New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-04-04
Free Trade False f'refenccs.

The free trade claim that the price of every
American product is increased to the extent OF
the duty is not only absolutely false, but known
to be false by its authors. On the contrary,
as we have an hundred times asserted and
prored, the result of the tariff is exactly the
reverse ofthis. Cotton and wooden goods, salt,
iron, coal, and everything else we produce,
though in some cases made dearer under the
first operations of protection, are in the end
greatly cheapencd. 1t is gross fraud to
advocate free trade on the ground of promot-
ing the interests of the people, by cheapenng
prices. No greater wrong could be done the
poor men of the nation than to adopt the
policy of free trade. 1t would not only re-
suit in largely increasing all the necessaries
of life, but at the same time in diminishing
the means of procuring them. While prices
would go up, wages would go down. Give
our foreign rivals free access to our markets,
and we could only compete with them by re-
ducing the wages of our laborers to the
foreign standard.
How absurdly false the free trade asser-
ton is that the duty on foreign imports is a
direct tax on the consumer, one or two facts
will show. The duty on potatoes, for in
stance, is 25 cents bushel. And vet they
have been sold in Michigan, along the Cana
dian line, over and over again, at prices
varying from thirty to fifty cents. But the
duty of fire cents pound on cut nails, while
they were selling in all the seaboard mar
kets for .tosr and half cents, and of ten
cents square yard on cotton cloth, while it
was selling at the mills for five and a half to
six cents, place the free trade theory in
still more ridiculous light. ..
We are justified in asserting, therefore,
that free trade is sham, and that in spirit
and in operation it is direct swindle, got up
for the benefit of foreign interests, at the ex-
pense of the workingmen and poor of our
country. Free traders are the enemies of the
people. Every member of Congress who
proposes to place on the free list what we
can produce, is striking most injurious blow
at the great mass of the American people.
He is laboring to increase prices and to de-
press labor, under the false pretense of aiding
both. 1t is amazing that members of Con-
RIeSo, Will IloOIS VI tlllS as are 10 De
found in our whole history since 1916, will
continue to tamper, year after year, with the
interests of the people.
The Hartford Comm Times, 'ferociously"
free trade in theory, has admitted within
few days that in the whole United States
there are not one hundred American citizens,
who are practical free traders, and really
believe in the doctrine without any qualifca-
tons or exceptions. We believe this to be
true. We are sure the people are opposed
to this fraud. They don't ask Congress to
repeal our duties. And but for the noisy
assertions and shallow sophistries of men
in the interest of foreign manufacturers, the
subject would never be heard of. They by
their Outcry drive members Of Congress into
the belief that it would be popular to reduce
the duties and cater to free trade. But il is
the grossest of all receptions.
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