St. Paul daily globe., 1889-05-13
JOHN BRIGHT.

EQltOr OF the GlODe.
1t is nearly ffty years since John
Bright first addressed English audi
enees on the question of free trade. The
protectionist press of that day Qong
since deceased) was more pointed in its
opposition to that class of reformers
than the P. P. of our time. Here is an
extract from an English paper of July,
9lS43.
sit is stated that Bright, the free
trade agitator, is expected to visit the
wool fair, which will be held at Alu-
owich shortly, in order to scatter the
tseeds of disatfectiOn in that quarter.
Should he make his appearance, which
is not improbable, is to be hoped there
may be found some stalwart yoeman
ready to treat the disaffected vagabond
as he deserves" Yet John Bright
fought through the battle, and won a
victory that saved his country from
revolution. bringing ON an era of pros
sperity such as she ne yer enjoyed before.
j His struggle was for freedom, and the
eloquent words given below, substitut-
ing one, America for England, are as
true to Americans to-day as they were
to the British forty-six years ago, per-
haps may be the keynote for the cam
paign of '92.
sWe might lay the whole world under
contribution if we had free trade. All
nature lies extended before usher vast
treasure houses are open to us; there
is nothing that is good for man under
the sun that may not be brought to
America in return for the produce of
Americas industry. [ would not lay
the world under contribution by ma
rauding and buccaneering expeditions;
it should not be by ships going forth
filled with Americas thunder and
with deadly weapons, but by merchant
ships, which should carry abroad the
thousand things you make, which in a
kindly manner you would exchange
with every people under heaven, bring
ing in return all they have to spare, to
nourish and cherish and prosper the
people of this country. And when our
labors are over, when our warfare is
accomplished, our consolation aud our
reward shall be-that in our day and
generation we have been permitted to
the glorious and the promised time
when human laws shall harmOnize with
the sublime injunction of the Christian
code, and when man, as all individual
; or in communities. shall accept and
obey that diyineSt precept of them all
Whatsoever We. would that men should
do to you, do We even SO to them
Here is another piece of his beautiful
imagery an appeal that should touch
the American mind on a sensitive point,
the decay of its shipping.
'.Look at the ocean-h0w 1t spreads
itself before the admiring gaze. Look
how it's pillows curl and play and seem
to invite your ships to float upon its
bosom.
"Observe those winds, blowing from
continent to island and from island to
continent. ready to watt the produce of
each to cheer the heart of man in all.
And think of that gracious Being who
has bestowed these things upon His
creatures, with such bounteous hand,
that all might enjoy the blessings He
has shed upon the face of the earth,
were it not that we are debarred from
their free use because monopoly re-
stricts trade, and denies that right to
purchase our daily bread from any but
the landlord of this country"
!. I hope America may find as good
John Bright to succeed her. when
strikes and lockouts, with increasing
poverty, forces the attention of her citi-
1zens to the main cause, viz: that beau
qtiful system of protection producing
conditions as it does that call for patri-
OTIS, to rise up and destroy it. j. B.
Ii Minneapolis, May 6.