Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-08-09
What is Free Trade.
Tarl.e Leagas Bulletin.

with compound words, the derived word
often having a far different definition
than the combined meaning Of the
separate words Of which it is COM
posed. In order to get at the true
meaning of word or phrase, we must
study its character and association and
learu its true meaning from authorita-
tive sources. 1t will not do for us,
therefore, in finding proper definition
for the compound word Free-trade, TO
sumo that because the word tradc
comes from the French traite, which
came to mean transportation, or the
Latin trdctdre, which means to handle,
aud because the word free springs from
the Anglo-Saxon, and has come to
mean exempt from Subsection, that a
combination of the two meanings will
give us definition for a combination
Of the two words. As we'll say that the
Free soil party was made up Of theor-
lists of the Henry George school and
advocated Free Soil for every one.
What they really did advocate was the
non.extension of slavery. And so with
the word Free trade. 1t has come to have
a particular commercial meaning, and
this meaning we shall try and give
with the aid of the best authorities.
In the first place, we find this deti-
milton in Webster's Dictionary: Com
merce unrestricted by tariff legisla-
ton. y In other words when our tariffs
low enough to admit unrestricted or I'M
limited commerce, then we have Free
Trade. 1t is not necessary that all
Tariff or customs duties should be
abolished to bring about Free-Trade.
These duties must simply be so low as
not to restrict or prohibit the entry of
foreign products at prices lower than
our own.
Now, lets us take Professor Sum-
ner's definition, and none will dispute
his authority. This pronounced opo-
nent of Protection says: fThe term
'Free-Trade.' although much discussed,
is seldom rightly defined. 1t does not
mean the abolition of custom houses,
nor does it mean the substitution of
direct for indirect taxation, as a few
American disciples of the school have
supposed. 1t means such an adjust
ment of taxes on imports rs will cause
no diversion of capital from any chan
mel INTO which it would otherwise flow
into any channel opened or favored by
the legislation which enacts the Gus
toms. A country may collect its entire
revenue by duties on imports and yet
be an entirely Free-trade country so
long as it does not lay those duties in
such a way as to lead any one to
undertake any employment or make
any investment he would avoid in the
absence of such duties. Thus the Gus
toms duties levied in England, with
very few exceptions, are not inconsist-
emf with her confessions of being a
country which believes ia Free Trade, !
Next we give definition by one of
our formost scholars, who is staunch
Protectionist, MIR. Charles A. Dana
He says: "a Free-Trader is a revenue
reformer who proposes first of all to re-
duce the Tariff duties on foreign goods
and to maintain the internal revenue
taxes untouched The revision of the
Tariff be would put through with the
principle of Free-Trade with foreign
nations uppermost. BY steadily pur-
suing this policy, all strictly Protective
duties would be swept away in the
course of about 20 years, and the
country brought substantially to in
ternal taxation as its permanent mode
of revenue. This would be equivalent
to Free-Trade. The man who claims
to be a Free-Trader, yet proposes be-
fore making any charge in the Tariff
to first reduce the internal revenue
taxes, is a sort of man we have never
seen, and of his existence there is as
yet no evidence.
We could give scores Of such delin-
itions of the best authorities, but when
the leading lexicon and one of the lead
ing advocates of Free-Trade and Pro-
lection substantially agree, why need
we pile up the corroborative testimony.
We may perhaps be pardoned, IN con-
cusion, in adding The Bulletins defn-
ition, which is this. Free-Trade is that
! method of adjusting the duties which
excludes the principles of protection,
and which implies or favors the per-
manence of internal taxation as one of
the sources of the national revenue.
As we have shown conclusively
above, Free Trade means the reduc-
ton of customs duties as to allow the
entrance of foreign products at cost
less than we can produce or manufac-
ture the same, and the maintenance of
internal taxes as a source of National
Revenue. This is what President
Cleveland advocated in his
message, consequently we are right in
insisting that he is Free Trader The
Mills bill is in strict accordance
with this same doctrine, hence it is
Free Trade legislation, and its sup
porters in Congress can be called by
no other name than Free-Traders.
Both Message and Bill were indorsed
by the St Louis Convention, hence the
y i. ,cracy of the country can be term
"a nothing else than a Free-rrade
Party. We have proven this point
carefully and logically We have the
definitions of scholars,we have the
testimony of Democrats themselves,
and we have the unanimous voice of
the English press to support our
CLAIMS 1t is quite time then Mr.. Car
isle, Watterson, Mills and others to
stop all further equivocation. In con-
versation day or two since with a
prominent Democrat from Kentucky,
who is very near the Speaker and the
Administration itself, be said candidly
to us, 81 am a Free-rrader nd so is
my party, but we believe in expe-
diency." ExpediencY, Ell. Well that
is just the point. But there is a differ
ence between expedieney and hypoc-
ricy, distinction between diplomacy
and dishonesty. Oar Free-Trade adj
vocates do not, however, seem to be
worried over such trifes. Most incum-
bent is it then upon every intelligent
voter that he does not allow himself to
be deceived by these men. who canfess
they want Free-Trade, but who think
it 'sexpedient" to preach Protection
when soliciting votes in cities pregnant
with industrial activity.