The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-09-05
THE Golden CLUB.
It's Aims and How 1t Conducts Its Mission.
airy Labors.


The chief auxiliaries of the republican
party in their attack upon the Mills bill,
used in a negative form, seem to be the
Golden club and what is supposed to be
the interest and desire of the British
legislation on the tariff question
As to the Golden club, 1 know little
or nothing of it. | have understood
that it was made up of selection of very
nice gentlemen, who have plenty Of
means and not very much to do, and who
give elegant dinners at stated periods, and
act as cOlpOrteurS for tracts on free trade
written on the doctrinaiYe principle. |
have never been a member OF the club,
and in all human probability never will
be, although | understand that certain
republicans of great prominence, such as
Garfield, Murat Halstead and others,
have, from time to time, honored it with
their membership, attracted, no doubt, by
the elegant dinners. There would not,
therefore, seem to be much danger in the
Golden club.
In respect to Great Britain, 1 have never
seriously considered the question whether
she favored or opposed this or any other
policy that our people might be inclined
to adopt. The question with me has not
been whether it might or might not re-
suit simultaneously to our elder brothers
across the water, being we'll satisfied that
in questio IS OF commercial interest as
connected with government they were
very we'll able to take care of themselves
The important question with me is, what
are our interests as a people?
1t is not an uncommon thing for dema-
gogues and cheap politicians 10 use what
may be called the British argument" 1t
has been often done in respect to this very
question in times past. In 1928. to aid in
securing the passage of the first high pro-
tective tariff the British stalking horse
was brought forward and freely used, but
it was then on the ground that the English
corn laws, discriminating against our pro-
auctions and keeping us out OF her home
market" for breadstuffs and provisions,
made high protective tariff on our part
a necessary retaliatory measure. The con-
verse OF that proposition is the one that is
urged now.
More than forty years since, under the
leadership of one of her greatest states
men-Sir Robert Peel, who was lead
ing member of the landed aristocracy,
and had been trained in the school of pro-
lection peculiar TO that country, system
known as the corn laws under which the
agricultural interests of Great Britain had
so long dominated her commercial and
manufacturing interests, the British
statesmen OF that period turned
their backs to the past and, adopt
ing what has since been called British
free trade, laid that foundation for British
manufacturing which h S since produced
such marvellous results and given her not
only command OF her own market, but
every important market in the world.
Her exports to-day of domestic merchan-
disc amount to 81 ,500,0O0,000 per annum,
almost the whole OF which is the product
of her workshops, while our entire for
eign commerce, embracing imports and
exports, fall far short OF that sum and our
exports of domestic manufactures only
reached the meager amount of Sl19, ZOO, 900
Tor the last year. From these facts, /
know very well that as long as Great
Britain can be permitted to monopolize
the carrying trade of the world and the
markets of the world outside the United
States, she is perfectly willing that we
shall amuse ourselves by trading jackets
with each other inside of our own lines !;
but that if some day, as we undoubtedly
shall, we break through this crust of pro-
lection and enter into competition with
her in the markets of the world, then we
may expect that she will throw every i'm
pediment possible in our way. The OPP
portunity is presented for our doing it
now if it be allowed to pass by, it may be
years before it is presented again in any
form so favorable.