882, being E11, ,758, and in 1883 s45, ,21S, and in Sep tember still greater increase. This is the record of one English city alone. All manufacturing centers in the U. s. did not feel the depression alike. The Stafford mills were in just the line of work to feel it. A congress friendly to American in- dustries remedied the evil by protective legislation. There was no panic, no ap- prehension of continued depression during the period of stopping, but instead feel ing that the depression was but tenn norarv Tho naills uaro mot otov,nnd f3,,r