Daily Republican., 1882-08-02
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST ?. 1852.
what Free Trade d1d for ireland.

As JDer6 seems 10 ue d UOhNONJ ~
mako free trade and protection antagon
istic principles which are to enter free'
ly into the issues of the present Stat'
campaign, Republicans should no
avoid the issue forced upon them, es-
pecially as they have the best and mos
reasonable side of the question. II
discussing the question there is moth
ing shows better for the side of protec-
ton than to point or refer to a prosper
Gus nation that has grown great through
protectio All to poor debilitated ma
tion that has been prostrated and ruined
through free trade The Hon, William
P. Frye, Of Maine, deli vel ed speech
in Februlry last in the Senate of the
United States, in which he showed the
disastrous and ruinous effects of free
trade upon Ireland, poor dismantled
ireland, Frustrated and ground into
the dust by the iron heel of free trade
despOtism, and yet strange to say, Irish
men when they come to this country,
nine tenths of them join, act and vote
with the party that tavors the policy
that ruined their own nation at home.
Mr.. Frye says that the only country in
tie world he knew of that has thor
Oughly free trade thrust upon her by
compulsory process, is Ireland. Prior
to 1900 and up to 1920 the manuf&ctur
ing industries of Ireland were protected
against England by duties on woollen
goods, silks, cotton, yarn, twist and
cotton manufactured goods. Ireland s
calicOeH and muslins were protected by
duty almost prohibitory, and she was
fast becoming successful manufactur.
ing country. Her people were happy,
cOntented, industrious and prosperous,
There was loom in almost every house |
and with it came comfort and plenty. |
Irish linens were known and apprecia.
ted all over the world, and her silks |
were gaining a ready market. Mr.. |
Frye, in hunting up the census Of 1900, |
found that there were employed in |
Cork alone 5000 weavers; in Dublin |
there Were5O0O manufacturers of woollen |
goods; in Balbrigan, there were 5000
blanket makers and in Wicklow there
were 1000 calico weavers and 1000 en-
gagged in making flannels, while the
numbers engaged in linen work were
immense. This linen trade was en-
coursged by subsidies, but they were
generally Withdrawn until all p1oteC-
5ion ceased in 1926. In the year 1925
more than thirteen million of dollars
were expended in the purchase of coarse
unbleached homemade webs of linen. |
$uch was the condition of Ireland at
This time under protection. Her people
were happy and cOntented and had no
Thought at that time of emigrating to
America. England saw the prosper ity
of Ireland and looked upon her with a
Jealous eye. She saw the power of
good comfort and happiness there were
in those piles of home made webs. Not
content with destroying the navigation
of IrelSnd, with crushing out her manu-
factories of woollens, and ambitious
and greedy to manufacture for the
world, England determined that other
nations should raise the raw material
40 feed Ireland's hungry looms, as the
South in ante bellum times wanted the
North to feed their slaves. Beguiled
Ireland assented to the terms dictated
by England; terms which were to lead
gradually to the repeal Of every duty.
The tariff on wooilen goods was to con-
tinue twenty years, but to terminate on
CalicOes and muslins in 1921; on cotton
yarn and twists as early as 1916 and by
1926 all subsidies were withdrawn anG !
poor, unhappy Ireland stood before the
world enjoying all the benefits of abso.
Lutte free trade. What was the result? |
England held both ends of the bargain. |
Ireland could raise in her fertile soil |
abe raw material but England could |
make it into goods cheaper than she
could and Ireland had no voice in the
price to be paid either for manufactur
ing the goods or raising the raw mate
rial. In 1910 another census was taken
and there were in Kilkenny 500 blanket
makers; in Dublin 200 silk weavers;
Ghere were no carpet.makers in all Ire |
land; no linnen weavers in Cork and |
bat 300 operators in all the manufac. |
toEiss of that city where, fifteen years
before, there were 5000 weavers alone.
We would call the attention of Mr.. |
Dean, the Delaware Democratic cham.
PiOn Of free trade, to the picture of Ire
land, and we would ask him to look nc
what free trade has done for that dis.
traGted and poverty stricken people
She is the only absolutely free trade
country in the world to-day, the only
land enjoying this rare privilege in
complete fullness. What wonderful
commentary she affords with good
climate, fertile soil, great rivers,
splendid water power, broad and safe
hays and harbors, an abundance of
minerals and an industriously inclined
people Instead of being an industrious
and happy people, they are the most
bSrribly vexsd, troubled, suffering, DIS
traCted, impoverished and starving
Sountry in the world. Irishmen who
loved their land earnestly and with un.
bounded enthusiasm have been driven