Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-08-24
T Continued from 9TH page.1

L opinion was as to how soon theory
hould be concreted into practice.
"This adoption of free-trade principles
Fas not the result of pressure from adj
erse circumstances. The country was
Furnishing, trade was prosperous, the
Fvenue showed a surplus. railways were
hing constructed with u~neXampled ra-
fdity, the working classes were fully
nd remuneratively employed, the impe-
|al average of wheat for the week md
)g June 18th was AIS. lid. per quarter,
bd bread was cheaper than it had been
pr many years. The prevailing CONVEX
ence towards free-trade principles SIM
" proceeded from a conscientious rec
Enition of economic truths. 1t was
1t that the continuance of the existing
osperity could not be ensured unless
lr commercial policy were conducted in
nformity with scientific principles"
The 23d of December. 1915. the league
Id a meeting at town hall, Manchester,
which a resolution was passed. that a
description in aid of the great fund of
$50, 900 be now commenced. The chair
an started it with $1,000 and in one hour
d a half f6O, 900 were subscribed. This,
few days afterwards, IA increased
roughout the country to f150,000. But
1916 the session of parliament was
ened January 10, when Sir Robert
el said, adverting to the potato famine
Ireland as having given more immedi-
urgency to the n law question:
81 will not assign to that cause too
lch weight. l will not withhold the
mage which is due to the progress of
ason and truth, by denying that my
inions on the subject of protection have
dergone a change. . 1t may be
opposed that there is something humili-
ng in making such admissions; l feel
such humiliation. . . . | should
Inundated if, having modified or
hnged my opinion, l declined to ac-
owledge the change, for fear of incur
G the imputation of Inconsistency"
The history continues, p. Isl:
'On the 9th of January, Sir Robert
Ell, in a most lucid and comprehensive
fech, which occupied four hours in the
livery, developed his plan of financial
\ commercial policy. The House was
wded, and every available space for
tors was thronged with eager listen
. He called not only on the agricul-
lists but on every protected class to
nquish protection. The principal
[nges which he proposed were as fol-
Fs:-All duties on foreign manufac-
ed goods were to be abolished, or
atty reduced; abolished on the coarser
criptions, reduced from 20 per cent.
10 per cent. on the finer qualities.
ties on timber and tallow, the only
} articles of raw material Oh which
v remained %unrepealed, were reduced
re than one-half. Silk goods were to
admitted at 10 per cent. duty instead
30 per cent. The differential duties
free-labor sugar were reduced by ne-
{. Animal food and vegetables were
nitted duty Tres as also maize and
Fkwheat. One-haff of the existing
les on butter, cheese, hops, and cured
were removed. In short, the duties
Re to be reduced, or altogether re-
led, on more than $50 articles. FL
Y, as to wheat, oats, barley, and rye,
proposed that on the 1st of February,
lin three years., they should be adj
ted duty free, subject only to a small
ninal registration tax in other words,
proposed the total repeal of the corn
S. 1t was to take place in three
rs, and meanwhile the duties to be
ed on wheat were reduced to los. per
rter when the price was under ASS.
quarter. At every rise of m shil-
per quarter in the market price the
y was to be n shilling per quarter
err, till wheat should be at 54s., and
duty at As, after which the duty was
further to change. The existing
e of wheat being DIS, the duty would
t once reduced from les. to As. per
rter.
| n conclusion, Sir Robert Peel said =
SIX you to give your consent to this
sure, not upon any narrow view that
principle is connected with the accu-
alton of wealth. . . The true
rec Of increased revenue is the in
sed comfort and the unseen volun-
taxation which arises from increased
sumption. | ask you to give your
sent, upon proof advanced to you that
ndance and c~heapness lead to dimin-
d crime and increased morality
nd page l54:
Sir Robert Peel, who spoke on the
il night of the debate, concluded a
and powerful speech by the follow
eloquent peroration: This night is
ecide between the policy of continued
xation of restriction, or the return to
raint and prohibition. This night
will select the motto. which is TO in
tie the commercial policy of England.