New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-25
MR.. GLADSTONE.
HIS OPINIONS on FREE TRADE on PROVl-
DENCE, ON THE DEVIL. ON PROIEC-
TION AND ON Mr.. POTTER.

Ilsio,s o.. ,roricop Protection, and in no one
of these three does he this tlme accusc "' "
either immortality or barbarisn. IL Is l" poii'e
of c;vilitv a considerable advance upon some Oh
hi recent discourscs to us. But on tie s'nei%'
onestion Of Free Trade in America, the EhH''"
Free Trader seems in doubt. lie saSs III WV
passage: ;., so,oo
had hoped that we might LOOK WIFI SUING
ta,orobe expectation TO the great strength anu
,;,i.,. and clear conviction among the Free
rro1o Marty in the United States of America ana
,ho accounts we hear give rise to the behei 'haV
in M 1ona time il will become triumphant at the
polls ,. >.
We have all heard that song sung before 70
tba Same time and from the same lips but mere
is another: .:.
You must not forget that in other countries
Protection is gaining ground. 1t is gaming grouho
in America"
These two passages are both from ue s"'"'
speech Persons of plain minds may Hhu sunni
difficulty in understanding how both OF 'henl can
no acc rate The belief that the free lraNe
party in America will in no long tine "cco"i'
tr;umnbant AT the polls and the belief That fro-
,ection is gaining ground in America may seem
hard 10 reconcile But to MI. Gladstone an
naradoxes are merely apparent He would explain
AWAY this one as he has many Others, wlth una,
unfailinC cheerful ingenuity OF which '"c Wv
Parliamentary Hand is an acknowledged music
T. reminds one of the memorable period IN 1850
when he declared his Home Rule and L@hu L W
chase bills inseparable. 1t presently oecainc W."
yenient to separate them, and 10 throw oNeroo"i"
Land Purchase in the vain hope OF sa\AiS -"
rest of the Home Rule cargo. ChaAenecu' ''i
Gladstone answered: =" Oh, YES; but wheh l N'iu
they We're inseparable, / meant lnsep"r"'o az
the moment" a.,
,ptor tinn
history of Free Trade, and the more interesting
from the note of melancholy which runs through
il do not exclaims Mr. Gladstone almost
tearfullv do not let us conceal from ourselves
that this country is almost at the present. ume
,he solitary citadel of Free Trade lie pursues
the same topic with n mourniul aVo"aI 'ii"'
Free Trade has passed through its various phases
II had period of struggle: II had a perloo VI
triumph: and after its triumph IL mas no" "
period of danger" With an apology Tor 'he
introduction of such depressing "reminiscences va
such an OCCASION Mr.. Gladstone admits thaV n"'"
Ground has been lost BY the doctrines OF Free
Trade within the last twenty-five years IL Is
great and heavy disappointment. he eNclaln'S
patbetically Not only in America, bu, III .ho
English colonies. has Protection foothod' NoV
only in the colonies but on the Continent, RIO
,cction is stronger to-day than it was before Oop'
don cot IN his pulpit on his new Mount Sinai III
erec, Mr.. Gladstone admits that on this question
rho Civilized World is against him. On the lrlsh
question as YOU know il is for him, or he peileNes
il 10 be for him. When it is for him, be attaches
the highest value TO il, and appeals TO IL ulun-
nhantly on all occasions When 1t is against
him. lie brushes it aside almost contemptuousiy-
pityingly at any rate, and with lhat loiN coH
ddence in himself and his country which is one
secret of the success of both
81 do not wish TO initiate national vanity. do
not wish TO say that we are wiser or oe''er 'nth
others. But do say that 1t often happens III 'ne
counsels of Providence that each nation, or some
particular nation, is appointed TO work out great
social. political or economical problems Tor the
world at large
Well, when Mr. Gladstone once begins TO eA-
nound what he calls the counsels of Providence
there is nothing more to be said; or not much
more His knowledge of them Is probably uh-
rvalled: those who are on less intimate terms
with the Authority to which he appeals can but
listen. You perceive that when the Clvlllzed
World fails him. he falls back on the Other World.
Perhaps it is little hard Oh the Proicctonl't
TO be compelled to silence while the doctrine Of
Divine Right is thus suddenly transferred from the
Monarchy to the arid domain Of Political Economy.
1t has failed to support the Throne for the Throne
rests on an Act of Parliament Mr.. Gladstone
10 tnlnk lldl III VIII 81 w. 10 " ""'''''' IVA
the Cotton MILL and keep the rickety fabric OF Free
Trade from tumblng about the ears of It's prophets
Yet the maxim that Cotton Is King has grown
somewhat musty, and it will not be easy 10
revive il by help of obsolete dogmas borrowed
from tie kingshp of older times.
With the Deity on the side Of Free Trade, the
Devil of course. is on the side Of Protection the
antithesis is inevitable. Mr.. Gladstone does not
leave it to inference or conjecture. lie tells US
that the Devil is wiser than Of yoIe, and Pro-
lection is holder than of yore. Dr. johnson
once remarked, in his placid way, that the Devil
was the first Wing. Mr.. Gladstone no doubt
believes that the Devil the first Protectionst
and all but says so. 1t would be just as easy
for the Protectionist for the free Trader 10
assume this tone, and TO announce eX cathedra
that his own doctrine is Heaven born, while That
of the Free Trader proceeds from warmer cline.
But not much is gained by assumptions OF tins
sort on either side In the present case Mr..
Gladstones is interesting because 1T is Mr.. Oiad-
stones. Anything that lights up corner of his
mind is interesting.
The increasing wisdom of the Devil and the
increasing holiness of Protection are made visible
to Mr. Gadstone's eye by the attempts 70
protect persons well as things He used in tho
old DAYS 10 sit in the scat Of the sc0rncr and
ask, why don't you apply it to persons And
now they do The Australian colonies protect
themselves against the Chnaman, who is either
prohibited or heavily taxed upon his importation.
THAT is protection pure and simple" Yet Mr.
Gladstone is not what is the state of tho
law in the United States, or whether the ncursion
of the Chinese as it is called, is simply resented
whether it is barred by any kind of legislative
restriction or tax on entry" lie has not paid ms
the compliment Of studying the history Of Americ1l
policy. even when it makes, as he thinks against
us and for him.
Il is even more curious that he seems never
10 have heard Of the American contract law. II
he had il would have supplied him with an elc-
rant and eloquent comment on his own scoffng
question Why don't you apply IL 10 persons p
and on the other soothing questions which he used