Daily Kennebec journal., 1901-11-21

I.epyue decided to decline the invita-
tion of the National Association Of
manufacturers to be represented as
body on the door of the convention.
/ Fully 100 delegates, representing vari-
GUS associations of manufacturers, are
members of the American Protective
| Tariff League. so thai the organiza-
tion is well represented.
/ Committee announcements ana the
reading of papers, largely technical,
oceupi,d the afternoon session.
Charles 1icber Clark of Philadelphia.
made q strong plea to the convention
for protection. He took position
against any modification Of the tariff
and against the tariff concessions such
as he believed to be in contemplation.
tie contendcd that past experience
showed that Il reciprocity treaty was
rot beneficial to the country, that nn
tcr the DingIcy bill tn" balance of
trade had swung around in favor Of
This country, while the balance was
against us under the Wilson bill.
Frank Leake. representing the Man
ufacturerS club of Philadelphia.
favored the creation of department
of commerce and manufactures To-
avoid extensive fluctuations in business
conditions brought about by ill-adriscd
agitation.
George j. Seabury of New York. ad
vocated the upbuiiding of strong
merchant marine and construction pf
an isthmian canal as paramount in inn
pnrtance T. reciprocity treaties. He
advocated reduction in the war reV-
enue tariff but not in the Dingley
tariff.
George A. Louchton Of Wheeling. w
Va. Interested in the manufa Cture Of
steel billcts. arraigncd the United
States Steel Go. He said that before
its organization his company had been
able To buy its materials at figure
which ena bled il to Sell To all the mar
kets of the world. but since the organ
ization of the United States Steel Go.
this trade had been seriously interfered
with and the present outlook was that
his company's trade with South Amer
lea would be extinguished shortly.
The night session. devoted to the sub
iCct of reciprocity with the spanish
American countries. developed the fact
tEat the delegates We're having a diff
cult time in avoiding making straight
out high tariff speeches while striving
to contine themselves to the discussion
of reciprocal relations one speaker
said that he had heard nothing but
rieh tariff speeches all day and that.
We're the delegates not So earnestly
trying to attain the ends mapped out.
one might believe that n We're attend
ing 4 political meeting At the height
OF an important campaign.
The discussion. Tuesday night. c'r-
tered mainly around the matter of thu
importation If hides from Argentina
Secretary Hoffman % he Kansas city
Millers Association. Col. J. +. supple.
of Baltimore. Charles a. SChieren Of
New York. w Il. Rice Of Boston, H.
r. Atkins or Cincinnati. and Charles
Carlisle Of South Bend, IND. in turn
had the floor. Mr.. Rice spoke cSpc,I-
ally in the interests of the leather in
dustry and in mentioning the tariff on
hides from Argentina said that this
tariff benefited nobody and that tho
hide question between Argentina ana
tn" United States offered good chance
To try on the mantle of reciprocity.
President Search interrupted Mr
Rice at one time. telling him 10 confine
himself to reciprocity and not 10 drift
upon the tariff question To which the
latter retorted that he did not think
anyone could talk reciprocity without
talking tariff. a reply which brought
out general laughter.