New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-11-13
The FREE-TRADE CONTENTION.

The free-tTaderS speak as men having au-
thority. 1t is natural; they have elected a
President The convention at Chicago, at the
opening of its session on Wednesday, listened
TO an address by Mr.. David A. Wells which
deserves in one respect unusual praise. In
courtesy and fairness toward the supporters of
the protective system it is utterly unlike many
of the speeches of the e-traders, and unlike
some previous uttcranccs of Mr.. Wells himself,
il may be added.
Thirteen State organizations were repOrtedto
the convention with local organizations in other
States. If these organizations are in part COM
posed of "men in buckram," and in part mere
friendly clubs for the convenience of gentle
men hungry to make speeches, it is neverthe-
less well not to undcrrate their zeal or their
influence. The protcctonists may with reason
inquire whether they are doing or have done as
much to educate public opinion. The first
STEP" it was announced, was to raise a fund
"of 500. 900, which will be needed this and
"next year, in view of the Congressional
"elcctions in 1856 This application of funds
will be remembered when free trade candidates
present themselves next year. " third of the
sum is already pledged,' it is officially re-
ported THIS bit of information the defenders
of the protective system may well consider.
After the cowardly cvasIons of Democratic
politicians last fall, the refreshing frankncss
of Mr.. Wells and others indicates that the free
traders are ready to throw away their masks
They are no longer pratIng about admins
tratlVe reform " or purity III office the false
prctcnccs of 1851 are now in the way. Mr.
Wells utcrS the purpose of the body in this
form, that the articles necessary To the pro-
ccsscs of domestic industry, whether Of do
nestle or foreign origin, shall be free from
taxes" This means entire abolition of the
duty on coal and ore, on iron and wool, and
other raw materials. Mr.. Wells speci-
fies wool, the duty on which he would
repeal at once, and saws: Il believe
"in making fight right here, for the
treason that the case is the clcarcst and that the
"eficct would be most rapidly beneficial, both to
"our w0ollcn manufactures and to our inicrna-
"tional trade. know it is of no use to bring III
ga long bill of minute details" Translated. this
means that the protective systom can only he
beaten bv breaking it, defenders. If they can
be set to fight against each other each striving
for the repeal of duties which help somebody
else they may forget that III the melee the dut-
les upon which their own industries depend
will also go down. Has Mr.. Wells observed this
particular kind of folly among thcmi II 50,
he and his free.tradc associates have night 10
be hopeful
The plea is that with iron free and wool free,
The iron manufacture and the woolcn manufIct
urc Will prosper. Mr.. Wells imagnc4 this "will
"rcducc the cost of production. while yielding
"to American labor a constantly increasing
rate Of wages" This theory is not new. But
will Mr.. Wells name any other country on this
foOtStoOl where the cost of production has been
so reduced, and the wages of labor so advanced,
as in this country since the protective tariff
was adopted in 1861 If not, does he think the
people quite ready to trust his theories instead
of their own experienced The argument that
agriculture cannot be protected, and therefore
must be taxed and burdcncd naturally follows,
with the familiar statement that those who can
be helped by protection are few while the rest
who must be hurt are many. But all this begs
the question il must first be shown that any
body is hurt. If al American labor and every
American industry have gained wonderfully,
it is at least possible that Mr.. Wells is assum-
ing a palpable untruth that agriculture is
benefited, as well as the industries that are
built Up around it, and which furnish vastly
increased home market for its products. When
Mr. Wells speaks again, now that ne is
in rational and not Il dcnunciatOry
mood il would be well for him to face just for
once the facts which prove that since 1860 the
progress of all industry has been more rapid
and more harmonious than at any other time
in the history of this land. or at any time
in any other land. Until he does, he will
hardly succeed IN dividing and conqucring the
defenders of the protective policy.
But those defenders may as well begin to de-
fcnd. 1t is plain that the free-tradcrs mean
to make war this winter. 1t il also plain that
like men of sense, they are beginning now to
prepare public opinion for the elections Of next
year. They are to be repulsed, but not without
some effort.
THE DOUNES-T1BER CASE