davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Kosciusko star. (Kosciusko, Miss.) 18??-1898, 1895-04-05

Here is strong letter from
Messrs. Brink 4 Macomber, OF
Bradford, Pa, machinists and brass
and iron founders. They say; eve
are in favor Of absolute free trade,
believing it to be the only policy
that is just to ali classes ALSO be-
lievlng that manufacturers as a
class,would be benefited by M in
crease of commerce which would
follow the freeing of foreign eX-
change. We believe that all who
ask for protection on their product
seek to rob the consumer and ask
the Government to assist them in
so doing. We consider protection
lists as'paupers seeking to live off
others industries, and to profit by
others losses. All protec'ionists
ask for free trade in whatever they
buy. We think Congress ought no
sooner to listen to any proposition
for the protection than any other
kind of theft"
The Kosciusko star. (Kosciusko, Miss.) 18??-1898, 1895-04-05

The movem ent toward the or
ganization of the league has also
received the Endorsement OF many
The Kosciusko star. (Kosciusko, Miss.) 18??-1898, 1895-04-05

The hearty reception accorded
to the suggestion of American In
dustries that league of manufact-
urers be formed to work for free
trade, led to meeting Of gentle
men interested in the movement at
the American Industries office at
Washington on the 10Th of Janua
ry last. At this meeting the Man
ufacturers Free Trade League was
formally organized. a constitu-
ton and bylaws were adopted and
officers were elected. The Hon.
Tom L. Johnson was unanimously
elected president, and Horace
Kenny secretary-treasurer. Plans
for the future work of the league
were discussed.
The objects Of the league are
well set forth in atic,e , of the
constitution adopted, which article
is as follows;
The objects of this league shall
be:
l. To foster, disseminate and
give effect in every poss Die way,
direct and indirect, to free trade
principles.
2. To demonstrate to our
brother manufacturers that free
trade would conserve and promote
their real interests and not injure
or destroy them.
3. To demonstrate to the PEG.
pie that the independent and self
sup PORTING manufactures in the
United States, representing all
lines Of industry, have no need Of
protection 50 called but believe
that such policy entails unjust
and burdensome taxation
4 To create u national organi-
zation that will, upon all occasions
combat the monopolies and trusts
which have been made possible by
the protective tariff system
5. TO aid and support any re-
form that viii tend to emancipate
labor from the sertdom Of monopo-
~ and make equity the tie that
shall biod the manufactures and
wage Garner in the bonds of COM
mon prosperity.
6. To agitatc and educate until
free trade shall be an accomplish
ed fact, and protection, with all Its
evil brood Of monopolies, trusts
lock-outs and strikes, shall be for
ever banished from our country
and be replaced by that peace and
prosperity only possible under &
reign of free and unrestricted
trade.
The Kosciusko star. (Kosciusko, Miss.) 18??-1898, 1895-04-05

NJ. F. McIlraine, of Houston,
Tex, manufacturer of mattresses.
beds and bedding supplies, writes
as follows: Referring to yours OF
the Dist inst. wish to say that l
am in hearty sympathy with the
proposed course to be taken by the
manufacturers of the country in
forming Manufacturers Free
Trade League. = = | am at
your command in this movement,
and wish to become a member OF
the League, with confidence in the
final triumph of the principles Of
liberty"
The Kosciusko star. (Kosciusko, Miss.) 18??-1898, 1895-04-05

The following letter is from a.
X. Meyer, of Kansas City, Mo-,
Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-21


 any one or few grades print paper, wrapping paper, strawboards and the cheaper grades of writing paper have been sent abroad in really great quan- titles, the countries of Europe, of course, being much heavier customers than those of South Amerca. In the finer grades of letter paper, however, American manufacturers have not yet succeeded in doing much business with European buyers, but in that line, even, there will be heavy American ex- ports in @ few years. believe that under the operation of the present tariff with the prices of raw materials constantly declining, American manu- facturers will shortly be able to materi- ally increase their export business" Mir. Grace also spoke of the well-sustained activity in certain lines of machinery manufacture during the entire period of the depression, to which Mir. Sage called attention, and attributed 1t to the same causes, namely, the reco9- nized necessity of decreasing the cost of production as much as possible by the introduction of every available lator-saving contrivance.
 E|l5ohn ClaAin, the drygoods merchant, Eexpressed much hopefulness. "Times
Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-21

II. WALTER WEBB. getting ready to do business, if not actually doing it, and that is very encouraging. We are not worrying because of the slow re- vival of through business, since through business means merely ex- port business. We like export busi- ness, of course, because it brings foreign money into the country, but what we must have Is plenty of busi- ness in the country and between it's different parts, and it Is revival in this direction that we are hoping for and that we are beginning 70 observe. It is yet too early to talk much about the crops, but from the boiled out and hard baked plains of Nebraska and Kansas, where the dry heats of a nufn- Der of summers have fairly cracked the earth, comes the information that the heavy snows of last winter and the copious rains of spring have put the soil in better shape than it has been in years, and that means that the people there will be alive again this year.
Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-21

the places where they most do congre- gate. Nearly everyone seems to be- lieve that the present apparent inn provment is genuine, that it will in- crease steadily, though perhaps slowly, all through the summer, and that next autumn will present a very satisfactory condition of affairs. There are those probably who do not share in this hope fitness, but no one with whom the present writer has recently talked has failed to speak in tone of general en- couragement, and from this it seems ap- parent that the number who do not look for continued improvement is relatively small.
 Very hopeful indeed is Hon. War ner Miller, whose interests in the raw materials of paper making are most important. MT. Miller's talk up- on the situation yesterday seemed very interesting to me. Said he:
 ''There is no doubt about it. There is real and widespread improvement in general business. l base this asser- tion upon the advance which have no- ticed in the paper business. Possibly you have never thought of 1t in that light, but the paper trade is, perhaps, the most sensitive business barometer in existence. No transaction whatever can well be consummated without the consumption of paper. When business Is good there is demand for enormous quantities of bill heads, checks and drafts, receipts, bills of lading, let ter paper, telegraph blanks, paper for the parcels in which goods sold at re- tail are packed. and so on. Advertis- ing is always best when there is plenty of business, and that means, not only more pages in the newspapers, but the printing of hundreds of hand bills and many other kinds of advertising paper. The circulation of newspapers is also much better in good times than in bad times, and whenever general business is good then the consumption of paper in ali lines is great. When general business begins to fall off paper sales must decrease in direct ratio. At the present time we find greater demand for all sorts of paper than we have en- joyed for year or two, and the manu- lecturers and dealers are enabled because of that to demand and obtain better prices
Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-21

 ]frmer demand, and this is evidenced E by the fact that prices are better Bills. have been fairly well paid in the dry goods trade all through the depression, but there is Q slight improvement in this direction and look for 8 continu- ance of the present upward tendency"
 F. H. Leggett, who knows as much about the grocery business, probably, as anybody in New York, says he not only sees indications of future im- provement, but is able to report de- gree of present increase in volume of business over that done a few months ago. 'The chief improvement seems to be in the manufacturing cities of the east" said MT. Leggett. From New England, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, we have had many fa- vorable reports both by letter and from our travelling men. More men are being put on by manufacturers, in mines and iron mills. or the men al- ready working are kept on at full time instead of halt time or less, and this makes demand for more groceries of course." DEXTER MARSHALL. x
Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-21
Among the Bankers.

si Ex-Postmaster Gen. Thomas L. James, president of the Lincoln na- tional bank, also spoke in a hopeful. strain. "There is more demand for money" said he, when I questioned him, land, in my judgment, business generally has assumed a healthier tone during the past few weeks. look for steady and continued increase in the volume of business" he continued, though not a rapid one. Rates of in- terest and discount are little higher, though not to 8 burdensome extent, and bills are being paid more promptly, to the great joy and comfort of every body. An interesting fact is that, as I observe it, business is now better in the south than in the west. Money is not drug anywhere, and that is, per- haps, the most hopeful sign of all"
 At the Chase national bank saw also Gen. Sam Thomas and Senator Calvin
Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-21

which in itself is substantial evidence of their confidence in the permanency of the improvement which has already taken place, and in each instance where wages have been advanced @ corresponding mark up has been made in the stock in trade of those who have taken the initiative in this direction. believe" Mir. Clews continued, that there will be more railroad building . this year than In any one year for some >time; not new lines, perhaps, but many new spurs of old lines will be laid, grades will be lowered, lines straight ened, etc. This cannot fail to give em- ployment to labor, as well as an im- petus to the profitable production of iron and steel. The advance in price and demand of leather goods of every description has already helped that in dustry. Cotton and woolen goods are finding an increased demand at ad- vancing prices. Business recovery is very perceptible in all directions, and the return of confidence and courage is certainly most comforting. Bad crops of course would make a serious setback, but now that the wheat and corn belts are having copious rains to relieve the prolonged drought in those sections, prospects for crops are good, and, talk. ing everything into consideration, there is sufficient cause to believe in the re- turn of good times unless there is a serious setbackn
Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-21

sence," said Gen. Thomas, "1 saw many evidences of business improvement and much promise for the future. be- lieve that the crops will this year be larger than they have been for several seasons. Of course this will make the. railroads busy and when they are busy! none always circulates. Now as a lack of circulation of money has much to do with all the trouble, I think we are pretty safe in looking for general, though not rapid improvement. Sena- tor Brice, know, concurs fully in these views"
Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-21

ing the situation the other day, he said:s
 ''There is no great rush, but business Is undoubtedly looking up. Money brings better rates and is in much bet ter demand than it was year ago, and although the banks have not so large surplus as they had then, we are well satisfied, under the circumstances, to know that the money is being used in business instead of being hoarded. It seems probable to me that the present upward tendency will increase gradu- ally and steadily all summer, and I base that expectation principally upon the fact that I no longer see any evi- dence that the people fear government bankruptcy.
 'The New York clearing house ex- changes always afford fairly accu- rate indication of the business situa- tion, and their value so far this year has been considerably in excess of the volume of transactions during the first quarter of last year. Though the clearing house figures do not furnish an absolutely truthful index, still think they are very significant. Here they are: January, 1894, s2, ,165, ,563,- ss5. TO; January, 1895, s2,S94, ,672, ,414.57; February, 1894, s1, ,724 ,039, 7s9.9 93; Febru- ary, 1895, s1 1884, ,444, ,226.s9; March, 1894, s2,O4s, ,s11 ,551. IS; March, 1895, $a,24o,741,- O16.04 You see that there has been a very decided increase. The transac- tions were not so large as in the first quarter of 1893, to be sure, the figures then running over three billions month, but still there is plenty of room for encouragement, and from all can learn a similar state of affairs exists in all parts of the country"
 Henry Clews said among other things: Employers are encouraged by the
Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-21
What the Railroad Men Say.

MT. H. Walter Webb, of the New York Central railroad, reports very noticeable increase in local business along the line of rail with which he is connected.- "There is a greater local activity" he said to-day, than there has been during the past eighteen months, and while the aggregate in- crease is not startlingly large, it means a great deal. This is especially notice able in the manufacturing towns. Sta tions that have been using but two or three cars a day are now calling for seven or eight. These things mean decided increase of business in the autumn unless there is crop failure, for, with the railroads, general im- provement is always preceded by picking up of local freight business, and this was pronounced all through the month of March. The local pas senger business has never suffered as much as has the freight business, though there was some falling off, which has now been followed by inn provement in that line also. cannot say as much of through freight or pas-l senger business, but the improvement in these lines will undoubtedly follow in due time"
 Mir. J. D. Laying, general manager of the West Shore railroad, reports
Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-21

WILLIAM R. GRACE. visible nor allow themselves to venture too far or too fast.
 "The exports from New York have been larger than before during the past year or two," he said, "and this has been due principally to the lower prices that have lately prevailed, especially as regards drygoods. The great trouble with the export trade of the United States In the past has been the great fluctuations in prices, due to the enor- nous home demand and the fact that whenever there was an especially heavy demand the heavy duties kept out inn ported goods. Thus, an exporter who could furnish goods at one price this month was almost sure to find 1t impos- sible to furnish them at the same price next month, and this caused trouble. If, in the future, prices shall femain at a more regular level, there Is no doubt that large quantity of American goods will be exported. During the whole of the 'depresiioh the export of paper of all sorts has been large and growing because of the low prices which have been possible on account of cheapness, in this country, of the materials from which paper is made. The exporta- tion Of papsr has not been confined to
Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-21

facts warrant a certain degree of hope fulness. The winter and spring have been of such character as to pronise good crops. Upon tkis promise busi- ness will improve all summer, and un- less something untoward happens in the meantime I am sure there will be yet better things in the autumn. In the meantime railroads, merchants and all sorts of business men should be care ful not to let the spirit of competition lead them to a wreclSless cutting of rates and prices. Some of the mer- chants in New York whose stores have recently visited have been selling their goods at figures much below the mark at which profit is possible. Railroad freight rates in some instances have been cut down to point at which it is actually impossible to pay operating ex- penses, let alone interest on obligations and dividends.
 "These things are unwise and, if continued too long, would lead to still further declension of values and stag nation of business, but believe the present upward tendency will check all this and that prices of goods, rates of freight and wages of working peo- pie will all go up in the autumn. It must not be forgotten, however, that this is an era of great competition, and whoever wishes to progress, or even keep a1oat, must keep up with the times He must avail himself of all the latest improvements in his line, he must look after all the economies and he must have the best machinery. During all the depression there has been greater activity in the manufac- ture of certain sorts of machinery than in many other directions and some people have failed to understand this It has been due to the fact that many manufacturers with sufficient capital have been introducing new and more extensive plants of machinery than they formerly used in order to conduct their business more economically. Now that the tariff has been cut down and Amer ican manufacturers have less advan- tage than in the past in competing with the manufacturers of Europe, the in- troduction of more labor-saving ma chinery will go on and will increase much faster than ever before"
 Talk from the Merchants.
 Hon. William R. Grace, one of the most extensive importing and export
Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-21

b r i g hter pros poets for a grad ual and almost sure return of pros p e rity to this cou ntry.
 Tn ey h ave in consequence, in n u m e us in- s t ances, begun vol u ntarily to advance wages,
Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-21

ly when l asked for his opinion of the business out look. "W IL" he said, slowly,
 "I feel encour- aged. 1 do not look for a n y thing very start ling, to be sure, hut I am c,1ra tha
Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-21

This I regard as a very important point, though perhaps not moro im-S portant than the fact that such inns provement as we have seen has been gradual and not sudden or spasmodic."
 Russell Sage sat in his office on lower Broadway and looked at me thoughtfulJ
Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-21

daily a business barometer, even ore sensitive and probably as accurate as that which comes un- der the observa- tion of ex-Sena- tor Miller. MT.
 Sherer is hope flll. In discuss
Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-21

s. Brice. Gen. Thomas has re- gently returned from an extend ed trip through the south and west, having vis- tied South Caro- lima, Georgia. H. linois and Indi- 8 D a. During
Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-21

similar state of things on that
 line. 1.-The im-i prove ment in
 traffic between towns" said Mr., Laying, ''means at least that he people are walk ing up and are.
Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-21

ing merchants in the country, ex- pressed a hope for better times,
 but said that the people must not build too largely u p o n the evi- dences of inn provement now
Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-21
THE BUSINESS OUTLOOK.
Men of Affairs Are Hopeful and
 Give Reasons.
Things Are Looking Up-Bankers, Manu- facturers and Wall Street Men Predict a Genuine and Continuous Inn
 provemeRt in Trade.
IcoPYRIeHT. ls05.l

FEN of affairs in New York are decidly m o r @ hopeful of bet ter times than they have been f or m a n y mo Il t h s, and this is clearly indicated by the tone of the con- versation that l. +4 H0 lao-1 ;.
Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-21

are cer t a 1 n l y
 b'e t t CT in our business" said
 MT. Clafin, ''al- l though I cannot say that the de-
 ma n d has in- c re a S ed as to iqpantity of late, wat there is a
Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-21
What Wall Street Thinks.

MT. William Sherer, manager of the New York clearing house, observes
Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-21

Solid trains through between Birmingham vannah.
 Connect ions at Savannah with Ocean Steam ship comp any's steamers for New York, Bos- ton and the east. Sleeping cars on night trains. Macon to Savannah. schedules, etc., apply to IA; QAMP,T. P. A, Columbus, Ca. A. H. STEVENS, Agent, Birmingham, Ala. JACK W. JOHNSON, U. T. A,
 Birmingham, Ala.
 sayanh6h, Ga. J. e. HALLE, Gen. Hdss. Agent,
 saSan nah. Ga. EAST LAKE RAILROAD. In effect Monday. Novsmbef 8. 1s9s
Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-21

CENTRAL R. R. OF GEORGIA +. M. Conner and R. s. Hayes, Receivers
 SAVANNAH WESTERN R.. R. co.
 H. M. Conner and R. J. Lowry, Receivers. Time table. in effect March IT. 1895. EAsTBoUND. wEsfBoUND. DAILY. STATIONS. DAILY.
Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-21
RAILROAD TIME TABLE

LOUISVILLE AND NASHVILLE. In effect November IS, 1894, at T q. m.
Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-21

For further lnfOrmntiOn, Sleeping car feser- vation, etc.. call on or address c. H. HUDSON, w. A. TURK, G.P.A.,
 G. M., Washington, D. c.
 Knoxville, Tenn. c. A. BENsoOTER, J. N. ROSS, Supt., A. G. P. A, Birmingham. Ala. Knoxville. Tenn,
Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-21

Hon. William R. Grace, one of the most extensive importing and export
Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-21

HLeaVe college.
 Train No. l, arrives lake Il 45, and goest> thop.
 Train No. 2. arrives lake 12 80 and goess, shop. a14u
Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-21

The train leaving Montgomery at T 40 D. m. carries through sleeper from St. Louis to Jacksonville via Thomasville and Waycross. For any further information as to routes, rates and schedules write to
 w. H. JACKSON, T. P. A.,
 Montgomery, Ala. L. A. BELL, D. P. A.,
 Montgofnery, Ala. B. w. WRENN, P. T. Nj.
 Savannah, Ga.