The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-09-17
FREE TRADE AND SOLDIERS PENSIONS,

FREE TRADE AND SOLDIERS PENSIONS,
Scratch Southern Democrat and you will
find free-trader. One does not have to 90
far to discover that the Democratic leaders of
the South are solid for free trade. We make
no account of Northern Democrats. because
they do the bidding of the South now as they
always did. Mr.. Bynums statement at At
lanta is in point. II have followed Mr.. Mills
so long," he said, "that whatever he COM
manis / do" This tells the whole story.
Could political subserviency 60 furtherf Mr..
Bynum is sample Of the lot. Other North
ern Democrats have shown the same willing
ness to obey Mr.. Millss commands thathe has.
A Southern Speaker and Southern ways and
means committee formulated free-trade
policy, and the Democratic majority in the
House, composed of ex-confederates and their
Northern allies, gave it solid support.
Free trade has been the traditional policy of
the South. Its sagacious leaders early dis
cerned that protection was contributing to
the prosperity and developing the wealth Of
New England, and, therefore, they opposed it.
Their theory was that whatever helped the
North hurt the South. The South might
have pro6ted by protection as much as the
North had it so desired, but it preferred
slavery to protection. and sloth to progress.
Protection meant the encouragement and ex-
tension of free labor, and that was just what
the South did not want. IL was only inter-
ested in cotton-raising and slavebreeding,
and these industries did not require protec-.
ton. This was another reason for favoring
free trade. Protection benefited New Eng
land enormously and the South little, if any,
while free trade would injure New England
enormously and the South little, if any.
Therefore, the South stuck to cotton culture
slave breeding and free trade and raised
race of shrewd politicians who stood like
stone wall in favor of these ideas
The war revolutionized things and changed
the conditions of society. government and
trade. Slavery aud slave breeding are ended,
and cotton culture is carried on far more sue
cessfully under free labor than it was under
slave. Still, the South, or rather the Demo-
cratic leaders os the South, are solid for free
trade The South Is in condition now to be
benefited by protection, and many of its in
teligent people see il. Still, the Southern
Democracy are practically solid for free trade.
The OLD motives for advocating free trade
being gone, we must look for a new one. It
viii be found, we think. IN the opposition Of
the Southern Democracy to pensioning Union
soldiers. Away down in the ottom of their
hearts they are bitterly opposed to the whole
pension system. They abominate the whole
business. If they could have their way they
would repeal every pension law now on the
statute books, and never pass another unless
it embraced confederate as well as Union
soldiers. They would wipe out all pension
legislation if they dared. They dare not at.
tempt this, and are too shrewd and polite to
make an open, direct attack on the pension
system; but they will attempt to do by in
Ays
If they cannot repeal existing pension laws,
they can prevent the passage of any moro and
perhaps obstruct the payment Of those already
granted. This they can do by reducing the
revenues Of thegovernment and depriving II of
the power to pay pensions. Cut off the
fountain head and the stream must cease.
Reduce the revenues of the government to
mere living figure and it cannot pay pensions.
This they hope to accomplish by free trade.
They claim that the Mills bill will reduce the
revenues over $s7 600, 900 year-s63, 100 900
in customs duties and $24. 455, 600 in internal
revenue. Whether it would or not, that is
what they claim nd expect of it. They pro-
pose to abolish the surplus, empty the treas
ury, and reduce the government revenue to o
point that will hardly cover current expenses.
Then when it is proposed to pension Union
soldiers the confederates will say it can't be
done. They will not deny the justice of the
soldiers claims nor attack the pension sys-
tenn on its merits. They are too smart for
that. They will simply point to the empty
treasury and the diminished revenue and say
it can't be done. That is one of the Interior
objects of free trade, and one of the reasons
why the Southern Democratic leaders are
unit in support of the Mills bill 1t is flank
movement against the pension system.
WEALTH, prosperity and power will bless the
land that is dedicated 10 free men. free labor
and free trade.-Hon. Roger @ Mills.