Connecticut western news., 1890-01-15
GLADSTONE VS. BLAINE.
A TARIFF BATTLE OF THE
 GIANTS.

GIANTS.
 One Argues for Free Trade, the Other
 for Protection.
 The notable discussion of Mir. Glad stone and Mir. Blaine on s'Free Trade or Protection" fills "A pages of the North American review for January. The following excerpts will convey some idea of it's scope and brilliancy." Mir. Gladstone, who opens the duel, says: "But in America, besides the jealously palisaded field of dear pro- duction, there is vast open expanse of cheap production, namely, in the whole mass, to speak roughly, of the agricultural products of the country. mot to mention such gifts of the easth as its mineral oils. In raising these the American capitalist will find the demand of the world unexhausted, however he may increase the supply. Why, then, is he to carry his capital abroad when there is profitable em- ployment for it at home. If protection is necessary to keep American capital at home, why is not the vast capital now sustaining your domestic agricul- ture and raising commodities for sale at free trade prices exported to othar countries? Or, conversely, since V capitals find an unlimited field for
 ployment in cheap domestic prod SM without protection, it is demonl 1ed that protection is not required in order to keep your capital at home.
 The youth of America was, espe- cially in New England, a youth not of luxury, but of difficulty. Nature dealt somewhat sternly with your ancestors, and to their great advantage. They were reared in mold of masculine character and were made fit tolencoun- ter and turn to account all yicissitudes. As the country opened they were con- fronted everywhere with one great cry ing want. the scarcity of labor, so they were put upon the application of their mental powers to labor saving con- trivances, and this want grew as fast, or faster, than it was supplied. Thus it has come about that a race, endowed with consummate ability for labor, has also become the richest of all Traces in instruments for dispensing with labor. The provision of such instruments has become with you standing tradition, and this to such degree that you have taken your place as probably the most inventive nation of the world. It is thus obvious enough that remarkable faculty and habit of invention which goes direct to cheapness helps fill up that gap in your productive results which is created by the wastefulness of protection. Tbe leakage in the na- tional cistern is more than compen- sated by the efficiency of the pumps that supply it."
 MT. Blaine, in his reply, makes these points: "Perhaps the most remarkable feature in the argument of MT. Glad stone, as indeed of every English free trader except John Stuart Mill, is the universality of application which he demands for his theory. Free trade he believes advantageous for England :; therefore, without the allowance of any modifying conditions, great or small, the English economist declares it to be advantageous for the United States, for Brazil, for Australia-in short, for all countries with which England can establish trade relations. It would be difficult, if not impossible, for MT. Gladstone to find any principle of administration or any measure of finance so exactly fitted to the varying | needs of all countries as he assumes the policy of free trade to be. Alaska excepted. the northernmost point of the Union is 60 miles south ot the southernmost point of Great Britain, I and the southernmost point of the | Union is but little mo Q than a hun- dred miles from the tropics. It's nat ural products are more varied, more numerous and of more valuable char acter than those of all Europe.
 Questions of trade can no more be regulated by an exact science than crops than be produced with accurate forecast. The unknown quantities are SO many that a problem in trade or l agriculture can never have an absolute answer in advance.
 MT. Gladstone's pregnant suggestion really exhibits the thought that lies deep in the British mind, that the mechanical arts and the manufacturing processes should be left to Great Britain and the production of raw material should be left to America. Mir. Gladstone is entirely frank. He tells the laborers on protected articles that they would be better engaged in "raising more cereals and more cotton at low prices."
 Mir. Gladstone, however, commits himself to the principle that ssall protection is morally bad" If this has been his belief eyer since he be- came an advocate of free trade, his