Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-04-07
FACT AND EVASION.


that is the reason that when the APPTAI
cites actual occurrences, and gives the results
| of real experiences, those who attempt &c
controvert merely escape from what is toe
| clear TO be refuted. Evasion is resorted tc
| by calling hard facts trash, theories ex.
ploded notions, mistaken suppositions, per.
versions, and IN other ways seeking to parry
Stern, immutable truths that cannot be di.
rectly faced. When this way OF slipping of
from logical reasoning upon undenis bic
premises is resorted to, the very pol icy
adopted shows the weakness Of the position
of those who geek to evade what it is impos
sible to refute. To apply such terms as are
instanced above is no answer TO an antago.
mist; the antagonist can use them as readily;
therefore, when the mode of meeting a1gu-
ment is the only refuge, the looker-on can tell
on which eide lies the weight and cogency OF
truth, for he knows that, in dispute, each
party uses the best and strongest arguments
he finds available. The Chattanooga Times
few days ago, 10 speaking of an article in
the APPEAL called it "an oft told tale" APP
plying such statement to it left all the APP
PEAL had urged just as strong as it was before
it replied to nothing and coDfuted moth ng.
OF course we acknowledge our cotemporary's
right to choose his own weapons; we simply
desire TO point out, without discourtesy, that
our explanations and statements stand Just
az impregnable as before the Times honcred
them with its notice. That paper declared,
not long since, that those who favor free
trade always have recourse to English pre-
cedent, as if the policy of the United States
must conform itself to the dictation or ex-
ample of that country. For our part we
form our judgment from an American stand
point as enlightened by the principles science
has demonstrated. In the article we allude
to, we find England and one of its
very distinguished men, Lord Brcug-
ham, referred to as good authority, and
following the lead of the Times we will
glance at a fact or two as they exist in that
country. Not long ago England was en-
during one OF those eras of "hard times' TO
which every commercial country is period
ically subjected. The sufferers, as is usual
in such cases, alleged various reasons, with
more or less plausibility, why their hardsliips
had arisen. Among others many persons
not generally very intelligent, joined by some
of the Tories who think protection would
enable them to increase the rents of their
tenants, raised the cry of "fair trade" in OPP
position to "free trade" The protection
portion of the press in this country seized
eagerly upon this occurrence as proof of
the correctness OF their views. and predicted
confidently that the English would be driven
back to their former protectionist tariffs.
Since then business has improved with the
English, and prosperity once more brings
content. The statistics of trade proclaim
the change, and the fact that The last returns
of the income tax there showed an increase
over the estimates of the nations ministers
OF $2,500,OO0 demonstrates it, and the better
condition of trade proves it. Now the
dependency that the privations caused by
"hard times" has disappeared, where is the
"fair trade" cry gone? 1t is gone to the
emptiness of oblivion, where the pro;ec-
tionist's predictions of the return of the
English to the protection system has fol-
lowed it. With the abolition of its corn
laws and its vicious tariff English commerce
rose up like a strong man released from
bonds and as the United States will rise and
manifest itself when the ligatures of the pro-
voesaon- system are reIuas..l-Frrc trade
brings prosperity because it betters the con-
dition of the laborer, as is shown by The TACT
that in free-trade England, and partially
free-trade Belgium, workmen's wages are
better than in Germany, Austria, Russia
and other hide-bound protection-system coun-
tries. Give American labor, American in
vention and American shipping release from
the hateful infiction of protectionist letters,
and the American nation will take that pre-
cedence among the commercial countries of
the world to which its skill, its intelligence,
its energy and its enterprise entitle it.