Year: 1878

of Comperce--PrOtracted Debate--PaSS-


are of Reconciliation and Anti-Re-


aumDtion Resolutions.


The adjourned meeting at the hall of the
House of Representatives at the capitol to
consider the question of demonstration of
silver and the repeal of the act was held last
night All the available seats in the body of
the hall and in the gallery were occupied,
and among the audience were several ladies'.
The president of the Chamber of Commerce
called the meeting to order at 8 o'clock,
when the Secretary read the original resolu-
tions submitted at the last meeting which
have already appeared in these columns.
Ex-Governor Marshall then rose and said he
objected to the question involved in the
resolutions which had been discussed
and voted on by the public.
1t was a matter which concern
ed only the Chamber of Commerce and he
understood that the directors referred it to
the Chamber at large and here was an at
tempt on the part of Mr.. Banning to resolve
the present into a mass meeting and then to



ing of the Chamber of Commerce. He, as a
member of the Chamber, should certainly
object.


Mr.. Banning stated that it was one of
those actions which occurred from peculiar
circumstances. The directors had submit
ted this important question to the Chamber
at large, which consisted of most of our
prominent citizens and business men, but
the subject had attracted such general atten-
ton that he knew every member of the
Chamber would be glad to hear the ideas of
the general public upon it; and after all, any
resolutions which might be passed would be
referred back to the Chamber of Commerce
to revise.


Gov. Marshall moved that the discussion
be confined to members. The Chamber
was no political body, it was
formed of business men of all opinions,
not for the purpose of discussing politics,
but to talk of the interests of trade and the
welfare of the community. The question of
reconciliation of silver was an abstruse,
deep, intricate subject that the members of
the Chamber neither had the time nor the
ability to discuss, and that the whole meet
ing was nothing but party trick to get the
question from the Chamber to mass meet
ing, and put forth the resolutions as the re-
suit of the deliberations of the Chamber of
Commerce.


F. r. Delano moved ''that the resolutions
now before the Chamber of Commerce be
submitted to all corners, and that the vote
which shall be taken on the same be referred
back to the directors for further action


Mr.. Banning seconded the resolution,
which was carried without dissenting
voice.


Col. Hewitt moved that those opposed to
the resolution be allowed one hour and a
half for discussion and those in favor one
hour. This motion was carried.


The President then called upon Mr.. Hodg-
son to address the meeting, which that gen
tleman proceeded to do by first explaining
his position and stating that he was not the
representative of Eastern capitalists, whose
interests were against the resolution. This
took him into an elaborate statement of his
own operations since his arrival in this State.
It was true that he had placed out consider
able sums of money, but all his capital was
invested in farm lands. After this prelimi-
nary he reverted at considerable length to the
speeches made at the last meeting. In speak
ing of Mr.. Donnelly's allusion to the 3,OOO-
900 of men out of employ, Mr.. Hodgson re-
ferred to the millions of acres of land burst
ing with fertility awaiting these men to come
and settle upon them. He described the
representative man of these three millions as
standing at the corner of the street with
hands thrust i'll pockets, reeking with whisky
and bowling for greenbacks and remonetiza-
ton of silver, while his wife slaves at the
wash-tub He believed in this vast, rich
country there was no necessity for one idle
Ia 70, ~
crease of currency-too much was more
grievous evil than too little Initiation in
creases a rich mans store, but makes poor
man serf. The mass spend money, the
rich hoard it; the struggling poor are like
streams and brooklets pouring in their little
driblets into the great oceans called Jay
Gould or Vanderbilt. Initiation creates a
mania to spend money What we want is
solidity and stability If our currency was
staple, and not at the mercy of every Con-
gresham, money could be obtained at 3
per cent instead of ~. England banks for
the whole world because her fnan-
ces are stable and solid. Mr. Hodgson
spoke for upwards of half an hour, and
when he took his seat the President called
upon Mr.. Drake and Gen. Baker, but neither
of these gentlemen responded. At length
Judge Parker, of Duluth, rose and said in
substance that gold was rising because Con-
gress will remonetize silver. AS a Republi-
can, he could say that he would rather see
his party honest than successful. The ques-
ton was, shall we resume specie payment?
He did not know that the question could be
answered. He did not know if it was possi-
BILE to resume on the 1st of January, 1879,
but he thought that gold and greenbacks
would so gradually come together that we
should not know when we resumed, and that
long before January next. There is no
necessity to agitate the question. It will
solve itself.


Mr.. Pusey, who was next called for, took
the floor and said that he had not time to
prepare speech OF think over the matter
under consideration, but he had remained
from supper and iotted down some thoughts,
which he would read. Pay day had come, he
said and we find it hard to meet the demand
upon our resources. Currency he averred
was not money; it did not represent proper
ty. 1t is easier and more agreeable to give
promlssory note than to pay. The resolu-
hons only propose to continue the causes to
cure the evil. A promise to pay ST. is not a
dollar, whether iven by one man or forty
millions. After reading for some little time.
his fowery rhetorical sentences of which the
above is the substance, the worthy Secretary
came to a sudden stand-stil, having lost the
remainder of his MS, but he heroically kept
upon his legs few moments longer, de-
scending from his lofty flight to few dis
jointed. commonplace remarks, and then
resumed hisSeat.


Mr.. j. w. Taylor followed. This was un-