The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1886-09-04
The Free Trade League.

The following address to Ameri-
can free traders has just been is
sued by the Free Trade League. 1t
is signed by more than a hundred
prominent men, representing Is
different States and Territories:
To the Friends Of Freedom:
The inability Of large Democratic ma
jority in the national House of Represen-
tative to pass bill for tariff reform, look
ing only to removal of heavy burden Of
taxation from few great industries, and
the refusal Of the representatives Of the
Republican party and their allies to even
consider the abatement of tariff taxation
In any degree makes it imperative to call
for aggressive and uncompromising politi-
cal action by the friends of commercial
freedom. There can be no doubt but
that majority of the American people
at present, acting in unison with one or
the other of the two great POLITICAL par
ties, are convinced of the practicabiity
and necessity Of tariff reform and the
of the hitherto dominant
policy of high, discriminating and un-
taxation.
A clear statement of the isue between
the protectionists and the free traders is
Of itself demonstration of the truth of
this assertion. On the one side the advo-
Gates of protection" start with the as
that under a free and republic
can form OF government the power of
may be lawfully used to aid pri-
vate enterprises and build up private for
tunes, on the false plea, now demolished
by imposing heavy taxes on articles now
to the processes OF great domes-
nc industries for the benefit of special
of very small relative impor-
;ance to the aggregate industrial interests |
)f the whole country.
Thus for years past our fiscal policy !
has been practically dictated by the manu- |
acturen Of pig iron and the growers Of !
WOOL. although the aggregate value of |
he annual product of pig iron and wool |
8 not equal to the value Of the annual |
'gg and poultry crop of the country. and
lot to be compared with the value of the
rop of either hay, wheat, corn or cotton.
cmboldened by long federation, the de-
hands OF these special interests increase
q audacity, as is shown in the recent
proposition of Samuel j. Randall to ad-
ance the duties on tinplate from one to
wo and one-haf cents per pound. This
rticle is used largely for the preservation
y canning OF an excess of our meat, vege-
able, fruit, fish and all products, which,
yithout such treatment, could not be
but would be wasted. The
resent duty, freights and commissions
dded, constitutes bounty which would
over the payment of double the wages
aid in the tin-plate industry in Great
'ritain. But as the foreign manufacture
Dnducted at a minimum of profit 1.-THE
rice of tin plates being the lowest ever
nown in history the present tax is re-
arded as sufficient, and Mr.. Randall pro-
oses, In spite Ut an overlooking treasury,
, increase this tax from $6,OO0,OOO to an
OF $15,O00,O0Q, and collect it
y adding to the cost of the preservation
meat fish, and fruit, decreasing our
rport market accordingly. The milk
ans and cans OF every farmer, the cook
e utensils and dinner pail OF every ,
orkman, and the construction of every ,
yelling house and railroad company In
le country all were to be taxed for the
snefit of a few iron manufactures and
Ipitalists in Pennsylvania. On the other
de, the principles Of free traders may
} simply stated as follows:
!. They demand that the whole system I
Federal taxation be 80 reconstructed t,
ID readjusted that all the taxes which
e people pay shall be received by the /
without the diversion Of any /
UT for he fostering Of private interests.
2. That the professions snd true pro- !
ction Of true domestic industry is b be I
und in tho removal Of all taxes from ar
les which constitute the foundation Or
Q necessary to tile processes Of our vsri-
u Industries, and that the incidence OF
xation be restricted - Gar ~ possible to {
tcIes which are ready for final con-