The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1888-10-13
IRISH HISTORY.
FREQ Trade Not Responsible for
Ireland's Condition.
IFrom the Catholic World

From the Catholic World.I
Now is the time when the stump
speaker IN forward and airs his
ignorance of Irish history. John F.
Scanlan is one of the last we would
think of In this connection; and yet he
appears to be M of the most igDo-
rant. In tho ST. Louis Globe Demo-
crat of recent date he is quoted ss say
ing that Ireland has had free trade ''for
sixty-six years." To this he credits
the poverty OF that unhappy land, re-
marking that "under the protective
tariff Of the Irish parliament from 1872
to 1900 Ireland was the most prosper
spot in all Europe" To make
these statements stronger he draws a
magnificent picture of lreland's natural
u which, he says, remain un-
developed on account of lreland's sys-
TEN of ''free trade"
Now the death of Ireland's indus
tries a not be traced to free trade,
but to the English protective system
that levied tribute in the interest of
the British manufacturer ON every
article exported from the Emerald Isle.
Irish manufacturers could not compete
with the Britishers in foreign markets,
for the reaso that the English govern
ment taxed their exports heavily to
accomplish that very end in the inter-
est of British trusts, just as the repub-
lican party to-day taxes the American
people to support the trusts of republic
a Uapitalists-trusts which Jamss g.
Blaine considers ''private affairs and
nom of the public's business"
1t was against these British trusts
that Grattan raised his voice when he
told the English king that the only way
to relieve Irish misery was ''to open a
free export trade" 1t was under this
"free trade" so called, that Ireland
was prosperous as described by John
+. Seaman. Ireland v asked Tor a
protective tariff, never deemed it pros
perity. II was free trade, if anything,
that the Irish volunteers demanded,
and ''they took free-trade not as q
gift from English power and bounty,
but as u right wrung from a weakened
tyranny" (Ireland, Past and Present,
page 2S9).
The British trusts killed Ireland's in
dustries. These trusts were again
made possible after the work of the
VOluutCCI5 udu DOCu OtCEtuEOWn ny tu0
Act of Union. When Ireland has leg
islative independence, her industries
will spring up anew; but they will not
need protection. If free trade killed
Ireland, why do not the Irish parlia-
mentarians work for protection? Do
you ever hear them use the word? Mol
They wage battle for the restoration of
lreland's legislative rights, so that they
may have freedom from the thraldom
of British trnsts, in defending which
British rule has silenced Irish indus
tries.
We are far from advocating free
trade; we are battling for tariff reform,
a reform that republicans admit is Q
essary. To hide the justice of the
democratic platform, the republicans
cry out falsely that democrats are in
favor of free trade. The Catholic News
would have nothing to do with any
free trade scheme, and it is surprised
to see any Irishman-especially a
Catholic Irishman-bear false wit
ness. misrepresent Irish history and
put himself in a category where Irish
informers alone should be.
Reader, when any one tells yon that
the democrats are not protectionists in
the truest sense of the word ask him
what means this sentence i'm Cleveland's
letter of acceptance ave have enter
ed in nc crusade of free trade"