Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-06-12
FREE TRADE AND THE DEMOCRAC.


The effort to bring the democratic party
upon the free trade platform is not very
successful. Here and there a democratic
paper runs up the free trade flag, and en-
deavors to make itself and readers believe
that the democracy everywhere are doing
likewise, butt is perpetrating cheat. The
leading free trade organ in this country
declares that 1.-THE present democratic Or
ganization is unfit to uphold the free trade
principle" The Chicago Times, the lead
ing democratic organ of the West, gives
some facts in relation to the reliability, or
want of reliability, of the party upon free
trade principles. in the following from a
recent editorial.
"Prior TO 1860 some of its platforms con-
tanned declarations in favor of the freedom of
trade; but the very same platforms also con-
tanned denunciations of 'abolitionism'-dec-
larations Of hostility to the freedom of man.
Thus with respect to the fundamental princi-
pie Of liberty, the democratic party stood
equally on both sides; was both for it and
against il 'Expediency' kept the 'honors
easy But as the fr eedom principle with re-
spect to the rights of man takes always q
stronger hold in the emotional nature Of men
that 1t does with respect to the rights of trade,
this expediency party, dividing its alteration
between Good Lord and Good Devil, began to
disintegrate. First went the 'freesoilers' in
lS48. Next the defenders of the Missouri
compromise Next the 'anti-Lecomptonites.
Then the southern rebellion came, and little
but 'Bourbonism' was left but that still pro
claimed hostility to 'abolitionism' and stuck
to 'expediency.' But the platforms of the
party exhibit another significant fact to which
the World has itself recently directed atten-
ton. In proportion as the radical adv coates
ofthe freedom principle with respect to human
freedom abandoned the party, the party plat
forms exhibited subsistence of expression in
favor of that principle with respect to trade
freedom, until at last what remained of it be-
came consistent with itself by declaring il
"expedient' to abandon and remit to the PEG.
pie the doctrine Of liberty altogether"
As fitting accompaniment to the above
remarks from a democratic organ, We
copy the following from the New Yorl
Evening Post, the leading free trade paper
in New York. 1t will be seen that they
agree in expressing want of confidence in
the democracy on free trade. Against the
protests of such representatives OF honest
free traders. the democracy will not sue
coed in wearing the free trade mask a
great while. 1t makes little difference
what flag the democracy hoist, their true
colors are very well known. The Post
says:
"ihe true friends of free trade have uni
tormly been the defenders Of individual free.
dom In every proper walk of life, and the at
tempt to separate the application of this prin.
ciple viii always fail. The democratic party
is not free trade party, because it's support
Of free trade Is merely local and expedient.
and because ito theory on that point is NOT |,
principle but prejudice, which it has learned
BY frequent repetition. 1t was simply exem.
plifying it, character when it formally sus.
pended free trade ~ party question at Bal.
tinere last year. The Times is right; the
democratic party does not exist, and the dem
ocsatic organization, which represents nothin,
to-day, may represent monopoly tomorrow
and may not live at ell the next day, because
il has no object in living"