The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1870-02-01
Free Trade.
pRxlsst Thursday ersning. The Rev
HdnlE BIanchArd lectured upon this top

i
So $500 : - -
ORslsst Thursday evsning. the Rev.
HenH BlanchArd lectnred upon this top
ic at Lyceum Hall. After abiding to
the ignorance in public and among poll
clans upon the subject. and describing
the origin and character of the Free
Trade League, the speaker proceeded
substantially as follows That Free
Trade meant that freedom by which
every man is permitted to exchange his
services or commodities for the services
or commodities of any other man in any
part of the world. ;sss 'asa6s sa} ia sssss.s
s But many Congressman elected by
voters favoring q tariff for revenue only,
who vote for protection when they get
in Office, many of them honestly believ
ing in that policy IS, the better one.
f. BY Free Trade we are carrying out
the designs of Providence wis each
community raising or manufacturing
whcre they are, that which Is best adap-I
ted to the. soil, climate and other facili /.
ties. We should devote our time to that
which, our situation fayors. To do
otherwise is simply wasting our labor.
Free Trade restricts Government to
its proper province. Jefferson said,
The best Government is that which
governs least BY governing least is
meant Interfering least. The declared
object of thisL GevernmeRt= is to-estab7
lish Justice, insure domestic tranquility,
secure the blessing OF liberty, etc. The
Government must not intefere with trade
and commerce. they will take care OF
themselves. Why not buy where we
please, without heavy taxes If the
citizens of Richmond do not wish to buy
in Richmond they can go to Cincinnati.
IF not there, they can buy ir New York,
Philadelphia, Oh where they please.
Then why restrict them from going
abroad to buy The policy Of Protec-
ton leads to discrimination and class
legislation, which curses every people
upon whom it is afflicted.
Members Of Congress are mostly law
eyers and copAe to consider their sections
in the light of clients whose interest
they are bound to serve at the neglect
of the interests of the whole nation
Protection creates lobby influences
around Congress. pennsylvania iron
and coal men make their demands Of the
Republican, members of Congress, un>
der threat of turning that State for the
opposition in case Of refusal. Free
Trade would save us from this corrup-
ton. In Congress-, special and local in
terests combine their strength and thus
fasten upon the country numerous mo-
nopolies. Party necessities often in
duce Congresstpen, contrary to their
sentiments to favor special interests.
Free Trade. removes all this temptation
from the Government.
Only under Free Trade is there any
stability Of business. Protection makes
some branches of business very profit
able. As there are numbers of capitalists
ready to rush into any paying business,
they invest in these, and soon glut the
market1with their products, and q crash
is the consequence. The protection af-
forded to iron miners and smelters, and
to coal miners, has induced capitalists
to come to South. western Indiana, and
open mines and erect FORCES. But in a
few years, ise, many will be engaged in
these branches. that these FORCES will be
put out.
Can we maintain business upon an ar
tificial basis ? Congress legislating for
sectional interests is even now sowing
the seeds tor future disunion. The cen
trail Government is designed to legislate
for all; The time has come when neith-
er monarchs, priests or politicians, but
the people dictate the policy Of nation
When nationsare made dependent upon
each other, the people will be slow to
consent to war. a 4 s-ps 3, I, .,-z,ss
The speaker proceeded to give, Illus
trations of the workings of Protection,
! andstou meet some of the arguments in
its favor. It has been said that the
more mechanics in community, the
better the price of the breadstuffs pro-
duced by the neighboring farmers. The
price of breadst tufts, however. is determ-
ined by the price OF those commodities
in London, and not in the vicinity where
produced.
s - The mum Der Of persons engaged in the
protected branches Of business, Is sup>
!. posed to be much larger than Is really
the case. The owners of coal m ines are
protected. and the price of coal thus in
! creased to the detriment Of the manufacs
turers who are compelled to use it.
Raw materials are not cheap enough
1t is a short sighted policy that excludes