The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1884-10-24
An influential Convert.
Wisconsin State Journal.

Wisconsin State Journal.
Colonel W. NJ Grosvener, who was formany
years a conspicuous free-trade advocate, has,
by the unanswerable logic OF our country's phe-
nominal progress for the past twenty years,
been finally converted to the doctrine of Ameri-
can protection to home industries. He was the
writer, some years since, of a work entitled,
Does Protection Protect? in which he sulstan-
tally upheld the theories now maintained by the
free trade doctrinaires of the east. As a jour
nahstlc, ne was engaged some years in writing
free trade articles for The st. Louis Demo-
crat The absurd campaign of 1872, IN which
.he free-trade democracy were supporting
Iorthe presidency ole of the most notable and
aggressive protoctionists then living, aud dis
cnSslons which that campaign eugendereG seem
70 nave put Col. Grosvener upon a new train of
thought, which, aided by the beneficient work
nSs OF our protective system since, has in
uuced him to openly proclaim his change Of
1plhlons. In an address before The Union
league club, of Philadelphia, he declared that
ue political assaults of his old free-trade as
socates upon the protective system s'are not
;nellgent; they are ignorant. laundering and
incapable. in the hands Of such men, with what
eyer %theories, the nation would be wrecked.
uhnke the bourbons," says he 81 hope ! am
aule 10 learn something in fifteen years. Many
..nings which 3 have doubted or disbe-
ncsea nave been demonstrated before my
eyes. IL is not the part of manhood to
snut me eyes to the truth. / have never been
one of those who believe that by much think
,llg they can spin out of themselves an infssllir
ole theory. That sort Of political economy
nss ever had my profound contempt. | have
ss,eu to pc aa honest student OF facts, and
mnen the facts call for new conclusions | am
= AFRAID 10 form them. i pity the mai that
IAN learn no new thing from this miracle work
mg nineteenth century. Ipity the man who can
earn nothing from 81 100000 live Americans
20 lney work new wonders every day. Ny
own opinions have in many respects been
unanged OK the results realized during the
pas' ten years, and especially by the in
Easing rewards of industry hese.n 1t may
- nat after the asperities of the present
sassuon and campaign are over, the g~oniuses
mn mnlcn preside over the editorial columns OF
tne New York Times, The Evening Post, not
wInenuon The Louisville Courief-Journal, will
u .aeir economic creeds, viii study anew
mo larin question in the light OF later develop
c r1n.s, and like their whilom fellow disciple,
ooiohei drosvener, be regenerated into a
lover and better faith. Many others of the
ssee Traders are hating between two opinions,
w. ! aIter mature elaboration at the demo
mr1c nauonai convention, a committee
Imposed OF some Of the most radical
y the alleged revenue reformers did
~ dare to insert q plank in their plat
ttu .as distinctly committing the party TO free
naae put BY circumlocation and unmeaning, If
~, Z contradictory sentences, constructed q for
s MIA winch as q specimen of ambiguity 10 not
ITs.passed In the English or any other language,
hh y, ADVERSE ideas in ii are so i~ngsniously
sraS that it is still q matter of dispute
rson among its authors as to which has the
rasPonderance, and the color OF the chameleon
~ulu not be more indeterminato 1t is hardly
t Thsaong me possibilities that the good sense of
~, american people win load them to side
- y : party whose position upon so important
: issue ~ so equivocal and uncertain.