Evening star., 1937-11-20

been diSregarded and their warnings
ignored Back in the period when the
American people were considering the
drafting of a constitution, Pelatiah
Webster wrote a pamphlet urging that
the merchants of America" be given
an opportunity to advise Congress on
legislation affecting trade. The PAM
phlet, which is dated February Is,
1888, is believed TO have been the basis
for the plans offered by Madison,
Plnckney and Hamilton to the Constl-
tutional Convention. Apart from its
proposals as TO the formation OF
national government, Mr.. Webster
wrote:
Merchants must from the nature
of their business certainly understand
the interests and resources of their
country, TO the best Of any men in II:
and l know not of any one reason
Why they should be deemed less up
right or patriotic than any other rank
OF citizen whatever.
Proposed Chamber OF Commerce.
"I therefore humbly propose if the
merchants in the several States are
disposed to send delegates, that they
shall be permitted to form chamber
of commerce, and their advice to Con-
gress be demanded and submitted con-
cerning all bills before Congress as far
as they may affect the trade of the
States.
"As I conceive the advice of the
merchants to be one Of the greatest
sources of mercantile information
which is anywhere placed within their
Congress reach, it ought by no
means to be neglected.. but so hus-
banded ano improved that the greatest
possible advantage may be derived
from it.
Besides this I have another reason
why the merchants ought to be con-
suited. I take it to be very plain that
the husbandry and manufactures of
the country must be ruined if the
present rate Of taxes is continued on
them much longer, and, of course,
very great part OF our revenue must
arise from imposts on merchandise
which will fall directly within the
merchants sphere of business, and,
of course, their concurrence and ad-
vice will be Of the utmost consequence,
not only to direct the properest mode
of levying these duties but also to get
them carried into quiet and peaceable
execution"
Mr.. Webster went on to say that mo
men are more intimately connected
with the interests of the citizens than
the merchants and he did not recall
an instance in which the English gov
ernment lever rejected the remon-
strances and advices of the mer-
chants and did not severely suffer for
their pride"
Warnings Against War
I'VE have some striking instances"
he added, ''of very many English mer-
chants against the American war,
and their fears and apprehensions We
see verified almost like prophecies by
the event"
What Mr. Webster urged is in
sense happening today. This very
week delegations from various State
chambers Of commerce have been vis-
ttlng their Senator's and Representa-
tives in Washington petitioning for a
revision Of the undistributed surplus
and capital gains taxes as a means of
aiding business. Scarcely a day goes
by that the advice from business men
from one END of the country to the
other does not reach here by letter, by
telephone, by telegraph and by per-
sonal visit. The drive IS to stop the
new business depression by giving busi-
ness chance to maintain its volume.
And Mr., Webster is right when he
cites pride as an obstacle to the ac-
ceptance Of business advice. 1t is
causing the administra lion to hesitate
at critical moment, for officials find
1t unpalatable indeed to proclaim a
reversal of policy. Nevertheless the
temper of Congress indicates that such
q reversal is on the way.
Copyright. 1872 i