National Republican., 1888-01-24
A POWERFUL ARRANGEMENT.
OF THE DEMOCRATIC POLICY OF FREE
TRADE.
Unnnimity of tho "Bilnd Leaders OF the
Blind" In Their Opposition to Pro-
tection-Roger q. Mills Deneminated
Free Trade "Crank."

delivered In the senate was tne one made
yesterday by Mr.. Frye, OF Maine, when he
discussed the Presidents message. He
said the President had clearly thrown down
the gauntlet OF free trade. There was an
attempt, he admitted, at disguise, but so
feeble that It ought not to deceive any
one.
That message had been received with un-
bounded joy in Great Britain. And why
notY England had been seeking the Amerl-
can market for years with persistency
which never tagged, courage which never
failed, faith never hopeless, although for
a quarter OF century she had seen her ag-
gresstons met by strong defenses. But
now the President Of the United States de-
elared that these defenses were to be razed.
The British press had at once proceeded to
self-congratulatlons, and to strip of merci-
lessly the Presidents disguise.
In this connection he quoted extracts
SPec'gtor,, the Scotsman, the Times,
Herald, Nc,rS, Post, and other British
periodicals. These congratulations, he
said, would have continued II voice of
warning had not been heard. The warn
ing was that such English expression of
opinion had to be curbed, or the full
fruition of English hopes never would be
ia: :CHe to that effect, and said that i'm
mediately there had been transformation.
The free trade papers OF Great Britain had
dropped, at once, their self congratula-
tions, and had proceeded to congratulate
the United States and TO prophesy un.
bounded prosperity for this country. Great
Britain had seemed suddenly to recognize
the fact that this country was her daughter,
and to evlnce to her friendship and affec-
ton. The whole history Of Great Britain
night be hunted from the beginning, and
there would not be found one single in
stance where England had ever per-
mitted the rights Of any nation to
impede or hinder her magnificent career In
commerce and in Manufacture. lie did not
blame her for that, but he declared EN-
phatically that England had never in one
single instance evinced any sympathy for
this country, ana that she never had per-
mitted an opportunity to injure this coun.
try to pass unimproyed. He declared that
the counsel, the advice, the friendships Of
Great Britain to any nation In commercial
matters had invariably and inevitably re-
suited in injury to the nation which had ac-
cepted 1t. Ireland was an instance of that
In this connection he quoted from speech
made by Thomas Francis Meagher in Dub.
lin in ls47. And yet, said he, Great Britain
hoped, and the Democratic party expected,
the Irish vote next fall for Mr.. Cleveland as
dency.
One OF the leading free trade speakers In
England had declared years ago that the
greatest triumph Of Great Britain would be
the.subiu markets ofthe United
States. In the promise of the Presidents
message they could see that subjugation
nigh at hand. Great Britain day had her
market open to the world, while other
countries had their markets partially closed
to her. She found ~ y within her own
borders the flercest OF competition,
and her industries 40 falling off. Her
silk Industry .. lnstance) had l. en- abso-
lutely destroytl. Fifteen years ago there
were 10000 ,perso: temployed in the silk
industry In London, md to-day there were
| only 5000. Her cotton m lnufactures were
| crippled, Germany and Belgium were seiz.
| ing her iron and steel industries, and weie
| already controlling one.half of her foreign
trade in that line. Her agricultural lands
| were decreasipgin value, and from one.
third to onehalf Of her agricultural labor
who were employed only rned from a
| shilling to one and six pence day.
But England heard the President OF the
| United States declare In his annual message
that the tariff (the only obstacle to Eng.
lish possession OF the American market) was
| vicious, illogical, ineQuitable, and what
| wonder that the English people deafened
hear" They saw him adopt, as the slogan
Of the Democratic. party for the presidential
battle of 1SSS, the o.d fundamental doc
trine OF free trade, tha. "duty is tax paid
| By the consumer What wonder that they
hailed Mr.. Cleveland as their championp
They saw him promise to open to them
participation in the American market, aud
they knew that that participation would
start their hating looms and feed their
hungry unemployed men and women.
What wonder that the approval Of the
Presidents message went ringing over the
world! But the attitude Of the Democratic
party OF this country was Of .'E,3re
IMPORTANCE, practically, thai the ao.ttitude of
0drtN Great - Britaini ,Ga Suid the Democratic
P1''. :. sne United States, he asked, in.
/ dorse their new chief lie was strongly In
clined to think that It would. He knew
that members Of that party had been mas
| querading for years as reformers, favorlng
"tariff for revenue only, with incidental
| protection," or tariff for revenue ex-
| clusively," and that In manufacturing dis
tricts OF New Jersey and elsewhere they
masqueraded as mild hammered protection
lists. In the south they had had more bold
ness and less diversity Of industry; but
| even there, within the last year or two,
blinded probably by the smoke of newly
| built furnaces or disturbed by the hum OF
| looms, there was to be found here and there
| friend Of protection. The senator from
Missouri (Mr. Vest) had declared the other
| day that he indorsed every line word, and
letter in the Presidents message.
| The senator from Indiana (Mr. Voorhees)
had, in an elaborately prepared speech, In
| perfect GOODNESS, with no excitement what
| ever, declared that the doctrines enunciated
| by the President in his recent message had
been the doctrine Of the Democratic party
for eighty seven years, and that he indorsed
| Tannaccaa
Harris had also, in O speech made else
where, declared that his voice or his vote
would never be for the protection or en-
| couragement OF any American industry.
So that he (Frye) was inclined to think
that the Democratic party Of the country
really shared In the Presidents convictions,
and really believed that the tariff was
vicious, illogical, and inequitable, and that
duty was a tax paid by the consumer.
| And why should not the party so think
| The controlling element OF the Democratic
| party had been always In the south, and the
southern wing of the Democratic party
controlled 1t day as powerfully and com.
pletely as 1t did before the rebellion, when
II compelled the party into the champion.
shiD Of slavery.
There was not the slightest doubt as to
the attitude OF the south on this question
When the south went into rebellion it de.
clared In the confederate constitution, that
no bounty should ever be granted from the
treasury, nor any law be enacted, to foster
or encourage any branch Of industry what
ever. That had been the solemn declara-
tion Of southern Democrats, and they be-
lleve now as they believed then. These
southern gentlemen learned very slowly,
aud forgot as slowly, and they were blind
to-day 10 the marvels which were being
wrought in their midst under protective
tariff. The Democratic party had come
into power in the House Of Representatives
In the forty.fourth Congress aud mad held
| power In that House ever since except in
the forty-seventh Congress, and 1t had illus
trNted its promotion to power by demand