The Portland daily press., 1882-10-26
Free Trade Exemnlified.


The Dominion of Canada has adopted the
principle OF protection 70 home industries, and
the result is that manufactures OF al kinds
are sprineing up t, give employment tC
skilled artisans. The following, taken from
the st. John Sun, is worthy OF perusal by all
classes of our citizens. Prof. Sumner is great
authority with the Eastern Argus aud the
Democratic party generally.
We commend to the laborer the artisan and
the capitalist who has his means invested ia
industrial enterprises the interview" between
Professor Sumner, great free trade authority,
and Mr. Kenner, a member of the United
States Tariff Commission. Mr.. Sumner, a
doctrfndire from Yale College, appeared as a
witness in the free trade interest, before the
commission sitting at Philadelphia, and the
successful manner in which he cOrnered him.
self and exposed the aims of free traders is
worthy of mention and consideration.
NJ. Kenner-You propose to abandon one system
What other yst IN would you suggest?
Mr.. Sumner-Giye all the free iade that You can.
Remove al the protective taxes as soon as GU Can.
If you can, abolish hem ALL All protective taxes
are misch evous, and ought to get them out of
the Way. If anybody tells you that y elective tax
es Taise wages, come here political economist
to say that they do OF; that they lower wages
Mr. Kenner-M do not propose to raise or lower
wages, but to find out the best system of revenue.
Mr. Sumner-1hea / trust you will abolish all
protective taxes.
Mr.. Kenner-What would you substitute?
Mr. Sumner-You have got large number OF
revenue taxes. If tomorrow, you were TO put half
of tie list of dutiabe articles on tn free list and
re luce the duty the oher half by 80 per cent,
revenue.
Mr.. Kenner-Then understand that you do not
wans to abolish custom duties. understood you
to say just now that you would abolish all taxes.
Mr.. Sumner-All protective taxes.
Mr. Kenner-All import duties?
Mr., Sumner-I did not say all import duties, not
ID nq 1,od dt1ffn H4oa cDffoo ar
pepper, they would lot be pro tective taxes. A tax
o. VINE might be protective. A tax on sugar'is
largely revenue tax. but it is also partially pro-
tective tax in behalf of the Louisiana sugar grsw
ers have no objection to payi tax to the
United states Treasury but do object 10 pay tax
to the -oeisiaaa sugar grower, or to the Peunsyl-
v MIA iron man, or to the Ohio wool man, or any
body else.
Mr.. kenner-I understood you to say that you
were opposed to he pre- sent tariff system. .
Mr. Sumner-I am opposed to the protective sYs-
TEN. stated that as the subject of my argument,
and stuck closely to it. have not touched the
revenue system at all
Mr.. Kenner What is protective tax?
nj. Sumner One that is laid for the benefit Of an
MIR. Kenner-Then You would advocate system
to put import duties on foreign articles thst not
made In this country. and to remove duties from
Mr.. Sumner--Exactly. A protective tax is a tax
PAD no. into the public treasury, but paid to in
MIR. Kenner- Then a duty which fayors the indus
tries OF the G untry in protective tax?
Mr. Sum er-Yes; am willing to say that 1t is
not the business of legislation to favor business.
Mr.. kenner Manufacturers appea ar before us and
say Gentlemen, we want you to do this because it
e benefit to the poor man. Yon, on your past.
say that your theory is a protection to the poor
Mr.. Sumner--No. do not.
MI, kenner--For whom then do you profess to
plead? In whose favor do you make your state
mcnt? If not in favor of the great mass Of the
eommunity-of The people who are not able to hep
themselves?
M sumner sr,,,sa. .v,,o 90 ,,a,,r t,oi,, 4a.
ana injured by existing legisla ion. l have studied
the effect upon Them but AS to favoring ANYBODY or
as to conf g forward to do anything more for any
Dody than to let every st md Oh his own feet
ana look out for himself. have not done So and /
never 90 it. Ills not the business of the Govern
ment to make wages high but to let every man do
the best he can for himself.
The Free Trade theory, then, is to keep
duties on tea, coffee, sugar. pepper, etc., which
all industrial persons" consume and not to
give an industrial person the slightest pro-
lection or offset in any form. 1t would admit
free any article entering the country which
completes with any Industrial interest within
the country. and would impose duties on arti-
cles which are not made in the country and
winch the country needs to buy as cheaply as
possible! This. then, is Free Trade.
Our readers will see that If free traders could
only have their way they would. tomorrow.
throw DOWN the barriers whether Of incident
al" OF absolute election, would leave the liv-
ing and capital of every "industri Il person.
liable to be destroyed by outside competition
and would still continue to levy duties, in the
interest OF importers of foreign goods, on
every industrial PERSONS necessaries Of life
To put it in another way. Certain foreign
countries, either by means of protection or be-
cause labor is poorly rewarded, have made great
Roadway in the production of certain kinds of
manufactures. The free trader saws to all
other Countries "These countries are entitled
to have their goods enter your ports and be
consumed by your people. for ever, and you
have no right to undertake the manufacture
oil these articles, for ever The fate of all
young countries would soon be settled. The
capital and labor of the older countries would
dominate everywhere. The inhabitants of all
new countries would simply be hewers of wood
and drawers of water for their more favored
rivals Indeed, there could scarcely be rivalry
there would simply be absolutely monopoly.
And this is free trade