The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-11-19

yachtmen generally or to some unfortunate
popularity in the challenges themselves, the
persons most interested are best fitted to de-
eide; but when man issues a regular gamut
of aquatic defiance and never finally comes
to the trying of even a single point among
all those he proposes to settle, it must seem
to the general public either that his points
are trivial or that the universal voice
of the yachting world is against the
fairness of his terms. In the for
mer challenges from this gentleman, of
which our readers have heard great deal, he
proposed to contest the possession of the cup
won by the America, and also in an ocean
race the relative merits of the English and
American models for yachts. Neither point is
trivial. But the cup is held on certain con
ditions, and when these are complied with its
holders have no option-they must make
race The failure to race, therefore, could
not be their fault. No race was made for the
cup simply because Mr.. Ashbury did not see
fit to comply with the plain necessary condl-
tions. In the proposed ocean trial Mr.. Ash
bury coupled his challenge with conditions
that made q race impossible, and insisted on
those conditions, so that he resolutely pre-
vented the race he seemed to desire.
His present challenges have the same i'm
practical character. He knows by positive
declarations frequently printed that the
owner of the Dauntless will not make any
but an ocean race in any case where the build
and model of the vessels are such as to give
the contest an international character that
he will not expose such contest to the ac-
cidents of eddies currents, and pilotage, but
will only wage it on the sea, where the
chances are far more likely to be even and
where it is possible to get fair result of
sailing power endurance, and of seaworthi-
ness in every aspect. Although this has been
distinctly stated to him, Mr.. Ashbury still
issues his cartel with a proposal for race
sandwiched between two or three little i'm
possibilities. Why? Is it because he knows
that it will not be accepted
Mr.. Ashbury may not be quite satisfied
with the position he was left in by his failure
to make any race with all his former chal-
lenges and he may desire now to improve
that position. He at first issued several chal-
lenges, so separate in their character and in
tention that different parties were at liberty
to take him up on different points. The
owner of the Dauntless accepted one of these,
and Mr.. Ashbury avoided this acceptance on
the point of relative size, though he now
says:-'1 am willing to set aside all technical
questions of mode of measurement as regards
the principal race, and accept as the American
champion your vessel the Dauntless in lieu of
one of the Cambria's size, as required by me
in my formal challenge to all America in
1868" He thus relinquishes the point on
which he formerly refused to race; but he
issues his series of challenges in new rela-
ton, SO that who takes one must take all, or
refusing certain ones must seem to refuse
the rest. To such challenge Mr.. Bennett
has given the most proper reply in simply re-
iterating his readiness to make the only race
he ever proposed to enter.
WHAT THE FREE-TRADERS PROPOSE
From the NJ Y. Tribune.
The Eoeniag Post insists that the free
traders have been misrepresented as hostile
to all duties on imports, whereas they are op-
posed only to such as have protection for their
object. But let us quote the Posts exact
words:-
''We have not heard of a single American free
trader who demands or desires, or expects to Sc
cure, at present, absolute freedom OF commerce
restrictions On the contrary, the traders
In their leagues, in the Journals which support their
cause in their speeches. addresses and resolutions,
which have been made and adopted in crowded
meetings all over the country, declare, without a
single exception, in favor OF tarn-a tariff for
revenue. They acknowledge everywhere the neces-
that trade shall be taxed to help In accomplishing
| this, and taxed by tariff.
What the free-traders demand is not, as the Times
says, and as the enemies Of free-trade sometimes
assert, absolute ree-trade, but tarin laid for reve
nue. purposes only; scheme OF duties on imports so
arranged that the Government shall obtain the reye-
nue. 1t needs by duties on the smallest possible num-
ber OF articles, and by duties so arranged as to
interfere as little as may be Win our industries,
most of which are dependent for their success tG
a large extent ON cheap materials OF foreign pro-
| ducton. -...
| nue. system; we are revenue reformers. When, by.
and-by, the debt is paid we shall no doubt demand
the abolition OF custom houses; and, in the mean
time, II any man can contrive practical and simple
system OF direct taxation for this country, we free
traders Will welcome that, and urge the people t6
substitute It for the present or any other system
/ indirect taxation" . ...... .,.
1t is the indisputable right of every party
or sect to set forth its own dogmas-to define
its own position 1t has right to be glar
ingly inconsistent, so long as it remains
honest. Yet, when Professor Perry wa,
asked, at the close of one of his free-tradt
addresses in our city, "How would you sup
port the Government and pay its debt?" VIZ
| understood him to answer, BY tax on in
comes solely. However, let us take the Post
authority as that of an elder if not bette
soldier, and consider where it places the free
traders.
We have always understood them as con
tending, in opposition to us, that duty o
impost on an imported article necessaril.
| raises the price to our consumers, not merel,
of that article, but of any domestic produc
that comes in competition Herewith. The,
generally assume the truth of this proposition
as self-evident. And they hold this increas
of price to be wrong to the consumer and
detriment to the community.
Now let us take the article of iron for illus
tration, and suppose duty is levied on i'm
ported iron Cfor revenue solely) of twenty pc
cent. Suppose that, under said duty, we I'm
port twenty thousand tons of iron per annum
and make at home eighty thousand. Call
all worth $50 per ton, enhanced by this dut
to $50 per ton. The duty according to fire.
trade assumptions) takes ten millions of do