The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-07-25
FREE TRADE.

The following letter says the Union, is from
gentleman. whuse views and oplniuns are entitled
to respect. Let the farmers of the country and
'heir representatives read it.. and determine
whether free trade is not object to them:
New YoRx, July 20, 1916
Ny Dear Sir The revenue bill now before
| the Senate, excites m0re interest here than any
other subject The protectionis,s rave and swear ;
the friends of the greatest good To the greatest
number" fervenily hope ii may pass How can
a democrat-the enemy of monopolies-opposed
to the plan of favoring classes at the expense of
the mdsses-how such one hesitate to sup.
port this hli2 ] wish few thousand western
farmers were here tn see what virtue there is in
free trade. lfthey could 60 with me to the docks.
and see our gigantic packet ships literally groan-
ing under the weight of -four for England, they
would see that foreign outlet for this mos,
plentiful article is something of an object to them
| Produce under the cure all tariff Of $40. is now
unprecedentedly cheap-hour less than sd per
barrel. Were it not Tor the large shipments In
England for the last three months in anticipate
of the repeal of the English corn laws. flour at
this moment would not be worth three dollars per
barrel in this market. England has relaxed her
protective policy, and her markets are now thrown
open to the American farmer. Shall we recipro.
cate this liberal movement ?-or shall we per,i-
naciously adhere To that policy which speaks to
| England this language - We do not expect you
to buy Of us, BECAUSE WE WILL NOT BUY OF
you ?'' Let the farmer who looks for a vent for
| his immense surplus, answer through his repre-.
| sen,atives. The question before the Senate EN-
phacally is Shall the agricultural and Gunner
cial classes be longer ground down 10 pamper the
already wealthy and boa,ed manufacturer-or
shall they be relieved from that depicting ex.
hausting process which is going under the tariff
of 1922
The idea that labor is protected by high tariffs,
is by us, who have always Ii ,ed among the manu-
| facturers. known to be all CANNON. The pro-
lection is TO capital, not labor TO the rich at the
expense of those who " sow and reap;" 10 bankers
who are afraid of being occasionally called upon
for specie under the operations of foreign com
merce. repeat, let those in Congress, who
doubt that foreign commerce is object to US,
visit New York, and accompany me to our docks,
and there the -four of Indiana, Illinois, and
Michigan; the pork, lard. and beef of Ohio the
tar and turpentine of North Carolna-not to men
ton the cotton uf the south--ail vending their
way to Old England. The game is in the hands
of the Senate, 10 he played for veal or for wo''
to the country. God grant they may emancipa,e
US from that accused policy which is suited only
TO the dark ages The proteciionlsts do not yet
quite despair. 1t is sometimes suggested that il
would be marvellous if single democratic sena-
tor could not be induced to he among The missing
when the final vote is taken. The eyes of the
whole country upon every member Of the
Senate lfall are not at the post of duty when
this great question is taken. the people will insist
upon knowing the reason. and the true and the
whole reason. | have no fear for the result
The protrctionists reckon without their host
Money cannot buy, panic makers cannot frghten.
a true democrat Every friend of free trade here
regards the bill as safe. The wings and prolec-
tlonsts almost give up, but cherish still faint
hoPe-a hope founded only upon the remote pus-
slhility that one democratic senator may either be
coaxed or frightened over to their side, or be in
duced TO be away when The question is taken
Such an expectation is surely ilusory. Twenty
eight democratic senators are here regarded as
certain tor the bll.''