The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1888-09-01
MANY QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
The Real Meaning of Free Trade Her.
and A broad.

The Real Meaning of Free Trade Here
and Abroad.
Certain questions regarding the tariff
have been received which may advau-
tageously be answered together One in
qulrer begius at the beginning. and asks
what is free trade? His letter shows that
he needs the information. No intelligent
man uses the phrase, in tariff discussions
rs if it. meant abolition of all duties on
imports. England is now the only free
trade country in the world, and YET the
average rate OF duty collected by Great
Britain on all dutiable imports is 69. j per
cent. In 1886 the value of these imports
was eos $50, 36S and the amount OF
duties collected, eco, 139 $50. 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
tor 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
ievying 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 IRE
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 ii that deter
mined the character of the tariff, is sadly
in need of education. the tariff which
Henry Clay advocated was protective, be-
cause 1t Disseminated in favor of home
industry; that is, il preferred duties
which would encourage production at
home to duties which would encour age
no production at home. The tariff winch
Mr.. Mills advocates discrminates against
home industry; it prefers duries which do
not encourage protection at home, and
cuts down or abolishes i'll preference to
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 idiotlc 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 politi-
clans who want free trade but have not
the manhood to say so.
But how will abolition of the tariff on
wool reduce wages in wooden manutac
ture?' asks a reader. That is question
prompted by the free trade theory that
duties which protect do not affect wages
Every protectionist understands Cd 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; CD that de
pendence on foreign sources of supply
must close many other mills, unless the
rate of wages here falls to something like
the German level; "a that the reduction
in duties on wooden goods from 70 to 40
per cent, with AUTHORIZATIONS of all
woolens, specific duties being abolished,
would close other mills by the thousand;
aid 60 that when part of the labor i'll
any great industry is unemployed de
preston of wages in that industry is the
inevitable result.
I'm what way was the country less
prosperous under the revenue or tree
trade tariff of 1860 than it is now?' The
wages of labor are now at least 81 per
cent higher than they were in 1860. and
every dollar received will buy more
necessaries and comforts of life-more of
all the products of industry taken i'll pro
portions as they are actually consumed
than 81 90 would have bought in 1860
Neao York Tribune.