The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1870-12-08
English versus American Free Trade
BY An ENGLISH RADICAL.
SJG0Rd -lticlc.

BY An ENGLISH RADICAL
S5G0ld i tiolc.
Nothing is more remarkable tuan English
| observer than the unoriginaliiy e the posi-.
! ton and statements of the American Ere,
/ Trade Lrague. Its responsible officers appear
/ 10 have no conception of the fact, that they
are citizens of a great Republic, which. in
| novel circumstance, Is attemptin. TO solve
ina manner conductive 10 universal welfare,
/ the social problems OF this century. With
an imitation that i seryile. the stock phrases
/ OF past European controversies aro used TO
/ express the principles OF an american asso-
| citation. \ poster, pleanIiful on the walls
OF Eastern cite, informs the public that
the league holds number Of general
principles concerning the natural rights o..
man, which, subject 20 the sacred d.iiies OF
citizenship, and 10 the limitations of q prJl-
dent ,tatesnan-hip, no one Is disposed 10
question. The poster proceeds TO lay down
the following axioms wherein commonplace
truths and seciarian facilities are ingeni-
ou-lv mingled. Every country has
it, peculiar natural advantages, and
to produce what can he most easily
produced in il, and to exchange such pro-
dactions for what Is most easily produced
elsewhere, Is the mos, profitable exertion OF
lis industry The true means OF sneour-
aging home industry, and Of lessening i,ov-
ertv, is to remove every obstacle 10 the free
exchange Of the products of labor" L. the
inhabitants Of Alaska were proposing 10 raise
wheat under glass, these fine words might be
useful; or were the people of the United
States proposing To exclude any exotic pro-
duction in order to promote its native artifi-
cial and costly culture, these principles would
be worth remembering. But how do they
apply 10 the protection against which they
are proieSsedly aimed? Attention 10 the
phrase. .Aeyery country has its peculiar natu-
raj advantages shows the school 10 which
the writers have been, and their forgetfulness
Of the circumstances of their own country.
A. addressed by European free-traders.
10 the variou, nations OF their continent, the
advice given TO Iialy 10 exchange her oil for
English steel, and to France TO exchange
wine for Russian tallow, is sound. The
counsel would be needed here were Pennsyl-
yania refusing 10 exchange her iron for the
v:ntages Of California, or were the Carolinas
and Georgia declining To trade freely with
New England and the West. As the case,
however, stands, the American protectionist
seems 10 me 10 be honestly endeavoring TO
promote the rapid development of the
wonderful resouryes-mineral, cereal, and
0ihers-oi a country larger and Weather in
NATURAL advantages than the continent of
Europe-a country each State of which Mt
the dawning Of the first day O: the twentieth
century, now but generation distant, will
he more important than kingdom in the
Old World. English protection, As showed
in nv las; leiteg, was foolish attempt
in the Interests of landowners 10 pro-
mote the costly cultivation Of what could
no; naturally be produced in the needed
quantities at home American pru;cc-
ton is patriotic attempt 10 develop for IL
profit and safety Of the nation natural advan-
tages, which the free traders would ieaye
neglected until 4 rise in the price of British
labor. fall in the remuneration of industry
here, or the necessities CAUSED by foreign
war should give IRE only occasions they viii,
Until some one Of these &C.
casions come, Pennsylvania iron mnst he
uns,neited and unia-.Sl, New England mills
mus be iiie, and Southern cotton must cross
Inc sea io he Woyea ia Lancashire looms.
Let Us consider sllese occasions. and test by
them the professions of regard for the work
fare made by the members Of the league. In
a normal state Of things two causes will con-
tinue to impede the ssywth of American
ofthe-e the first Is the degrad- |
and oppressed condition of the British |
working classes. | am familiar with all the
staple industries OF nay country, and am
aware of the disgraseful fact tina,
England to-day, IN her devotion to the doc
trines of the competition school, cares only
for the production Of cheap cotton goods, and
a cotton aristocracy, to the neglect OF the one
foremost divine work q ana;ion-the produc-
ton of brave. healthful, happy men. With
the exception OF those engagedin a few special
industries, whose artisans earn what are called
good wages at the expense of leisure and
health. there Is not q working man in the
country who obtains in return for his labor
sufficient TO procure for himself and
iamily decen, lodging, due clothing, and
wholesome food. Those Of my readers who
have been in the old country, and whose