Omaha daily bee., 1896-01-19
A BUSINESS TJoN.

A convention will be held this week
in Chicago which will be of great in
terest to the business men of the cOun-
try, particularly the manufacturers. 1t
will be the first annual convention of
the National Association of Manufac-
turers, and it will consider matters re-
lating to the business, and commerce of
the country, foreign and domestic. The
association is composed of the most
prominent manufacturers in the coun-
try and it's organization seems to have
been almost n spontaneous impulse.
Last year some 500 representatives of
manufacturing Industries held a confer
ence in Cincinnati, and from this he
national association sprung, the primary
idea being to secure such Influence and
such promise of good results as unity of
action, concentration of purpose and the
impressive counsel of men representing
4 majority of the industrial employ
mcnts of the United STATES would af-
ford. The plan of those who met at
Cincinnati was to form n body which
would be responsive to the best public
sentiment and capable of making that
sentiment impressively known. They
proposed to establish an association
upon a broad. well organized system,
whose purpose was to consider all ma
tional questions affecting commercial
interests, advocate advantageous legis-
lation and prepare for the development
of trade relations between the United
States and foreign countries, especially
the extension of trade with South
America.
1t is understood that at the Chicago
convention there will be especial atten-
ton given to the subject of the Nicara-
qua canal, and 1t is expected the
convention will declare In favor of the
construction of the canal by federal as
sistance, the government to have con-
troll of the waterway. This matter
promises to soon assume renewed i'm
%portance. The house committee hay
ing charge of the subject Is giving 1t
consideration, and a message from the
president regarding it is looked for, when
the report of the engineers who in
spected the canal will probably be laid
before congress. An expression from a
body of representative business men
will, therefore, be timely. Another
matter that will command the atten-
tion Of the convention Is that of a water
way to connect the Great Lakes and the
%seaboard. while there will probably be
an expression favorable to legislation
that will make 1t possible for vessels
owned by American capital to sail
under the American flag. But per-
haps the most important subject which
the convention will consider is that of
reciprocity. 1t is said that
will be no political note permitted
in the discussion of this question, but
1t will be considered entirely from Il
business point of view, which is the only
Is proposed to show that under reel
the United States was surely
building up what would ultimately
have become a predominant trade with
the South and Central American coun-
tries, and 1t Is believed that the
convention will be practically unani-
nous In favor of restoring this policy.
OF curse no immediate practical re-
suit is expected, but an expression ia
to trade reciprocity from such a
;ource will have a salutary influence
)n he public mind.
1t is impossible that such al organ
as the National Association of
Manufacturers can fail to
Exert a decided influence in behalf of
my matter that shall receive its APP