New-York tribune., 1872-06-21
POPLAR DLSCUSSLON.

| practical opportunity that he has claimed for
his doctrines Some of his American followers
do not seem to appreciate the opportunity.
| They have based their theory of Free Trade
upon the faith that government should not
interfere with the people, and upon the faith
| that communities should allow the develop
ment of the greatest individual freedom.
| With this theory, they could not, of course,
insist that political party, hoping to obtain
the power Of the Government for the sake of
simplifying and reforming it, should dogma
tie and force upon the people the system OF
| Free Trade or the system of Protection.
| In the Cincinnati Platform the doctrine of
laisse:- faire finds its golden opportunity. The
discussion of the respectiveVystems of PrOtec-
ton and Of Free Trade is left to the masses,
whom they most affect Never before in
the history of politics did party
forego so much power, or interfere so little
| with individual freedom. 1t is scarcely year
since Democratic editor despaired of seeing
the principles of Free Tsade have any practi-
cal effect until by some commercial or indus
trial reyulsion the apprehension and the de-
cision of the question should be forced upon
the peoples yet it has come to pass that
party, instead of drawing issue on the subject
between two or three political parties, does
force it home upon the masses in the local
/ districts. The plank is democratic, educatige,
! liberal, and wise. De TOcqueville thought that
the worth of democracy in America depended
upon the responsibility of local townships in
political affairs. The Cincinnati Platform has
recognized and developed that responsibility,
| by giving to the districts a question of vast
Importance Not only are the people OF local
! communities to vote for particular candidates
| of their own choosing, but they are to decide
! what laws those candidates. when they become
! Congressman, shall make. At present, Free
! Traders must address their arguments to can
didates who usually vote not for the people,
! but with the party. The Free Trade League
could not have wished the drawing of more
distinct line of division on the questions of
| Protection and Free Trade among the people.
We have declared Burke's policy that, no
matter what may be the intellectual theory of
q statesman, the people shall at all events
have what they demand. For many years
local politics have depended very greatly upon
the instructions Of Government officials. The
Internal Revenue Assessors and Collectors,
the Registers and Postmasters, have welded
district affairs; and their power has been car
ried to so great length that, when small
politician in a remote country district could
not hope to become one of the local officials,
he was satisfied and purchased by position
| i'm the New-YOrk CustOm-hOuse. The decline
of the Internal Revenue Assessors and Col
lectors has left room for a reaction which the
people are not slow to take advantage of.
The first great intellectual effect of the Gin
cinnati movement is that men begin to dis
cuss questions without regard to party restric-
tons and the second great effect will be that they
must decide upon questions and arguments of
their own raising. This is the effort of demOc-
racy against centralism, an effort which Alr.
| Mill and his followers have been urging for
many wears. 1T is of supreme Importance that
"all classes of the community down to the
"lowest should have much to do for them
"selyes; that as great demand should be
"made upon their intelligence and virtue as
"they are in any respect equal to; that the
Government should not only leave as far as
"possible to their own faculties the conduct
"Of whatever concerns themselves alone !;
"s this discussion and management of
COLLECTIVE interests is the great school OF
"that public spirit, and the great source of
! "that intelligence of public affairs, which are
"always regarded as the distinctive character
"of the public of free countries" So says
Mill; and so says, in effect plank of the Gin
cinnati Platform. The tendency and practice
Of the present Administration are to repress
the freedom of the people, by permitting the
President to press his measures through Con-
eress but the Liberal Reform movement ex-
pressly decides that the great question of the
districts shall be left to their peoples, without
interference or dictatiOn from the Executive
Every class of theorists now gets fan
hearing. The issue is asked to be drawn inn
mediatey for practical purposes We submit
that the call of the Free Trade League ex-
nresses the solemn truth when it says that
the question of Free Trade cannot be disre-
f" earded at elections.n The Convention die
not tell the people hon to vote, but only thai
they must vote according to their belief, and
according to that of no party. And to have
the faith of the people, as expressed through
Congress laws, properly administered, with
ont regard to Executive interference or dicta-
ton, a broad national organization has beer
formed, and is composed of all honest men
Thus Congress il intended more nearly thar
ever to be the depository of popular opinion
representing the moral force of sections of tn
, country, and not of party caucus, and law
are not TO be made from, but they ore to 0
: executed from, the White House.
, -
The first report of the Street-Cleaning Blu
= reau has quite the tone of romance OF tn