The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1884-09-06
Irishmen and the Tariff.

Irlshmen and the Tariff.
From the New York Tribune.
The Irish-Americsn mass meeting at
Chickering hall was conclusive proof
that the republican campaign is ag-
gressive. Every speaker referred to-
the tariff as the great issue Of the cleo.
ton, and denounced the democratic
party as trucking to England in advo-i
eating free trade and nominating Gov.
Cleveland. The enthusiasm of the
audience was infectious. A great body.
of IrisAmen, who have steadily voted
for the democratic ticket year after
year, emphatically condemned both the
nomination and the platform of that
party as an insult to themselves and to
all American workingmen. Democ-
racy, with its free trade tendencies and
affiliations, was repudiated. Republic
canism, with its American ideas and
principles, was cordially accepted.
This result ought not to surprise any
one who has made careful study of
fish history. For the Irish people
have history and they have not for
gotten it. 1t is the history of people
starved, impoverished and crushed by
the cruel greed of England's CONNER
quest to the opening of the present
century the English people acted upon
the principle that Ireland must be made
a market for their manufactures and its
own industries sacrificed. One great
industry after another was destroyed by
repressivs legislation. The Irish were
forbidden to export live cattle and
great trade was broken up in the inter-
est of English farmers. In like manner
sheep. farming and the manufacture Of
wooden goods were interrupted. When
English brewers were growing rich.
English brewers were forced to import
hops from England and were not al
lowed to export malt or beer. Until
III the expectation of woolens, glass
and other Irish manufactures was pro-
hibited in the interest of England. The
general effect of English legislation
was to destroy Irish industries, to cut
off the island from the exchanges Of the
world. and to force the population back
upon an exhausted soil; and then by
means of the minute subdivision of land
and iniquitous laws to place agriculture
on starvation basis. There was only
one exception, and it serves to show
what the island might have done if its
industries had been promoted by gen.
erous policy. By modification OF the
navigation act and by the payment Of
bounties the manufacture of white and
brown linens was encouraged in the
north of Ireland. 1t has remained
profitable industry to this day-a Wit
ness to the prosperity which might
easily have been secured If English
greed had not prevailed.
After the Union the barriers OF re-
strictive policy we're thrown down.
Under free trade Ireland was admitted
to competition with English manufac-
turers. But it was then too late to save
the cruelty misgoverned island. Eng
lish manufao turers were firmly estab-
lished; great masses Of capital had
been accumulated; artisans had re-
ceived an industrial training. Irish in
dustries could not be built up under
English free trade. They required the
same degree of protection and encour-
agement which American manufacturers
have obtained under the high tariffs.
The Irish people had no choice They
were fol ced back upon the soil. They
must either remain in their scanty hold
ings, pay rack rents and starve, or else
emigrate. English free trade could do
nothing for them. Agriculture did not
offer them the bare means of subsist-
ence. There was no Investigation of
industry. There was no alternative ex-
cept emigration. Have the Irish peo-
pie any reason to be grateful to Eng
land for the commercial policy under
which they have been ruined at home
and driven into exilep No reason that
English historians have been able to as
certain. One of the greatest of them
pronounced the English commercial
system in its effects upon Ireland the
most deliberate and selfish tyranny the
world has ever seen.
Why, then, should Iris h-AmerieanS
who have memories and are familiar
with the history of their country vote
with and for a political party which is
striving to work out the ends of free
trade, the present commercial policy
Of England? 1t is for the interest of
that the markets of the world
should be open to its manufactures and
this country restricted to what are
known as the cheapest products. If free
trade had prevailed, American manu-
lectures would long ago have been
crushed. America would have been
the victim of England's commercial
policy, as Ireland has been.