The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1888-09-27
EYADING THE ISSUE THEY
HAVE NJ ABE.

HAVE MADE.
The work of tariff reform requires just
now pretty vigorous exercise on the part
Gifts votaries. Realizing the overwhelm
ing drift of public sentiment against the
acceptance of their suggestion to remodel
the fiscal policy of this country after the
English pattern, the free trade workers
are now busy explaining that nothing
like free trade was ever intended. Even
the president, whose denunciation of our
protective policy as vicious, ineq,ita-
bic and illogical source of unnecessary
taxation" rallied to his support every
prominent free trade writer and speaker
on both sides of the ocean, now deems it
advisable to demand that he shall not be
called a free trader.
In view of certain precedent circum-
stances, however, there are likely to be
found those who will hesitate to admit
the adequacy OF this eleventh-hour pro-
test. The past ttitude ofthe president anG
his party are likely to be deemed quite as
safe criteIia for conclusions i'll this direc
tion as are present assertions, known to
be brought forth under pressure of ex-
treme party emergencies. And what
does retrospect reveal but sympathy and
consistent concession to those who have
long been recognized advocates of free
foreign trade?
Going back to March, 1885, the presi-
dent is found signalling the advent OF
his administration by appointing as
his counselors two members of the Cob
den club of England-Messrs. Bayard
and Lamar. One Of these he put at the
2lead of his cabinet, and the other he sub
sequently promoted to the supreme
bench A number Of other members of
the same free trade organization are now
doing service as foreign consiils, and still
another, Mr.. Morrison, has been APP
pointed on the interstate commission in
charge of the internal commerce of the
country. The party majority i'll the low
er house of Congress, with the presidents
approval if not at his dictatlon, elected
as speaker another Golden member, Mr.
Carlisle, who placed at the head Of the
Ways and Means committee a represent
tative, who several years previously, in
yoked blessings upon country dedicated
to free trade. and evidenced his consist
ency by formulating the Mills bill, which
puts on the free list long array of arti-
cles heretofore recognized as properly
subjected to duties, and materially re
duces the protection to nearly every prod
uct of domestic manufactures.
Getting outside of the cabinet and Con
gress, the record for free trade is found
equally clear, the support of free traders
is equally strong and consistent. The
convention that named the president for
reelection, placed at the head of the plat
form committee Mr.. Waterson, a member
of the Cobden club, and applaude1 to the
echo the work of that committee and the
still more radical speech of its chairman.
1t named for vice-president man who
has since denounced the policy of pro-
lection to home industries as deception
and branded as "humbugs" those who
believe that protection is benefit to the
laboring men of the country.
Attracted by Inconsistent record thus
made, with faith in the sincerity of par
ty thus fortified, Mr.. Henry George, Mr..
Frank Hurd and a number Of other free
trade apostles, are already on the stump
advocating the presidents reelection as
long stride towards the goal of their
ambition. Every foreign mail comes
loaded with praise of their work, and if
rumor is to be believed there's not want
ing even more substantial evidence of
British sympathy and interest in the sue
CESS of the present crusade against pro-
tection-thus confirming the British de-
termination expressed by the London
Times, not to ''rest while the United
States are unsubdued."
No impartial student of the existing
political situation can fail to recognize
full warrant for the conclusion of the
London Chronicle: ct is immaterial to
discuss what President C1eveland's cru
SADIE should be called. He may give it
any name he likes, so long as we know it
is, in fact, q crusade for free trade"