Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-10-24
An Influential Convert.
Wisconsin State Journal.

Wisconsin State Journal - ,s.4..
Colonel W. NJ Grosvener, who was for mdny
years a conspicuous free-trade advocate, has,
by the unanswerable logic of our country phe-
nominal progress for the past twenty years,
been finally converted to the doctrine of Anleri-
can protection to home industries. He was the
writer some years since, of. 3 work entitled,
Does Protection Protect? in which he substan-
TALLY upheld the theories now maintained by the
free trade doctrinalres, of the east AS a Jour-
nalistic, he was engaged some years in writing
free trade articles for The St Louis Demo-
GRAFT The absurd campaign Of 1872, III which
the, free-trade democracy were supporting
for The presidency one of the most notable and
aggressive protectionists then living, and dis
cussions which that campaign engendered seem
to have put Col. Grosvener upon new train of
thought, which, aided by the benefcient work
ings Of our protective system since, has IN
duced him to openly proclaim his change Of
opinions. In an address before The Union
League club, of Philadelphia, he declared that
the ,litical assaults of his old free-trade as
sociates upon the protective system 'sare not
intelligent; they are ignorant laundering and
incapable. In the hands of such men, with what
ever theories, the nation would be wrecked.
S"Unlike the bourbons," says he II hope am
able to learn something in fifteen years. Many
things which I have doubted or disbe-
ieved have been demonstrated $ before my
eyes. It is not the part of manhood to-
shut the eyes to the truth. l have never been
one Of those who believe that BY much think
ing they can spin out Of themselves an infalli
bic theory That sort of political economy
has ever had my profound contempt. have
tried to be an honest student OF facts. and
when the facts call for new conclusions am
not afraid to form them I pity the man that
can learn no new thing from this miracle. work
netsng from i've 1n raS ss
as they work new wonders every. day My
own opinions have in many respects been
changed by the results, realized during the
pas, ten years, and especially by the in
creasing rewards OF industry here" It may
be- that after the asperities OF the present
election and campaign are over, the geniuses
which preside over the editorial columns Of
The New York Times, The Evening Post, not
tornsntion The Louisville Courier oulnal, will
revise their economic creeds, will study anew
ments, and like their whilom fellow disciple,
Colonel Grosvener, be regenerated into q
newer and better faith, Many others OF the
free traders are halting between two opinions,
and after mature elaboration at the demo
cratic national convention, committee
composed of some OF the most radical
OF tho alleged revenue reformers did
not dare to insert q plank in their plat
form distinctly committing the party to free
trade but BY circuml location and unmeanjng if
not contr adietory sentences, CONSTRUCTED 8 for
mula which rs q specimen of ambiguity il not
surpassed ii the English Of any other Language,
Two adverse ideas Id it are 30 ingeniously
balanced that it is still q matter Of dispute
even ar1ong It's authors as to which has the
preponderance, and the color OF the chameleon
could not be more indeterminate. Il is hardly
among the possibilities that the good sense Of
the American people viii lead them to side
with a party whose posi ton upon 30 important
On issue is SO equivo cal and IN certain. II,