Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1881-05-21
FREE TRADE AND OUR TRADE WITH
FRANCE. -'


FREE TRADE AND 0UR TRADE WITH
FRANCE.
Mr.. Hurd, of Ohio, who has been
one of the most Intelligent aud active
members of the congress which 10
now about to expire, was only able
the other day, it is reported, to mus
ter some thirty members into con.
ference of the frse-trade members OF
the house of representatives. Con.
sidering the manner IN which all OF
the democratic speakers ran away
when the republicans during the
presidential canvass Of last October
attempted to create Q panic among
the artisans Of the country 80 to the
effects of free trade on home indust-
~, it is rather gratifying than alarm.
ing to find that SO large number OF
alleged democratic cO4gr0Ssmon can
now be found willing to stand by the
traditionary doctrines Of the demo.
cratic party. Since the democratic
party, as party, chose to shirk its
principles and strike its colors In tho
presidential fight of 1880, tits to be
presumed that those democratic mem.
bers of congress who new boldly
avow their belief in free trade, orsin
that "tarlff for revenue only" which
is at this time aud in this country the
practical outcome Of the principles
of free trade, are men able to give
reusons for the faith that is in them
aud true believers In the conclusions
Of sound economic science. iss.
The dispatch which the cable brings
us to-day of the speech OF NJ. Jules
Simon in the French assembly against
thelIimposition Of further taxes on
foou by way of protection against
the wheat fields of America 10 q suf-
ticient monition to US that "pretec.
ton" is a game at which two nations
can play. During the visit of Score.
tary Evarts to this city on Tuesday
for the purpose of presenting the
obelisk of Alexandris to New Y York,
a prominent provision merchant call
ed upon him to see what could prop
erly be done to relieve the great pork
interest of this country from the ef-
fects of the French refusal to permit
the Importation of American pork.
1t is more than probable that protec-
ton to the pig drovers Of France on.
tered quite as largely into this policy
as any sanitary considerations. But
it is not all unalloyed evil which
tends to put the farmers of this coan.
try into position sharply to apprs.
ciate the Inherent absurdity and
futility of "protection." In the view
of political economists, prohibitory
or hostile or "protective" duties OF
any kind are iU the same category
with the duties now proposed to be
levied in France upon American pro.
visions, and with the duties which
under the corn laws of England were
for so many years levied upon-Ame
, ican cereals. A wild story which the
cable yesterday brought to Us from
France of an alleged excitement over
an American attempt to exclude
French wines from America simply
illustrates the fact that the dutiei
| which we have levied upon the wlnei
and the silks which constitute the
chief items of the export trade ol
France to this country, while they
I have not su6iced to Gssprotoct thl
e American manufacture" Of wines Ant
q sllks, have suficed to stir up d0eI
anu reasonable feeling of indignation
iu France against our economic poll
: cy. The ''interest" which few own
b lers Of vineyards in California an(
Ohio have or suppose themselves u
have in the protection Of native wine
: has amounted, so far 40 legislation i
i laws passed in accordance with tn
# wishes of those vine-growers ma!
have more or less seriously diminish
, ed the consumption Of French wine
l. in this country, but they have ne
@ perceptibly increased the consump
d tion of native wines. The peopl
=, who would have bought largely Q
), French wines had the tariff on Frencl
!" wines been more liberal have "pro
'' tected" themselves, not by buyinl
native wines, but by buying, les
largely of French wines or BY bus
o have actually produced, as the spescl
% of NJ. Jules Simon shows, is not
Il protection of home industry, bat
iecllng of International irritatio
is which has found vent in projects o
E. hostile legislation such as that whic
l. NJ. Simon opposes. 1t needs only sue
q thorough ventilation this subject q
Mr.. Hurd calls for, and ss the Worl
IL proposes to secure, to make the farm
l ers of this country see that they or
l. the ultimate victims Of the policy {
q. ''protection." They have no dout
IL the ultimate victims Of every dut
1t by which the products of any fereig
g. country are made unnecessarily deal
r. But they have hitherto consoled then
selves with the reflection that so lou
1e AS foreign countries abstained fr0I
er imposing retaliatory duties on Ame
otn Inn ~ .
~ ample and unfailinS market in EuroI
for the surplus of their farms. VIII
l. Mr.. Evarts called "full trade" inur,
l. to their advantage even in the a
as sence of free trade. But when trad
H. ceases to be "full," and foreign coul
-, tries impose hostile duties whic
:" diminish the toreigh market II
e. American products, American farn
~ ers may be trusted to fnd out fl
II. themselves the real meaning of "pr
=. lection" When they once find it ou
~ the end Of "protecuon" will not
IL far distant. Thanks to Mr.. Rands
ell and the clique Of now discredite
I'd politicians whom he has saddled vi
on the house of representatives *
~ the last four years, the day Of dem
III cratic justice aud Judgment upon Il
a war tariffs of the long republics
n. domination has been stupidity put Q
~ until the democratic party sees itse
"a threatened as party with the loss
=. the greatest issue on which it cou
IL have hoped to win the control
he public affairs in this country. II
th movement set afoot by Mr.. Hurd ar
he the accession Of Mr.. Tucker 10 Il
nl- leadership of the democrats on u
IL committee of ways and aeans. mi
of be taken as signs, we trust, Ot ne
lpnarfure