The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-01-02

A Debate at Cleveland on the Merits of
Free Trade and Protection.

A Debate at Cleveland on the Merits OF
Free Trade and Protection.
CLEVELAND, January Free trade vs..
protective tariff was debated Saturday
night before an audience>oi four thousand
people in the tabernacle as one OF series
of popular course Of entertainments
given by the bureau Of education. Hon.
NJ. A. Foran, Congressman.elect, presided.
Prof. Van Buren, Denslow,, Of Chicago,
opened the debate, advocating protection.
He argued at the outside that the stimula.
ton aud fostering OF industry iortiies SO.
ciety morally, as well as financially. lie
is the best which govern least, otherwise
the confederate government which governs
less than any known, would be the best,
whereas II is no government whatever
Trace iree-trader home and you will find
him an importer seltishly interested in
that policy. The question is one OF inter-
national strife, nation against nation. Each
duty upon foreign production is the but
tress OF an industry. No nation was ever
insane enough to admit all articles Free
England is claimed Us free trade country
but lays rs much in duties in proportion
10 her population as the United States and
only admits free articles not competing
with English Industries. She charges 1850
per cent duty on American tobacco. The
verdict OF history and craftsmanship is
almost universal in favor OF protection. All
transportation Is medium OF bringing
together farmers and manufacturers. Ii we
send ships to England 1t is to meet the
manufacturers, and II they send ships here
they send them to meet the farmers.
The thirty minutes allowed for the open
ing speech having expired, Prof.. William
q. Sumner, OF Yale College, replied, favor.
ing free trade. He said the American
people need only their energy, industrial
virtues and opportunity in order to pros.
per. Protection is TO prevent importation.
Free trade means hostility to protection.
which compels the consumer TO pay taxes
to fellow.citizen. The National and State
taxes are proper, but taxes which do not go
to the general government are obnoxious
ard oppressive. Absolute free trade and
the abolition OF custom houses would do
more to solve the civil service and other
national problems than anything else.
Ohio has free trade with Kentucky and
nobody claims that either State is injured.
Why not with Canada and the whole
world? II trade should be free from
Maine to Texas, why not between
Maine and New Brunswick? An in
dustry is not an end, it simply is q means
OF producing wealth. What kind Of in
dustry is that which has 10 be supported !?
What is the apology for one which doesn't
pay The more It doesn't pay the worse 1t
Is. Manufacturers who lobby at Washing
ton for protective tariff ask for tax OH
other people to prevent loss to themselves.
| 1t is nonsense TO say they do so 10
wages can be raised. II people get big
wages they produce and earn it. Free
trade increases the ratio OF comfort and
means 10 the effort put forth. Protection
works the other way. The only thing
which makes wealth is industry and econ.
omy. Stealing from one another deterior-
atcs property and demoralizes the commu-
nifty. The whole system Of protection is u
delusion. gs -r-
Professor Denslow closed in ten min
utes' speech. He characterized the reason
ling Of his opponent as specious sophistry
ann ornamented SANDER Of American in
Fdustries and craftsmanship. He proceeded
to show by comparative statistics that
under the protection Of the tariff the man
uiacturers OF wooden and kindred goods
have thrivcd until America has become
the cheapest market for them in the world.
lie had just warmed up with the subject
when notified Of the expiration Of his time.
The audience clamored vigorously some
minutes for him to go on, but the manage
ment adhered to the rule OF closing the
entertainment at a given hour.