New-York tribune., 1881-07-19
TARIFFS AND THE MTLLENNTTN.

Fair Trade versus Free Trade is new music
for English ears. The Conservative press has
been strummng it for several months, the
shril treble of The 81. Jdmcs's Gazette rising
high above rumbling basses like The Morning
Post until at last the heaviest instrument in the
orchestra, The Quarterly Rcrie,c, sounds ont in
double bass the menace of a rctaliatory tariff.
One of the highest parts of the overture has
been taken by The Observer in an article on the
relations of Free Trade to the Millennium. In
deed, the arguments are pitched high that
they must fairly crcak in English ears
These arguments imply that the United King
dom is under no obligation to incur industrial
martyrdom for the sake of propagatng an alb
stract theory like Free Trade. "Our mistake, y
contcsses The Observer has been to assume
that system which happened to suit us ind-
"vidually and under peculiar combination of
circumstances, was of universal application 10
the world at large. If we can persuade other
"nations to follow our example then Free
Trade is unquestonably the best thing for
"England; it does not follow, however, that it
is the best thing for us if We are to be left the
" sole adhcrents of Free Trade in the midst OF "A
community of nations devoted to Protection" ;"
The inference is that Englishmcn in accepting
forty years ago the economic system devised 10y
Mr.. Golden, counted upon an idcalist's mil
lcnnium, i'll which there were to bc no more wars
the nations of the earth forming a universal
brotherhood whose chief concern wouli be the
greatest good of the largest number. Free
Trade has failed, therefore, because there have
been wars and rumors of wars, without amy sign
OF the approach OF that era of universal peace
that federated commonwealth of unScliish hu-
manity which the apostles of Free Trade were
always pcturing with inspired fancy.
Ihls is tire view which is generally accepted
by the Conservative journals which are clamor-
ing for modification of the commercial svs-
ten. The failure of Free Trade is associated
arbitrarily with the costly military campaigns
OF the quarter century, and with the enrolment
OF standing armies i'll Europe. High tariffs. il
Is urged, have become Il necessity ON the Con-
tinent because every nation has been turned
into barrack, and this is the easiest WAY of
providing for military expenses. SO long as
the circle Of camps is not broken up. an eco
nomic system which would be very profitable for
England as well as milennial in all its tenden
cles goes begging. Unfortunately. these
norallsts neglect to account for the presence of
the United State III this league of heavily
armed rivals. There is no huge standing army
here. There are no costly ornaments tu he
maintained on land and sea. There are no
iodIihS pdtttlleS Tor lOO-tOn guns under con-
structon; million soldiers are not drilling in
time of peace; there are no mysterious pur-
chases OF krupps for coast Notifications: and
the National Legislature is not whcedled mr.
frightened every few years into adding another
corps to the standing army. 1t is true that the
debt which a high tariff has enabled our
Government to reduce with morvellous
rapldlty is mainly war debt, but the armies
which were massed ut the close of the camnoipn
were mustered out the moment that peace was
assured. OF all the nations of the earth ours is
at heart and in life the most peaceable. Yet its
faith in high tariffs has not been shaken. If has
done what it could by years of unbroken pros-
pe1ty and pacific industry to prove that peace
is more profitable and honorable .han war Il
has not recognized its obligation to incu, " in
dustrial martyrdom for the sake of an abstract
principle. 1t has done what it could by the
diversification of its own industries to promote
'he greatest good OF the largest number of its
own people, and has left ideulists to dream their
dreams.