The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1890-02-13
Chester Criticism.

ELNttOI Vi Tic AnAA AItsSIss1sf -.
your issue of Feby 6, you published
an article Gladstone and Blaine,
by c. s. Powers, and compliment his
vigorous style. Allowing me to be
Judge, he displayed more vigor than
sense. He says, NOV. observe, Mr..
Blaine admits that times were excep-
tionally good from 1916 to 1856, even
under a free trade regime OF the
most liberal character" don't
know, but, don't believe Mr.. Blaine
ever admitted any such thing, from
the fact, which you very well know,
that such thing as q free trade
regime" never existed in the U. s.,
since the adoption OF the constitu
ton, without we except the time
from 1860 to 1865, and that part OF
the country known as the Southern
Confederacy, and l believe Uncle
Sam put some restriction on that.
II we were under free trade reg
ime'' from 1916 to 1856, what was it
from 1857 to 1861, after the passage
by congress, March 3, 1857, of bill
making q still greater reduction OF
the tariff? Simply a money famine,
Ed. p. d. Now observe, | doubt
Mr.. Powers will ''admit that times
were exceptionally good from 1857
to 1861. If he does the country is full
Of living witnesses to the contrary.
THos. MCKENZIE.
The criticism Of Mr.. kenzie that
the United States never had free
trade since the adoption the consti-
tuition is rather captious, considering
the way the words free trade have
been band led about. The tariff that
prevailed from 1876 to 1856, averaged
if we remember, about 20 per cent
al valorem. The present tariff aver
ages 47a per cent, more than double
that of 1876. Yet when it was pro-
proposed in 1883 to reduce the pres
ent tariff % per cent it was denounc-
ed as free trade" We presume Mr..
Powers in his article had reference
simply to the common acceptation OF
the terms, and certainly if AZ per
cent tariff may be denominated free
trade" by the republican party, there
can be but little improperly in allud-
to tariff tax less than half as much,
/ by the same title.
But Mr.. kenzie overlooks the strong
point in Mr.. Powers argument. Mr..
Powers like Mr.. kenzie is in favor Of
a protective tariff, hence his admis.
sion and the admission Of Mr.. Blaine
likewise, that the good times that ex.
listed from '4G to sc was the result 81
800. OOO, 900 treasury notes issued t.
/ prosecute the Mexican war, is partic.
ularly acceptable to currency reform
ers. From 1862 to the present time
has prevailed the highest tariff taxes
known to our history. During the
| years 1868 "a 65, the business failure.
in the United States averaged about
500 a year, and the losses were about
$40, 600. 900 a year. In those days the
country had Z, 900, 600 900 dollars treas
ury notes in circulation. From 1875
to 1889, the business failures under
practically the same protective tariff
have been an annual average of TO-,
900, with losses ranging as high a,
$3.50. OOO, 900 year.
| These facts prove that the circula
ton OF the treasury notes and the is
suing Of bonds in their stead hay.
crippled the Industries of the coun
tay, paralyzed commerce, reduced
the prices of Of farms and their pro
ducts in spite of a Al per cent tariff