New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-04-05
NEwYoRK DAILY TRIBUNE. TUESDAY APRIL s 1881.

that England never advanced so rapidly IN
wealth and commerce os since we shut our
@selvcs in by pfOtectionp II Mr. Potter IS
capable of approaching anything funny, he
must have laughed heartily at this. England
is all wrong in opinion in respect to its inter-
ests, and the United States is also all wrong in
opinion in respect to its interests, but MI.
Sherman thinks he understands the whole
matter. We are enriching England at our ex-
pense, by adherng to a tariff which England Is
persistently endeay oring TO induce us to repeal.
Benevolent and self-sacrificing England
Why do not free-trade Republicans vote the
Democratic ticket, Mr.. Shearman asks. Be-
cause the Democratic party is all wrong about
the currency, and not n hit III earnest about
free trade. Whenever it gets power, " 1t does
snothng toward amending the tariff, but puts
"al its energy into depreciatng the cur
''rency." Its support of free trade Is rendered
uncertain; the Democratic party, unfoTtu-
@nately, is enthusiastic for all its bad features,
"but very lazy in carrying out its good ones
Really, the difficulties in the way of free trade
do seem to be numerous and peculiar lie
principal difficulty is that no party dares to be
in favor of it. The Republican party has no
disposition that way, and the Democratic party
knows, though Mr.. Sherman does not, that 1t
cannot elect President without the aid OF
New York and New Jersey, and that New
York is at least as hard q State TO carry against
the protective system as Pennsylvania itself
Further, the Democratic party knows that 1t
can never get the votes of Louisiana il it re-
fuses protection for sugar that Kentucky is al
WAYS quick to insist upon protection for hemp !;
that manufactures and mining are gradually
spreading in Virginia, West Virginia, Alabama
and Tennessee and, inasmGch "A newly cstab-
lished enterprises stand especially in need OF de-
fence the opinion III those States Is steadily
growing more Jealous for n maintenance OF the
present system If Mr.. Shcarman would only
make clean breast of it, he would admit, as one
OF the numerous and peculiar difficulties IN the
way of free trade, that the Southern States
which used to be solid against protection,
cannot bc counted upon to vote that way any
longer.
From hi- high vantage ground, in n country
where there is no party in favor of free trade,
Mr.. ShcarmIn condcsccnds Go lecture the Eng
hsh rclormcrs little. lie hiss tLought tnat
the average Engi-hman possesses not much
education on the subject, ~aul has simply
accepted Tree IA'lc - Hidttti "l t""4 -"
"out understanding It's Icl foundations
Even John Sulit MIL he observes, is weak
ION this subject, and one OF his admissions i a
e fatal one tor Americans, If we'll founded As
Ir. Sh,a,man Ii sure 1t Is not. Really, the
numerous and peculiar difficulties seem 70 IN
crease as We cc' on. lyidcn'iy TIE best thins
that Mc.srs. Brechcr. Shearmau aud ihcir asso-
Gates c.n 60, j, 60 send their tracts over tc
En-lard. 80 tat lAc people thcrc my ho en-
irht.ucd ~ regard To The fundamental doc
triac. Of FREQ trade once converted tie
English would cease their suicidal oiiost, to
brclk down 900 American tariff which benefit,
them. lien tlc lr.th IN 'h.4 country world
turn fee traders. and TIE Democratic party
mi-hf become JESS lazy 81 thr ~uhirct. Indeed,
Why lot -,ud NJ Nh~uman To England a. "a
tn. s.-nrir,