New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-12
NOT 4 FREE TRADER.

II has seemed best to President Arthur to de-
clare his undated attachment to the protective
system. There was hardly need OF this. Ii mas
not been supposed by any who know HIM, ana
can hardly have been supposed by any who nave
observed his public acts and utteranceS, that ne
| was in essential hostility to the Republican
party on the most vital question OF the day
The TRIBUNE has constantly assured Its
readers, ever since the present Democratic Con-
gress was elected that President Arthur could
| be relied upon to veto any measure clearly III
antagonism 90 the system of protection.
At the same time, it may be said that his con-
cepfions of that system, and of its proper de-
velopment hereafter, have not been very clearly
stated. Among Newly Ork merchants, for ex-
ample, there are not few who believe III the
protective system as they understand it, and
who are classed and class themselves as PrOtec-
tionists, but who nevertheless accept the
reasonings and the criticisms OF opponents OF
the protective system III some important
respects They conceive, for example, that a
tariff which is just high enough to give home
industry "A living chance but not high enough
to give it any advantage over foreign cOmpetl-
ton. is all that industry can ask and all that
can be granted without robbery" They have
no adequate comprehension of the principle
that home competition, if the home market is
assured to the home producer, will inevitably
reduce prices as far as they safely can be
reduced Nor do they consider that the Nation
deliberately and wisely accepts period OF
adequate duties and prices, III any branch OF
manufacture for the sake Of the incalculable
advantages which surely follow complete de-
velopment of the home industry. The many
points of divergence to which these opinions
lead will be readily recognized.
II WAS well known that President Arthur, by
a life time of association with New-Iork
merchants, and especially by very friendly
intercourse with those who import largely. while
he was Collector of the Port had been made
familiar with this class of reaSOnings. His own
public declarations, while entirely in harmony
with the feelings of those who resist attempts
to overthrow the protective system have not
manifested such a study of the subject as to
remove all doubt in regard to his position. He
has placed some stress upon defects in the old
tariff, which naturally came to his knowledge
as Collector, and has advised Il general reduc-
tion of duties but. neither his messages nor his
signature of the new Tariff act cast much light
upon the questions whether he would favor
further reduction, or what sort of reduction he
would favor Not long ago there were reports,
possibly set an0at by Mr.. MorrisOn's friends,
that the President himself was disposed to
approve the Morrison bill, if passed, but OF
this there was no evidence.
Under the circumstances, therefore, the
President was perhaps right in thinking that
some explanation of his views would be timely,
though there was no good reason for surprising
that he was not in favor of the protective
policy Considering the statement put forth
by him as an explanation, it can hardly be called
complete. There is really nothing to remove
the impression, which some seem to have
gained, that the Presidents conceptions of the
protective system are substantially those of the
New York merchants already mentioned. They
are not Free Traders, nor is the President. They
would urge, as strongly as he has urged, great
caution in changes affecting the condition OF
labor. The vital question, whether he believes
in duties sufficient in any case to insure
vigorous home competition as an adequate
regulator of prices, the President does not touch
in the remarks he is reported to have made
Now, it is fact, as all who have examined the
subject know, that the worst duty conceivable
is that which just barely fails to afford adequate
protection. But there are great many men
who would consider the ill-Success OF such
duty hitherto ample reasOp for reducing or re-
pealirg it,
THE TRIBUNE does not think the nomination
of President Arthur the best that can be made.
But it has not doubted that he is in favor of the
protective system as he understands it. That
many Of his friends and supporters are
altogether hostile to protection does not prove
anything. The conspicuous and noisy Free
Traders all prefer Mr.. Edmunds. But the Presi-
dents opinions are not so clearly known that
he should on that account be preferred by Pro-
tectiOnists.