The times., 1888-08-31
MANY QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
The Real Meaning of "Frec Trade" Here
and Abroad.


and Abroad.
Certain questions regarding the tariff
have been received which may advantage
ously be answered together. One in
quirer begins at the beginning, and asks
what is free trader His letter shows that
he needs the information. No intelligent
man uses the phrase, in tariff discussions,
as If it meant abolition of all duties on
imports. England is now the only free
trade country of the world, and yet the
average rate of duty collected by Great
Britain ON all dutiable imports Is 69.5 per
cent. In 1886 the value of these imports
was a2S, 955, 1868, and the amount of
duties collected. eco, 1876, ,5S2 Nearly the
whole duty was levied on tea, tobacco
and wines, which that country does not
produce at all, and on spirits, which it
taxes whether produced at home or i'm
ported.
Free trade means the levying Of duties
for revenue only, in such manner as to
help home industries as little as possible.
The free trade theory is that home in
dustry cannot be helped through the
levying of duties on imports without tax
ing the many for the benefit of the few.
Free trade, therefore, imposes duties as
far as possible upon articles which are
not products of home industry, and omits
or abolishes or reduces duties of pro-
tective character as far as the necessities
of revenue will permit.
This simple explanation makes it clear
that he who asks about the average rate
of duties upon imports" as if that deter
mined the character of the tariff, is sadly
in need of education. The tariff which
Henry Clay advocated was protective, be-
cause it Disseminated in favor of homo
industry; that is, it preferred duties
which would encourage production at
home to duties which would encourage no
production at home. The tariff which
Mr.. Mills advocates discriminates against
home industry; it prefers duties which do
not encourage protection at home, and
cuts down or abolishes in preference
duties which do encourage protection at
home.
"Why insist that Democrats favor free
trader Because it is true; because they
boast that it is true; because their action
in congress would be simply idiotic if it
were not guided by free trade beliefs and
principles. When British journals say
that President Cleveland uses the precise
arguments which British free traders have
been using for fifty years they tell the
exact truth. British journals and British
gentlemen do not conceal their profound
contempt for American politicians who
want FREQ trade but have not the man.
hood to say so.
But chow will abolition of the tariff on
wool reduce wages i'm wooden manufac-
ture?' asks q reader That is o question
prompted by the free trade theory that
duties which protect do not affect wages.
Every protectionist understands C) that
production of American wool must largely
diminish if foreign wool is admitted free;
(2) that many looms which are adapted to
use American wool only must therefore
cease running in that case (3) that de-
pendence upon foreign sources of supply
must close many other mills. unless the
rate of wages here falls to something like
the German level; (4 that the reduction
in duties on woolen goods from 20 to 40
per cent, with undervaluations of all
woolens, specific duties being abolished,
would close other mills lY the thousand;
and (5) that when part of the labor in
any great industry is unemployed de-
preston OF wages in that industry is tho
inevitable result.
'In what way was the country less
prosperous under the revenue or free
trade tariff of 1860 than it is now?" The
wages of labor are now at least 80 per
cent. higher than they we're in 1860, and
every dollar received Twill buy moro
necessaries and comforts of life-more Of
all the products of industry taken in pro-
portions as they are actually consumed
than $1.20 would have bought in 1867
New York Tribune.