, 1866-01-20
Reply to the President Of the
Chicago Free Trade League.

Progress Of the Chicago League from 4
Free Tradc to n Healtbful Competition
Tar,G-E1trActs from Washington,
Franklin, JrHcrAon, Madison and
jackson on tho Necessity OF Protec-
t1un-A1-os a Chapter Abons British
Free Trade-The Price Of Wool
Five Hundreds Of millions Of Taxes
and the Eject on Prices.
Editors Chicago Tribune.
If q pendulum is struck. ita flrst oscillation
carries It higher than It ever goes a;s,,ain from
the impulse of that blow. It shortens Its arc
after each motion, until It finally settles down
to perpendicular. This mechanical law Is
Free Trade League.
In yesterdays TRIBUNE find the following
official and authoritative. announcement OF
the present position Of tho Free Trade
Lesgue, from lis President, Dr. C. q. Ray:
Of reduction of The existing s,1iT 10 apo.af oaou
AeakhfiA epmptttton frtA Ae nsaayfdesges u t4s
s,sn een,F Suthei;' the mas Of lie people, Who
arc not interested IN the Enormous prodts of rnann
featuring csfahl,. .hments, NAV he relieved q thaEe
o The great burdens that they now bear. That's all
they atk, 70 lar a. know thc1E feellnEs."
This is an entire abandonment Of the .tfree
trade unrestricted commerce" doctrine, on
which the Chicago League first organized.
The New York Post's followers have *'gone
back" on 1t, and have come over to the
ground occupied by the moderate peotestion-
lists, who arc also In 'slayor OF such thrill
"as witt bring European manufactures Into
"healthful competition With the mauufac.
"tures OF the United stAtes." On fair ap-
pncation Of this principle can join DR.. Rays
League, and work heartily In IL; but
l want Its name changed, so a. to cor.
respond with It's new objects and principles.
Let It be called the "Chlcago Healthfal
Competition League" am in for that. am
opposed to monopolics Of ali kinds. I sin-
ccrely believe In the benedcence Of open, fair
competition IN every pursuit In life. an
opposed to prohititoTy tariffs on the one hand
and 10 unrestricted " free trade competition
| with the cheap labor aud cheap capital OF
Europe on the other, because both systems
equally destroy all revenue from imports ;
and while The one tends to build up IN op-
prcssivc manufacturing monopoly In the Uni.
ted States, the other would bring financial
disaster On The country, md force the wages
Of labor down 10 the European starvation
standard. Let us avoid extremes In all
things, and advocate the jtuas n,Risu-the
golden mem. This Is the safe ground on
which to stand.
Tho only thing Lett for the club now to do,
| Is to settle on such rates Of duty on artl-
clcs of European manufacture ns will &C.
cure "healthtul competition" without
criprling or breaking down our home manu-
tacturcs, and at the same time will eivo the
Government tho largest attainable revenue.
Gentlemen Leaguers, what is your scale Of
rntess Perhaps nc can all join you, md send
up to Washington the united voice OF Chicago
and the West. We hare member on the
Ways and Means Committee from this city,
anl there arc three others on 1t from the West,
and we have one OF the Revenue Commts-
| tione1s also from this city.
| The voice ct the League may have lnhuen-
tial fndorsers III The halls Of national 1egisla-
| tion. Therefore prepare your proposed tariff,
| Ee careful and judicious; be sure you are In
possession Of the necessary facts. Unsupport-
| ed assertion and eloquent decld4natfon willnot
| carry much weight With the Secretary Of the
| Treasury or the Financial Committees OF Con-
| grc+s.
How much can the tariff be safely reduced
without impalring its revenue productive.
ness! The Tariff Of 1916 Tns neither -" low
nor "hieh," but was y moderate" tariff.
1aEe the tGlcc ycals 1oo3-o-o, IL yieiueu !us1
about s04 ,0D, quo per year, on u importation
OF s310, ,0M, COG Of goods. The Buchanan Low
tariff Of 1857, On an importation q S5o,'
gear teRns IS ~ an nr o. onn, 1Sn
The present tarta, on ~ importation o. S,in
oooD GO year, Is yielding revenue Of sl5o,.
ln nef ysa rsnue eleaa iSas tar ~ e tesen. es
~ e. m. Rad ut It Is not clear ,Rat il can BE-
materially reduced Without losing rsycnss rex: ss
Jr reycnne falls on n under aa%ef tatla r m ao,
nestle taaes mpst pe increased 10 a1G a :Ss GHoG
ne loss, ana mus Wal A. ~ sassu III e,d ~ =,
lot on The e'heI ana We ase as DAILY 1n Z!
pe1oiS, ano "n,y 1 1',Iirras W 'ns v 1a1 ;,s
10 fcnnca nat.'a. r;aa ea;aattos' ~ IT, t ~ u.a
Inc 6ofesnlnent scononlisS ~ ~ atmu'. ,1 W
cree, "hcfeoy taxes nna taflas may DOLL
bc reduced 70 tome cxcnl. ,r,
ALLOW me no" 10 1H91tha tnt tIec IT, i!h"'
League Of Chicago, nnu rs ffesiarnl, Fllh
few Landmarks and bearings thnl may q
useful TO them to 1heir laboFs IN revising tn
tariff: ~. A..
| - 0ur f1rrfnt hers lSkl 1uut lucy nav