New-York tribune., 1872-03-26
| HAVE WE Il GENUINE FREE TRADER
AMONG USf


There are perhaps three cab-loads of our
cOuntrymen who believe in genuine thorough
Free Trade-that is the abolition of all Custom
houses and the admission of goods and wares
to our ports without subjecting them to impost
or tax of any kind. These do not object to
taxing foreign Iron for instance) after it has
been imported, precisely as homemade Iron
is taxed and so of all Metals Wares, and
Fabrics; but not otherwise. If any one chooses
to take his shop over the St. Lawrence into
Canada, and there make Cloth or Hardware,
or Cigars, this class would allow him to bring
them over and sell them precisely as though
they had been made on our side OF the line,
in factories and of materials taxed to pay our
National Debt. As, however, this school has
not and never had a single representative in
Congress, we may regard it as of no practical
account.
Next to it stands the much larger class which
comedies the expediency of a Tariff for Rev
enue, but demands that it shall be adjusted
with no regard to Protection. We had sup
posed this the view of formidable party;
but facts recently developed negative this pre-
sumption. Those who vote to free Tea and
Coffee of course dissent from it for who can fail
to see that to free Tea and Coffee is to compel
the imposition or retention of heavier duties on
Cloths, Wares and Metals3 Those who vote
to free from duty Coal, Pig Iron, Salt and
Wool, are of course not Free-Traders; for, if
revenue be the sole object, there are no other
articles wherefrOm so much revenue can be
raised, at 80 small cost for collection and
with so entire q certainty that nothing will be
lost by smuggling, as these. Yet, when you
have counted out those who have voted for
free Tea and Coffee or for free Salt and Coal,
you have very few left.
Judging by their votes in former years, we
had supposed the Republicans of Indiana about
as thorough Free-Traders as could be found;
but, since the recent development lOf Block
Coal and consequent erection of blast furnaces
in their State. they seem to have taken a New
Departure. Senator Morton now talks like
pretty square Protectonst; their State Con-
ventiOn resolves in favor of Protection to Coal
and Iron and we expect soon to hear the Hon.
Codove S. Orth taking ground for judiciOus
and moderate PrOtectiOn-at least for Coal and
Iron. Will the Hon. jeremiah M. Wilson
oblige us with q copy of his Free-Trade pro-
fession of faith, made when candidate for the
present COngress7 We want to be sure that
we are not dreaming.
Those Wooden Manufacturers whereof Mr..
Edward Harris of WOonsOcket, X. l., is the
leader, talk very much like Free-Traders
throughout the larger portion of their me-
mortal to Congress but, reading it closely,
we discern that, while they are Jealous for
Free Wool, Free Iron. Free Coal, &c. they
are not eager for Free Cloth. They are quite
certain that the farmers could sell their Wool
to better advantage if foreign Wool were
admitted free of duty (Which they will have
good time in making the farmers believe,)
but, when it comes to Free Cloth, they do
not see it in the same light. They are willing
to take 80 per cent. on WOolens If they can
have Wool, Coal, Dyes, &C., &C., free (Which
does not strike us as remarkably liberal 3 but
when it is proposed that Wool and WOOlcns
fare alike, this is their response:
at has been suggested by some that q horizontal
tariff ought to be enacted that i put duty Of so
per cent on wool and other material, and
sponding duty OF 90 per cent. foreign manufactured
goods This may reasonable at first view, but {
utterly fails to give protection to the American WOOL
grower the foreign woolen manufacturer would still
Obtain his wool and other materials ut 80 per cent
below what they would cost American manufacturer,
and would enable him to bring In his goods at the 90 per
cent duty. TO say nothing about smuggling and under
valuation heretofore mentioned"
Such disnterested concern fOrthe welfare Of
another class is rare in this selfish age. and we
commend it to the admiration it deserves.
Yet we are not ready to give up the duties
on Wool. For, 1. They bring good deal of
money INTO the Treasury, where it is still
needed; 2. We don't believe that our wool
growers would do so well on Mr.. Harris's
platform as they are now doing; and 3. We
wish to see the Sheep Husbandry OF our coun-
try extended, for divers reasons. We hold
that the health aud comfort OF our DeoDlo