New-York tribune., 1881-12-13

act1ally ndeayoring to stem the tide ana MAXI
an argument in favor of the party's position
The events Of the campaign disclosed on the
mart of prominent and influential Democrats
the most dcplorable ignorance of the merits OF
the question and even of the relations OF Vno
party to it. The real free traders Ike water
son, were disgIisted at their ignorance anu IN
djgnant at their cOwardice. They were tne
ore indignant because the panlc-strlcRen
fugihves turned their noisy tongues upon the
authors of the tariff plank, and LAID OF them the
whole blame of the rout. SmaTtlng under theSc
attacks, Mr. WattersOn gave notice the other
dav that there is to be full, fair and Tree discus
sion of the subject, and that after the enllghteh-
ment has become general the slaughter OF the
ignorant, the cOwardly and the unrepcntaht
will begin. Upon this summons the Demo
cratic press, particularly throughout the SouIh'
has taken up the subject and entered upon the
discussion. There being no POLITICAL canvass ID
progress. and no election pending, they are
| treating It quite calmly and dlspaSslonateiy'
But if is interesting to notice the unsettled con-
dition of public opinion in the South upon the
question. In the early history OF the tarili con-
| troversv. nothing was better settled than that
| the cotton-growing States were naturally nos
tile to high or protective tariffs. They were lor
| free trade as they were for slavery, by the log'
of their location, their institutions and their
| industrial interests. Cotton growing georgia
autagonizcd manufacturing Massachusetts on
| the tariff uoHtion rs naturally rs slavehoid-
ing South arraycd itself against antl-slayery
| New England
| On both issues the Democratic party was
| ruled bv the South. The slavery question has
| disappcared, and that bond between thc
| Democracy and the South is or ought 10 oe
| broken. The present discussion Is already be-
| ginning TO disclose the fact that the new condl-
! tions of Southern society. new developments OF
| natural resources, new business interests ana
| nrw industrial enterprises make the old ALL
| ancc on economic questions equally unnatu ~.
| Tho South has outgrown it. Th" abolition OF
| slavery has wrought ~ great change In pubhc
| sentiment upon this rs upon other questions
Not that the change from free trade notions to
protection has vet become general, but the signs
| all point in that direction. Tho debate which
| the free traders have set on loot Is opening inc
ewes Of the progressive class. the young men OF
| The South to the true interests ol that portion
of the country. not merely as toh-pf"uuc-
| ing but as manufacturing, mining ANA uad ing
communities. Some of the leading Democratic
newspapers in the South express grave doubts
| rs tn the wisdom of the traditional free trade
policy Of the Democracy. some are discussing II
calmly in a nou-commttal way. and Others still
| are omen advocates of protection. The tact
| that there is a division IN the party upon the
question. rs brought out in the Presidential
| rlmraipu and more definitely disclosed 10y the
recent action of the Democratic Congressional
caucus gives great freedom for the expression
of opinion, and the newspapers are exercising
it. The debate will effect the general enlIght-
enment which the free traders profess to DESIRE
but it will not strengthen their cause, by any
|