The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-07-15
Free Trade between the States.

The protectionists of this country have
labored long and assiduOusly and not with
out success, ~ make the people believe
that free trade is something else than the
simple idea which the name Signifies
free and untaXed interchange ni products
without let or hindrance and 10 teach
them that it is British trick to cripple
our own industries and degrade our own
workmeu for the benefit of foreign manu-
faCturers. And vet IL the people do not
understand the idea of free trade in all its
simplicity aud beneicence, it is their own
fault for they have an example OF its ben
efficient and simple working continually be
fore their eyes The trade between the
States of the Union is nothing whatever
but the free trade that Is opposed 70 pro-
tectiye tariff. There are no interstate
tariffs here there are no duties levied IN
one State on the imported products Of an
other, and no cuStom-hpuSes established
on State borders b. make collections,
searches and seizures If there were, our
condition would be tiresOme beyond endur-
ance. II Kansas farmer could not eX-
port his wheat and hides from his own
State 10 Missouri, or Illinois without hav-
ing tariff levied and collected on them by
State custom-house at st Louis or Chi
cagO and If a Kansas merchant could not
import a lot of merchandise from st. Louis
or Chicago without having tariff levied
and collected on it By IA State custom
house at Leavenwnrth the Kansas people
would he ready to go to war for free trade
between the States. Indeed it was Ia pre-.
vent such a condition Of things as this and
10 maintain the right of free trade between
the State that they fought in the late civil
war. One Of the chief benefits of the
Union is its guaranty of free, untaxed and
unhindered trade between each State and
all the others, and it was the menace ~
this freedom of interchange which the or.
glnlzatOu of a Southern coutederacy in
vulyed. that. more than anything else,
reused the Northwest 10 arms in 1861
But while there are many good reasons
for free trade between the States and not
a single one against it, there is not "A rea-
sou in favor of free trade between the sew
eral States of the Union that does not
apply 10 the United States aud foreign
countries Why should trade he free be
tween Kansas and Massachusetts and not
be free between Kansas and foreign cOun-
tries OF course the government may
levy duties on foreign goods 30 raise "A rev
enue for its own support but this is not q
restriction on trade it ~ Ouly IA legitimate
and proper exercise OF The imperial right
of taxation for revenue purposes But
why should the government 20 beyond this
right and impose arbitrary restriction upon
trade for the benefit of certain favored
classes Why should it permit the peo-
pie of Kansas ~ buy what they need in
Rhode Island, and prohibit them 10 buy
what they need in England or Germany?
The answer 10 this is that the government
leyies protective duties on trade with Eng.
land and Germany for the purpose Of
building up home manufactures. But
there Is no reason nor equity in this when
addressed TO the people Of State like
Kansas or Iowa, who possess few facilities
for manufacturing and who are taxed to
build up home manufactures In another
State fifteen hundred miles distant. Kan.
sas and Iowa are chiefly prairie States. hav-
ing little accumulated capital, little water
power, little skilled labor, and no cheap
ocean carriage 10 bring them theraw mater
ial for manuiacturing-al of which Rhode
Island possesses. Rhode Island therefore
i adapted % manufactures, and Iowa and
Kansas are not, and never can be except
to a very limited extent; but this is no
sufficient reason why the government
should favor the industries Of Rhode Isl.
and at the expense Of theinterests Of Iowa
and Kansas by compelling the farmers OF
the latter States 10 pay tribute
TO the manufacturing capitalists of
the former. The people of Kansas and
Iowa may delight 10 see the industries OF
Rhode Island flourish, and may patriot.
cally give their countrymen Of Rhode Isl
and the preference in buying goods, pro
vided they can buy as cheap there as else.
where but what principle Of patriotism,
Justice or sound economy can justify the
compelling of the peoele of Iowa and Kan.
sas 20 pay Rhode Island manufacturer d
price and half for clothing, shoes, har
ness and tools which foreign manufacture
er would gladly sell to him for single
prlee2 The extra half-priee no dOubt
aids 10 encourage the Rhode Island cotton
spinner and tool-maker but it certainl,
does not benefit the Iowa farmer Meth
does II aid toestablish .spinuing ant
tool-making in Iowa, for cheap capital
abundant labor, water power and ocear
carriage give Rhode Island an immens,
advantage over the northwest prairie
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