, 1877-10-05
THE TARIFF.
David 4. Wells Explains tho Position of the
EreN-TEthcrx.

David 4. Wells Explains tho Position of the
Errn-Trthrrt.
NonwIcH, Conn, Sept. 2t-1a ffe Editor Of
hf Nosta. journal Of Commerce: In your conr-
tents article nf Sept. s, entitled, allow Shall
tho Sation Regain l'rosperItyr' / think YOU do
injustice to Mr. Edward Atkinson, Prof. +. A.
Walker, a1I the writer, III sIafning U. as
among the economists ton this side Of the
Atlantic" who blend ''for Free Trade without
reserve Or rcssrItipn;' or, ns some one has hap
PLY expressed 1t, "who caro- more for the pre-
scrfpttou thau the patient" am certain that
nt my ien nen1r i, tbc
Hcnt Frce-Tra'!trs In the United States. rRn
count up on my h1!1cra the whuto number VIII,
plead for the abolition 1T all eastern. houses,
atpl the adoption of Free Trade. pure and sim
crntnrnt.
Tho first requisite for tho maintenance Of tho
Eta1c Ia the command aM1 regular rrct!pt uf
revenue. Whether this revenue s.lal, he rul.cd
l!se1sch NJ stamps, arc questions u convenience
and exnedlcncyy. What thu Frcc-Tra'!ers. Will,
whom hare tho l'uuor to be a*soe,ated, cs-
pcclally plead Tor Is, that there shall be no more
restrictions imposed or maintained on the
liberty to carry on trale hr commerce, Internal
or EXTERNAL ti,un Is absolutely necessary tn meet
tho requirements of the state fur revenue, and
iar the enforcement Of necessary sanitary md
eerIns to ls:. the people of tho Cnitcd States
although fully nrprcciatfng the blessings ot
ltcFty Of tIcech OF the press, Of the pulpit,
n1,! q! the pcrsDn-nfc not vet educated up tn
Il; but In large numbers It'll anld 10 tic iclict
that The cnuntry can he uIatc ric by inpe' linz
trade aud commerce. mud by multiplying taxts
for purposes 5tner than tloxc aboyc specified.
When the country ia ready fus tlle adoption
nj mora liberal commercial policy than II now
maintained. I, for one, lcs[ru III, better chart
inr immediate procedure than what the Boston
!pnr"a' Of Commerce lnys down in the following
language:
"protec.ion rs an extrrnlc policy Is outgrnwn
to EreAt extent. hut yet oNr manufacturing
lnsc: :csts arc not attpgcttcr prepared for Free
Tr1ldc. There Ia IungcF, too, III The sudden
ciia,lgr from one extrcme tU the other. n,,l
f,rclng Ii upon nil l.ltins.ria! interests alike;
While by UsIPtfnG niulesute change M injury
would result and the way to the next stage
Free Tratle-cou!d t!rn tc more critically rs-
ants'e'l. l'y such policy the Satlnu would ad.
| utmost notwithstanding established fntcr-
csts In which native capital IL invcstel."
III other words, tho National Government
having now fur = pertod q seventeen ysars
to Whlrh ali the Varied industrial Interests II
the country lave either Willingly or unw!lf!nay
bcen compelled to oaccotnU,o8satct Themselves,
not only the part of tr,,e statcstnanshp, hut Of
sI.np'e justice, for tho Government, tn entering
Apun d now anl different policy, tu abstain
from tadlral and sudden changes: to make
every siei' tentattyc: and. In abandoning Pru-
tectinn l,1sctl Oh taxation AMI restriction, 10
substitute unotl,er, wsert and wholly Legitimate
form ot Protcction, namely: that growing out
OF larger markets, cheaper raw materials for
thr great manufactures, and cheaper and better
i,strutnentaltttcs for facilitating the exchange
of Enthusiastically free ships and good
money.
The great obstacle In the way OF reform has,
however, hccn, that the party Of Protection.
which for many years tas controlled nnr .ta+
1}Ht1@E fhtytAHtfln nA& fftjfx f0f fhNU nnNi}fne
to conccdc anything In tho Way OF relaxation IN
commercial restrictions or statement Ut Tariff
taxes, but. OIL tile contrary, hns defended and
maintained every Eross abuse that chose u,
denounced with great slrant'u!ty all friends Of
FIcu Traln ~ unpAtriottc, yctn! md as IN favor
OF tic abolition Of all Custou,-llouscs, a,,i uf
| rcs0rt tn direct taxation.
II, now, there Is any considerable class Of PER-
sons who arc unwilling to take upon themselves
the name Of Free-Tradcrs, but, accepting ths
views Of TIM Boston Journal Of Canasrff, nre
willing to unite !n advocating even the most
msHiefats tana.rcforn's. such ns GIVING
reducing the duty on Imports Of WOODEN fabrlts
70 10 or T' per rcnt, nbatlng or entirely rctluv.
lnI the unnecessary and Oppressive duties tn
copper, hctronate of potash, sotia.asli, Vuininr,
utc, llNsce oil, antltno dvcs, and wood screws.
tion laws. uMler Which the American CONNER
cfal marine for tho past year stuod still or de-
crcased, while the commercial inarinc Of Cana
.ia, E,nIIaud. a,i every other Earopean mari.
such persons ready for such reforms In the taF-
Ill, will answer for the Frcc-Trudo party, 50.
called, that 1t will nut only stand Gark anl let
the ''Inoderates take tho Trad In advising Con-
gress In it, coming session, but that It will
operate With them to the extent Ut lts ability III
advocating such legislation AMI in pputsng fal.
1ca! changes. aln yours, most respectfully,
DAVID A. WILLS.