New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-28
MR. lyI7TERSONS WORRY.

Colonel Watterson is genial. witty ana Drill
liant, but he is not candid. Because oil those
gifts which make him bold in any cause where
he is consciously in the right, his present want
of candor in facing the issue between Tree trade
and protection is evidence of conscious weak
ness Day after day he wastes abusive words
upon those who speak of the Presidents mes
sage as free-trade document. and OF the pro-
posed tariff biz as a free-trade measure, ana
vet Mr.. Watterson is perfectly aware that no
ether term or phrase that he OF anybody else
can devise more accurately describes measure
or message
The issue between free trade and protection
is older than Mr.. Watterson, and the accepted
meaning of terms in that high debate was fixed
Inv strong and stalwart men, who were too
sincere to seek victory by fraud and 100
manly to pettifog their case. The beliefs
which then made the Democratic party strong
have been illustrated in the government OF
Great Britain ever since. and in all the discus
sions in the mother country the words retain
to this day the same meaning which men or
courage and candor gave them forty years ago
in this country The Free Trader is one who
believes that it is both unwse and unjust TO
fix duties with intent to defend home industry
from foreign competition. When he finds such
duties existing. his ruling purpose is to get rio
of the protective element In them as lar as
circumstances permit, because he believes that
protective duties enhance the cost OF nome
products, and 30 impose upon the people Dur
den largely exceeding the revcnne which they
mt into the Treasury. He who has that belief,
and acts on it sincerely and bravely. may be
pitied for his errors of opinion, but ne is at
least a man and not a sneak. The whole coun-
try has been giving President Cleveland credit
fer manliness and courage, in avowing pre-
clsely the convictions which governed the free
trade Democracy forty years ago, and when
govern the free trade Ministry in Great britain
now. What shame that Mr.. Wattcrson
should try to rob the President of the credit
he deserves
The Protcctionist is one who believes that
duties so adjusted as to defend and thus develop
home industry are just, because they benehu
all the people rather than any branch OF indus
try, and are wise. because they surely secure
ultimate and permanent cheapncsS of produc-
tion through Investigation of industry and
comnctition of home producers. If he finds
such duties existing, which yield surplus
revcnuc. his convictions lead him to take off
those which serve no other purpose than to
Weld revenue. because they confer no bcncht
npon industry The President and his best
supporters in Congress have avowed convic-
tons radically and entirely hostile to those
Oft Protectionist, and have proposed changes
which no believer in protection would ever
imagine to be wise or just. 1t is shame 10
represent them as ProtcctloniSts at heart or
as cowardly tricksters who talk against pro-
lection only to get votes.
What is tariff rcformcr? Before knavcs
made the phrase disgraccful. it naturally meant
one who would stop the leaks in tariff, With
out changing its nature or defeating its pur-
nose. But when Free Traders who had not
manlincss enough to avow their principles stole
the phrase, and used it to cover all sorts OF
dishonest efforts to poke holes in the barrier OF
defence, while pretending to mend and stop
them, the phrase became unit Tor map IKE
Mr.. Watterson to carry on his forehead. me
world has recl!oned him much too honest 10
deserve a name now so OdlouS.