The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-04-05
ENGLISH FREE TRADE.


whether American labor shall be protected
in the levying of necessary customs duties, or
shall the revenues be raised by direct taxa
ton upon American property and industry
The Republican party during its administra-
ton of twenty-five years has settled all the
great questions save this, and on this has
taken firm and unequivocal ground. The
questions of war, civil rights, suffrage, finance
and currency have all been adjudicated ex-
actly as the Republican party set out to
accomplish. The fight on each was
bitter and prolonged. Many of the
party weakened, some went astray
and Joined fortunes with the opposi-
ton. 1t was SO on each of these great issues,
There were not wanting Republicans who
held blackstone from fear of political de-
feat some from conscientious motives doubt
and the work was done. Does anybody want
to go back and tear down the work? Does
anybody presume to say now that either of
these great questions was not left in better
with the great question of protection. The
Republican party is the pledged friend of
American labor. 1t has placed a wall of de-
tense between our home industries and those
who would destroy them. This wall will
not be thrown down until the working
men of America are prepared to meet
those of other lands in an open field. Pro-
lection has been and is the bulwark of Amer
lean homes. 1t is the citadel within whose
walls the children of American mechanics
have been enabled to enjoy advantages af-
forded the youth of no other land. There
may be inconsistencies and Objectionable
features in the tariff as now arranged These
in time will be remedied. But against the
free-trade delusions of Democracy the Re-
There can be no equivocation; it has been
recognized principle of Republicanism for
more than score of years, and is as essential
in principle now as it was in 1860, when first
platform.
There ought to be no doubt as to
the effect of free trade. That it
would paralyze if not actually kill
there can be no question. Democrats may
yell themselves hoarse against the curse of
monopolies, but it is only too evident that
majority of these ''monopolies" that manu-
facture steel rails, queensware, glassware,
plate glass, cotton and wooden goods, ETC.,
would be driven to bankruptcy and their
hundreds of thousands of employees scat
tered within atwelvemonth after the removal
of the tariff. This is the view taken of it in
England, and it is with this end in view that
English politicians are so anxious that the
principle of free trade shall be established in
America. This is so paipable that the folly
of denying it is ridiculously absurd True,
the English lords seldom make such con-
fession, they are too discreet. But the de-
sire to monopolize business in America is
always there, and at intervals it will mad
vertently manifest itself. The Manchester
(England) Examiner and Times of March 9
lets slip its real sentiments, as follows:
ga few months ago q gentleman we'll
known in east Lancashire for thorough and
complete knowledge OF cotton manufacture
and its machinery, made an extended tour
through all those parts OF the United States
where this industry is carried on. He visited
scores of mills and the result of his obserya-
tions may be summed up in the brief state
ment made to US that if the United States
were to abolish the duty on cotton goods we
should shut up every one of their cotton
mills in less than two years"
This is the entire question in the fewest
possible words "If the United States were to
abolish the duty on cotton goods, we should
shut up every one of their (American) cotton
mills in less than two years." Let the duty
be removed, and the cotton mills must close;
mills will shut down; strike off the tax on
imported plate glass, and thousand work
men must be discharged at New Albany
alone. Generalizing the statement of the Ex-
aminer and Times, we have: abolish the
duty on imports, and England will shut up
every American mandatory in less than
two years" This, then, is the issue the Re-
publican party stands for American in
dustries and their 100000 employees; the
Democratic party favors free trade in
the interest of England and her 5000, 900
laborers not counting those dependent upon
them. The Republican party favors an
equable tariff as the only means of guaran-
teeing work and good wages to our laboring
classes. 1t favors protection, because under
its operation the American who depends
upon his muscles for living enjoys greater
comforts superior advantages, and has surer
prospect Of reaching independence than has |