The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-06-10
Ghe SaiIg Arsns.
Tuesday, June 10, 1879.
Free rr sds As . Party Platform.

position TO dissolve the Democratic partv.
but insists that while the name and organ
ization are preserved il should be convert
ed into Free Trade party, with the one
fundamental plank Of Free Trade for its
platform, and no candidates except those
expressly identified with Free Trade.
This proposition is quite as revolution
airy as that which the World rejects, of
abandoning the Democratic name and or.
ganization altogether Neither the Demo
cracy nor any other political party in this
country has ever yet made adherence to
the dogma Of Free Trade the test Of polit-
ical orthodoxy.
An attempt 10 accomplish this end was
made last year There can he no doubt
that the World is right when it says that
the Cincinnati Convention was called by
Free Traders but when il assembled, the
almost universal conclusion among its
members including some Of che ablest and
most enlightened Free Traders in the coun-
try, was that it would be wrong TO make
their campaign upon an exclusive Free
Trade programme They accordingly
broadened out their ideas aud brought into
their movement Liberals of every class.
In the days of Jackson and Calhoun
Free Trade was practicable, and there was
quite as much enlightenment upon the sub.
Ject and quite as ardent spirit of devotion
20 the theory on the part of its adherents
as we can ever again hope TO see and vet
It was found impossible to form a party
upon Free Trade or 10 make it the pre
dominant issue in any party platform.
ROW then can we expect to raise a partv
upon 1t now, when its practical application
Is entirely out OF the question: We have
an enormous public debt which must be
provided for, principal and interest, and
tins compels us TO levy import duties TO an
amount averaging 40 per cent upon all
the importations Of the country. What
sort OF Free Trade can there be where
such duties are compulsory?
We have no wish 70 undervalue the i'm.
portance OF the Free Trade issue like
every other form of taxation, Protective
duties Affect the pockets and minds of all
VINO have to bear them. The theory of
the subject is also one of the most fruitful
branches OF political philosophy and vet
We say that in comparison with the over
Swallowing questions which the country
must deal with, that Of Free Trade or Pro /
lection is of small moment Our govern. !
ment, legislation, aud all departments OF .
public affairs are involved in chaos uf |
corruption Legislation is sold, Justice is
sold, the administration Of government is
sold. Fraud, robbery, and brihe-takinr
are well-nlgh universal among our rulers
and officials; and it this condition is al.
lowed 10 continue and grow upon Us A il
has done during the last fifteen years we
shaIl sdon have no government and no free
institutions that will be worth preserving
In such crisis as this, 10 attempt TO OR.
ganize party upon the one idea of Free
Trade seems TO us like inviting drowning
man, as he struggles in the laws Of death
10 pause and consider what cut of clothes
he would prefer TO wear in case he should
get ashore
In reply to the above the n Y. World
says:
We desire that our readers shall ALWAYS
be IN possession of both sides Of every i'm
portant controversy The foregoing ex-
tracts from the Sun are rs pertinent and
iorci1le as anything likely to be said in op-
position a. the views Of the World. and we
ask readers To- judge whether we do not
iairly meet whatever Of argument thew
contain
The Sun is only literally correct in its
cautions statement thatthe Democracy has
never yet made adherence to the dogma
OF free Trade the test Of political ortho-
1oxy' lt Is true that the party has al
ways coveted the vote OF Pennsylvania.
whose state election in October exerts an
undue influence in every Presidential con
test But surely the Sun does not need
to be told that the tariff was the chief is.
sue between the Whigand the Democratic
party from 1892 when the name Whig
was hrst assumed by the disciples of Mr..
Ilay I'LL the dissolution Of the Wing party
; rev years after his death. What emf
nent Wing can the Sun name among all
inc pubic men OF that party who was not
jealous Protectionist2 What Wing
ournai that did not make the tariff the
itapie Of IT'S discussions? What distin
snlshed Democrat Of those days who did
700 resoluteiy oppose high tariff? The
Ireat wing leader was Henry Clay. The 4
''oiicy OF the party was his American
,ystem "a system which revolved about
ne tarin as the solar system revolves
round the sun The American System
W Protection TO Home Man
! taetuTes ~ Distribution OF the Proceeds =
the fuDhc Lands, and (3) Internal I'm. Z
royements by the Federal Government
!. ne two last being subsidiary To the first :
y giving away 20 the States the product
me land sales and depicting the Treasu-
for internal improvements, Mr. Clav
Iught 70 create necessity for higher du-
es GA imports aud thus strengthen the
lalh hobpy which he called protection to
ONE industry. The Democratic party
'ught that American System" through
1t, triumphed over il, crushed II and
iereby annihllated the Wing party. This
80 proadiy written IN our history that A
toleraDiy informed man will deny it.
When, at the close of that political cycle
e slavery controversy came up as the 4
'ershadowing issue, many ardent Demo "
ats joined the Republicans. This inter.
ange and distribution somewhat con
sea the distinctness Of the tariff issue
Z It has nevertheless remained true that
large majority OF the Democratic party
We Deen Free Traders, and large ma
iIy u ITS opponents PrOtectionists.
lere u misleading want of candor in
presenting hlgh-tarlff and low, tariff men
!, e'luallY distributed between the two ex-
my parties. This is not true. 1t is not
approximation 70 the truth. 1t would
the direct reverse of the truth ~ tbere
IRE not sprinkling of black sheen in tho ~
uIe noek' and OF white sheep in the
But this Is merely preliminary and Incl
ntal. We would not have noticed the
" structures but for its assumption that
r heavy national debt renders Free
ade impossible and the proposal of il alb
I'd; This specious assumption is not
vel but il stands at che very threshold
ring the entrance TO vigorous Free
ade policy TIL IL isrefuted and exploded.
e should not despair of bringing the
. itself to acknowledge that there is
hing IN 1t, if that journal could so far
'rcome he.weakness of human nature
to lay aside It's pride as disputant
are not without hope that its candor
patriotism will make it equal to this #
rifce.
The debt Has not Free Trade Eng
"a also a debtP Her debt is in fact Al.
st double of ours but lower rate of in
est makes it not great deal heavier as
ublic burden But, in spite Of her "a
tic debt, nay, in consequence of thai Ia
t, England adopted, quarter of cen II
? ago, the policy Of Free Trade, which and