New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-11-30
THE FREE Trade DILEMMA.

Free traders lament that they have no plan,
and do not agree among themselves. lt IL a
| good thing for the country. ii bad for the Tree
traders. In a melancholy review OF the sltu-
alton. one journal thinks It's friends, the advo-
Gates of British policy, will be beaten II not
prepared with plan. and Says "They have
announced none and have shown no sign OF
| having formed one" 1t also SAYS: "The pro-
tectionist Republicans have already put out
tentative proposition for the abolition OF the
duty on sugar and of the internal taxes on to-
bacco" The protectionist Republicans nave
done no such thing. No consultation has been
held by them and no plan proposed The suS-
restion above named for reducing the surplus
was made by THE TRIBUNE not as represent-
Ing the body of Republicans who uphold pro-
lection. but as one of the methods winch
! tbev MIGHT be prepared to favor. Whether
they will consider it wise to propose that course
| in Congress, or some other, will doubtless de-
pend mach upon the course of discussion.
Senator hitthorne Of Tennessee thinks that
the trouble with the,DemOcratic partyis that it
has no leader what we need to-day Ia a
practical statesman-some one who can give
us a solution of the financial problem in the
Treasury If the PRESIDENT solves this prob
lem satisfactorily, then he will become the
great leader of his party and his future Will be
assured" He also thinks that If Congress
should fail to reduce the taxes the President
should call the next Congress together IN spe
cia session March 4th, and by proclamation
declare that be would hold 1t In session until it
should reduce 1.-THE pubic burdens" That, he
thinks, "would outline grand policy for the
Democrats to follow" Statesmen Of the save
at the spigot-and- waste at the bung variety
would he delighted, no doubt But. if some
Republican statesman proposes to invest the
surplus proftably by giving free industrial cd
ucation to the children of American workers,
to educate the boys so that they can earn better
wages, and will not be excluded from useful
occupations bv want of opportunities to learn,
and TO educate the girls so that they can cook
better, sew better, keep house better, and man
age better as helpmates for the workers oil the
future, which side does Mr. Whitthorne fancy
the voters will favOrf American voters are
absolutely unconscious of the burdens OF
which Mr. Whit horne talks so sOemnly They
have never been aware for many We RS past,
that they paid a cent in taxes to the Federal
Government. But they are aware that they
have had neither time nor opportunity to give
the boys and girls practical education so that
they can have better start in life. They
know that If the millions collected by taxes,
which they do not feel can be so employed as
to place industrial education within the reach
of every boy and girl, the country will get back
every dollar spent several times over within
few years. Is Mr.. Whitthorne quite sure that
bis grand policy OF cheese-parlng Will be pre-
ferred by the vOtersf
Nv .aJa tha olfarnofiva. If Reuuhlicou
statesman should propose to take off all taxes
on sugar which the people do uncOnsciousy
pay, and on tobacco which tObacco-csers do
pay, and thus to reduce the surplus to moderate
limits, which course will the taxpayers prefer
Mr.. WhitthOrne's party, it it adheres to the
grand policy" which the President Is expected
to mark out. will insist upon taking off duties
on wool, lumber and salt. on wOOllen and cot
ton goods. on iron and steel, and on products
of home industry generally, thus subjecting
American workers to more direct and severe
competition with the labor of other lands.
That change the American workingmen would
feel. They know something about that, and
are ready to vote against it. The taxes on
sugar and tobacco they do not now feel, but
they can easily understand that reduction of
$50, 900, 900. more or less. in the cost of these
would harm no great industry upon which the
employment of millions depends. Is Mr..
Whitthorne sure that the people would sustain
O Democratic grand policy" of aiding British
industry against American 7
These speculatiOns are not idle. Within
week we shall hear whatever the President has
to propose If he has sufficient ability to
frame comprehensive scheme of tariff reduc-
ton on free trade lines. such plan will 60 to
the people with whatever weight his recon-
mendation can give. His followers may be very
sure that some Republicans will propose In
stead altogether different measures. Some may
propose to cut off sugar duties and tobacco
taxes; some may propose industrial education
for the children of American workers. Which
of these propositions can the Democratic party
afford to defeat