New-York tribune., 1884-03-26
4 SUGGESTION TO FREE TRADERS.

One of the Judges of the Criminal Court at
Nashville has granted an injunction restraining
The american, Nashville newspaper, from adj
vocating protective tariff. The injunction was
granted at the instance of the chairman of the
Democ. attic Committee of Tennessee, who
Claims to have an equitable interest in ma
jorty of the stock of the paper. The american
which would appear to be ostenoibly devoted
to DemOcracy-is enjoined from making any
publication "not in full accord and harmony
with the platform and political principles OF the
party"
We believe that this is the first time that it
has ever been iudicially determined that the ad-
vocacy of protection is Democratic heterodoXy
Some of these days an application will doubtless
be made for the removal of the injunction, and
then the Nashville bench may be called upon to
wrestle with the nice question whether such
writ will lie against Democratic newspaper
for advocating incidental" protection. But
without anticipating the future legal steps of
this particular case, The TRIBUNE desires re-
sDectfully to direct the attention OF the free
traders of the United States to duty which
they have too long neglected and which the tate
of this offending Nashville newspaper brings
fOrcibly to mind. They are fond OF referring to
protection as legalized robbery one OF their
leading organs named it that, one day last week
Now if it is legalzed robbery why not move Tor
an Injunction against THE TRIBUNE and every
other newspaper in the Union that battles for
protection for American industry 1t certainly
is unconstitutional to legalize robbery. The
courts Of last resort III New Ork and the other
States. together with the Supreme Court OF the
United States, can confidently be relied upon to
hand down opinions from which not single
Judge will dissent, establishing the proposition
that to legalize robbery is clearly to offer Yi0-
lence to the common welfare. OF course before
moving for an injunction against the protection
press of the United States our free trade friends
would do well first to catch their hare. The
hare in this instance cannot be said to be really
caught until it is demonstrated that protection
Is legalized robbery. 1t goes without saying
that in applying for the injunction Professor
Sumner would ask the court to admit that pro
lection was nothing else But the court would
be likely to decline to make that admission.
You never can count on judges. 1t will be
great day for the free traders when the inJunc-
tion is granted.
1t is scarcely necessary to point out that in
view of what has happened to The Nashville
american the future of The San, of this city,
looks dark I he Sun is Democratic news
paper but it is a thorn in the side of the free
traders. They have piped unto 1t and 1t has
not danced-it has made them dance. Now and
then 1t puts the knife into Carlisle and turns it
around. Can it not be brought to terms, sat
down hard and with dull thudl This legal
proceeding In Tennessee argues an affirmative
answer to this question. There is nothing to
prevent Daniel Manning, as chairman of the
Democratic Committee of this State, going be-
fore a Judge and applying for an injunction en-
Joining and restraining The San from annoying
Carlisle, and from giving aid and comfort to the
incidental protectionists.
Now that the courts aid has been invoked
there is hope that the country will be informed
some of these days where it is Democracy stands
on the tariff. Our judges have been complain
ing of over-work. There is reason to apprehand
that as they survey this harassing new burden
intended for their shoulders, they will resign.