New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-28


We publish in another column an interesting
exhibit of Democratic newspaper opinions Oh
the subject of FREQ trade. 1t will be noticed
that large proportion of the journals quoted
from are Southern We have made great
effort to- obtain as comprehensive a collection
from the Northern Democratic press, but with
ont success The Northern editors treat
the subject very gingerly, and carefully
refrain from expressing definite opinions.
They are clearly convinced that the
issue is too heavily loaded to be carelessly
handled In fact the discussion of the tariff
question among Democrats at present is con-
fined almost entirely tothc South, and in contem-
plating il as 1t is in progress there the first fact
which strikes the observer is the overwhelming
prepondrrance of antl-free trade sentiment.
The change in favor of protection is
remarkable and is due primarily to the manu-
featuring interests which have been rapidly
developing in the South since the
war. Free trade would destroy
these young Industries quickly and COM
plctcly, and it is tho knowledge of that dcstrnc-
ton which is making the Solid South a solid
protection section
A glance over the extracts we have compiled
will he sufficient to show that the free trade
wing of the Democracy Is weak. Twelve
representative and influential Democratic
journals agree in dcnouncing free-tradc policy
in any form, and ash that Che tariff issue be
let severely alone i'll the coming Presidential
campaign. These include TIE HGrttom
Times, The Ncr- AibdHy LcIgG'-Stmddyd, The
Macon telegraph and Messenger, The
Richmond Dispatch The Mobile Rcgistcr,
The Nashville AmcricaH, Tie Noc-O orleans
Pioayunc, The Memphis Ardidnche and
Thc Tihsburg Post These are the leading
Democratic journals in the sections in which
they are published, and can he taken as
rejecting accurately the attitude of their con-
stituoncios. They speak of the advocates of
the tariff for revenue only policy III 10 un-
certain terms one say, that policy defeated the
party in 1850. Another saws it would be
" worse than folly; another that ait
would blight the country beyond any
thing ever known on thi, continent
another that sit is equally iatuous and fore
doomed" another speaks of the Dom0cmcys
"frcc-tradc lunatics'; another that "tarilf for
" revenue killed Hancock rs dead as a herring,
" and VIII kill the next man whose coat-tails it
"is pinned to -; another says the proposition To
repeat the old declaration is only "mattcr
Of laughter and dcrison," and sill another
says the froe-tadc advocates are cnly
" little coteric who are composed principally
of mutual admiration party
Against tins formidable array of protection
sentiment, what do We find! First and folc-
most of course, The Cotricr-JOu,adi with its
war cry: "Bid Pennsylvania 20 to the devil
take the bull of protection squarcly by the
hOns!' In support of this position. with
with more or less dfdcncc, stand The BoSton
Post, The 81. Louis RputLcqn, The Ticksb,ug
H0Uld, The Memphis Awcai, Tie Baltimore
Dah The Charleston Mars and Courier. and
Tie LWic EOck GGtdic. OF these there is
ample evidence that several do not correctly
represent the views of their supporters. In
Massachusetts, for example, all the Demo
cratic leaders in good standing aorce with
Judge Abbott in saying: "L,trybody
knows perfectly well, who knows any
ching, that for the present in this country
" there can be nothing like free trade"
1t IS amusing to find Mr. Watterson in his
latest utteranccs declaring that he agrees
with Judge Abbott and that he
does not mean free trade by shouting for tariff
for revenue only. Then why should he request
that the party bid Pennsylvania 20 the DEVIL?
And why does he wish TO +" take the bull of pro-
lection squarey by the horns"2 Is there
% nothing like free trade" in policy
which requires heroic remedies ike
hose9 If tariff for revenue only would not
njure protected interests, what would Pennsyl- |
yania be troubled about? We point Mr.. Wat |
erson to the interpretations which his own |
party papers put upon his plank for informa-
ion. He will find in. the extracts which we |
publish ample evidence that his party will de- |
line to follow his advice and that it will |
'ither straddle the tariff question in its plat
crm or make no allu,ion TO IT. lie can con- |
,oe himself with the assurance that his grief |
over this course will be much less keen than |
hat of The TRIBUNE and the Republican |
party. Nothing would give US more pleasure |
than to zee the glorious Democracy take the |
protection bull squarcly by the hons 1t would |
DC picnic for the bull