Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1873-05-08
Democracy and Free Trade.

The New York World continues its
efforts to identify the Democratic party
as the party of Free-Traders and moth
ing else. To prove the benefits of its
theory and the good to come to the
Democracy by adopting it as the first,
last, and only principle worthy of con-
sideration, the World holds up Eng
land to admiring gaze as the great ex-
emplar which the Democrats should
recognize as worthy of all acceptation.
1t says: -'-il'-'
England supports an army which
costs more than twice the cost OF ours;
a navy which costs nearly twice and a
half the cost of ours; a national debt
nearly double the amount of ours, and
exceeding ours in ne annual charges it
entails; civil expenditures which ex-
ceed ours in the proportion of four to
three; and yet England raises her achole
revenue on the principle of free trade.
1t is incumbent on opponents of this
view to point out why an experiment
which has worked so successfully and
and beneficially in England is imprac-
ticable in the United States"
History repeats itself in all this
twaddle uttered as sound Democratic
doctrine. Tn71S4O this same question
of free trade was vehemently urged as
the best hold OF the Democracy. Then
it was shown by some of the leaders
that the great reduction of the wages
of which 1t was admitted would follow
the adoption of the free trade policy
would really be to the advantage of the
workingman, because the price of pro-
visions and clothing would be reduced
in the same proportion. The food oi
the working people in foreign coun.
tries was made the subject of careful
consideration, and some of the Demo.
cratic leaders argued that the Ameri.
can worker might dispense with hal
! the quantity of meat which he con.
sumed daily, so as TO enable him tx
compete with the foreign working
man, who managed to get along with
out meat for six davs out of seven.
This was the argument of the Demo
cratic leaders in the canvass of 1910
/ 1t was aquestion of SLOW wages and nc
meat" rs presented by the Democrats
and $50 day and roast beef" which
the Wings made the issue.
| Now the same question comes up il
the proposition ofthe World. England
with her low wages and halffed work
| ing people, is held out prominently a
/ an example for the free-trade Democ
racy of the United States. England ha.
| established free trade, and although
she is burdehed with a national deb
/ twice as large as that OF the Unitet
States, and the expenses of her arm.
and navy are largely in excess of thos
incurred for the support of our arm.
and navy. yet she is increasing il
wealth and prosperity. and all from
the effects of that blessed restorative
| free trade. The fact that Englishmel
are leaving their country by thousand
for the purpose ofgetting living wage
and food to match, and that nineteel
of every one hundred of the population
| are paupers, is never taken into &C
count RS one OF the effects of this sam
beautiful system, which cuts dow
wages and makes meat a luxury whicl
the worker can enjoy but once week
IF the Democracy shall give heed t.
the syren song of the World, and adop
the free trade dogma as the alpha an,
omega of their political principles,
will be but another manifestation o
the fraudulent pretenses by which tha
party has sought to opresent itself as th
friend and advocate of the interests O
the workinginen of the United States
Free trade has always been one of th
Democratic hobbies. BY it the Demo
Gratis claim they can break down tn
! "cotton lords" of New England, an,
extinguish forever the ''monopolists'
who run woolen mills, and Hlachin
shops, and iron foundries, and who
by the employment of home labor a
living wages, have been able by tn
aid Of a tariff, with Incidental protec
| tion, to build up a large business ant
successfully compete with the foreigl
manufacturer. The whole question o
| free trade resolves itself into the oil
result of slow wages and no meat" as
consequence Of the triumph of tn
Democracy under the free-trad'
banner.