The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-08-31
AMERICAN FREE TRADERS
AN ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE OF
THE UNITED STATES.
A Reply to the Arguments Advanced
BY the Friends OF Pro-
lection.

New YORK, August 29.-The fol-
lowing address OF American Free
Traders hss been published:
To the Friends Of Freedom;
The inability Of large Democratic
majority in the national House OF
Representatives TO pass bill for tsrie
reform looking only TO She removal Of
q heavy burden OF taxation from few
great industries, and the refusal Of the
representatives of the Repub lean
party and their allies to even consid r
the abatement OF tariff taxation 10 any
degree, imperatively calls for ag-
gressiye and incorporating political
action by the friends oil commercial
freedom There can be no doubt that
a majority Of the American people, at
present acting in unison with one or
the other OF the two great political
parties, are convinced OF the practical
bility and necessity OF tariff reform
and the abandonment OF the hitherto
dominant policy OF high, discrimi-
mating and unnecessary taxation. A
clear statement OF the iseue between
the proie ctionists and the free traders
is OF itself demonstration OF the truth
of this assertion. Oh the one side the
advocates OF protection" start with
the assumption that, under a free and
republican form Of government, the
power of tax alton may be lawfully
used 10 aid private enterprises and
build up private fortunes, on
the falsa plea, now demolished
by the hard logic Of the tscts, that
such legislation hetters business
and raises wsges, For long period
they have reduced this assumption to
practice by imposing heavy taxes on
articles now necessary 10 the processes
OF great domestic industries for the
benefit Of special interests OF very
small relative importance to the aggre-
gate industria interests OF the whole
country. Thus for years past our
fiscal policy has been practically die
tated by the manufacturers Of pig iron
and the growers OF wool, although the
aggregate values OF the annual product
OF pig iron and wool is not equal to the
value OF the annual egg and poultry
crop of the country,and not TO be COM
pared with the va'ue Of either hay,
wheat, corn or cotton. Embodened by
long liberation the demands OF these
special interests increase in audacity as
is shown in the recent proposition OF
Samuel J. Randall their representative,
to advance the duties on tin plate from
/ TO "a cents per pound This article
is used largely for the preservation, by
canning, of an excess OF our meat,
vegetable, ftuit, fish and oil products
which, without such treatment, could
not be marketed, but would be wasted.
The present duty, ireights and COM
mission : added, constitute bounty
which would cover the payment
of double the wages paid
in the tin plate industry
In Great Britain. But as the foreign
manufacture is conducted at mini
mum OF profit (the price OF tin plate
being the lowest ever known in his.
tory, the present tax is regarded AZ
inSulic emit, and Mr.. Randall proposes,
in ppita OF an overlooking Treasury, TO
incresee this tax from So, 0C0, 900 to an
aggregate Of $4,000, 900 and collect by
adding TO the cost OF the preservation
OF meat, fish and fruit (decIeasiDg our
export market accordingly, the milk
pana and cans OF every farmer, the
cooking uteneils and dinner pail OF
every workman and the construction OF
every dwellinghouse aud railroad car
in the country for the benefit of a
few iron manufacturers and capitalists
in Psnnsylvauia. On the other ride
the principles Of free traders may be
simply stated rs follows;
/, They demand that the whole
system Of Federal taxation be so re-
constructed and readjusted that all
the taxes the people pay shall be re-
ceived ny the government without the
diversion OF any pat for the fostering
oil private interests
.. Tnat the promotions and true
protection OF American industry Is to
be found in the removal Of sll taxes
from articles which constitute the
foundat on, or are necessary TO the
processes, OF our various industries,
and that the incidence OF taxation be
restricted as far as possible to articles
which are ready for tipal consumption
and OF which the use is voluntary
rather than necessary.
8. They claim that the abandon
ment Of the present high diecrimina.
ton and unnecessary tariff taxes, aud
the levy OF national revenue on COM
paratively few articles on which taxes
eau be collected with the least inter-
ference with the freely chosen pur-
suits OF the people ara the necessary
steps 10 gradually ineure to the coun-
try iul, industrial employment and
Ligh wageE, an abundant protection
aud low cost, extended markets and a
permanent revival OF commercial ao-
tivity. The trade competitors of the
United States are loaded down with
debt and with the support OF great
standing armies, which in turn entail
burden OF taxation so heavy rs 10
impair their re, ources, cripple the en-
ergles Of their people and increase the
cost of their products, To successfully
make the roe for trade with nations
thus hampeied it 10 only necessary
that the people of this country adopt
AK policy dramatically opposite.
Other nations must then disband their
armies and s0t their soldiers TO work
with better wages and better sub iet-
ence than they now have, 10 afford
them auy chance for competing with
country 10 rich in resources, SO intelli-
gent and active in respect TO popula-
tion, and so free in respect TO govern
ment as the United States.
1t is for such result that the Amer
lean Free Trade League invite the CO.
operation of the patriotic men Of all
political parties. The recent ttil Of
strength in Congress shows that
change of single district in hall of
the States from the side OF the pro-
tectiouists to the side Of tbs free trad
era lie all that is required toieiorm the
revenue system Of the government.
La more than this number Of districts
a change Of leas than per cent. in
the vote will change the district. A
comparatively small number of these
opposed by conviction tos policy ID
taxation restriction asserting them
selves actively can thus produce the
deeirtd result. 1t is therefore essen
tial that each friend OF commercial
freedom, in anticipation Of the nomi
ma ions in his Congressional district
4 T..