Year: 1878

To the Hon. Ersstus Brooks, OF the DeInocratic
State Central Committee:


MY DEAR SRI regret am not able to
take an active part in the pending canvass.
for il is one which concerns, IN an unusuai
degree, the public welfare. The questions
which now agitate the public mind toucn
the interests OF labor and commerce, and
bear upon the comfort and happiness or
American homes. In this state tne ISSUES
are unlike those which have been discussed
at the late election elsewhere. Both OF the
great parties agree in their resolutions about
the currency of the country. AS all OF our
citizens are not in accord with them with
regard to this and ii is subject proper 10
discuss at our public meetings, yet tnere are
other grave questions which call for our
earnest consideration. AS my reasons Tor a
return to specie payments have been given
10 the public in official form, as well as in
public speeches, / will repeat them. L do
not believe we can have good currency
that is not redeemabie In coin. but whlle
bad currency will harm trade and industry
and a good currency will help them, still 1t
is true that it can not of itself make wealth
nor prosperity.


There must grow out of the industry
which produces, and the commerce which
exchanges. what we make for what we want.
We must not let the currency question
throw into the shade other vital things
We must answer





They wish to know when they will get relief,
and how. They will get this when we have
enough TO sell and when we can sell III.
This gives relief at once, even IL We had no
currency to make more easy the work OF
buying and selling. Now we have enough
TO sell. and should have more II We could
find markets. The question OF the day then
is what we can do TO sell what we have, and
what we can produce? The answer to that
will solve all our troubles; will make labor
glad, give comfort to our homes, and give
life and hope to every form OF industry.


When we look over the fields of commerce,
we find that other people want what we
have. Some need our food, some what is
made by our factories, others our tarm tools,
and that long list of articles which have
taken 30 many premiums at the worlds fair
at Paris, because they were better than those
made elsewhere. If we could meet these
wants our whole country would rejoice in
Its prosperity. When we are asked, why is
not this done? we are forced to say, because
our government will not let it be done.


ITS LAWS STAND IN THE WAY.


The party which has been in power so
many years will not change these laws when
appealed to. 1t has swept our carrying
trade from the ocean so that we can not
serd, as we once did, what we make into
every harbor OF the earth. By our laws
those who build American vessels have the
rlgQL as against all tue WOIlu W LiGhO lnOSt
used upon more than 10000 miles OF our
ocean coast and upon our internal lakes and
rivers All are content that they should
have this great field of industry to them
selves But our laws go farther, and say
that no American merchant shall
buy a ship to be used upon the
great free oceans of the world if it is built
outside of our territories. He is told that
such ship, although owned by one of our
own citizens, shall not have the protection of
the American flag. AS we are not able to
build the iron steamships now used, as
cheaply as they are made elsewhere, our
merchants can not compete with those OF
other countries. Our flag, once found in the
most remote harbors, and seeu more than
that of all other peoples, is


DISAPPEARING IRON THE GREAT OCEAN HIGH.


WAYS.


Whoever will trace the effects of this upon
the labor and trade of the United States, will
find that more than any other cause ii
checks the return of prosperity. 1t stops
the sale of what we have and what we can
make to meet the wants of other people
We have proof of how much harm any tax
upon trade can do. In 1870 New York had
tolls upon the lines of its canals which
made all pay six cents upon every bushel OF
wheat which the men from the west sought
TO sell in our markets, so that they could
buy what they wanted of our mechants, me
chanics and manufacturers.


THIS TAX TURNED AWAY TRADE


to Boston, Philadelphia and Baltimore. II
crushed out the business upon our canals
This not only brought ruin upon $4,000 oi
our people who were engaged in it. but
stopped the building OF boats, and hurt oul
mechanics, and took away from our farmer:
market for provisions, etc. In this way
the loss was great, but IL was small part o1
the evil. These charges kept large stores OF
grain from going to the markets. As they
were not sold, the money was not received
by the farmers, nor by them spent with the
merchants, mechanics and manufacturers o.
this state. Theis tax made blight upon
hundred forms OF industry, which at frs
view did not seem in any way related to 1t
In spite OF a strong opposition, and in the
tace 0{ the condemnation of low tolls by the
republican state convention in 1870 this tar
on trade was cut down onehalf. 1t is due
TO many republicans to say that they upheld
the action of the democratic canal board il
this matter. These tolls have been put dowI
from time to time until they are


LESS THAN ONE CENT PER BUsHEL,


and all parties now see the wisdom of thi
action. To make il clear how it helped no
only the state, but the whole country, W,
see that wheat has been carried from Chicag,
TO New York this year in some cases for les
than seven cents per bushel, or little more
than the tax which we put upon it befor
1870. Yet this season there was more grail
sent from the west than at any other time il
the history of our country. We should ex
pect, therefore, that the prices for carrying i
would be high, and If there had been n,
canals and boatmen the charges would hav
been such that great quantities of graiI
woGo have been kept out of market Th
railroads would have made more money b,
carrying less at higher prices. There arr
more than 5000 boats upon our canals-to,
many to be brought into a compact to keeI
up prices. Hence our people had


THE BESErrT OF FREE COMPETITION.


The result is shown by the following state
ment: In the year ending July 81 1877, tn
exports from our country amounted in yalu
TO $50, 100000 They will exceed this IL
the year ending in July. 1873 OF this vas
sum, exceeding 81 200 600 900, nearly tn
whole was made mp of farm products Tn
great profit OF carrying these exports acros