The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-12-08
THE FREE TRADE PARTY
Ut Is the Democratic Party as Now
Organized and Led"
SAYS GEORGE TlCKNOR CURTIS.
II Repudiates All Protection-A stirring
Arraignment Of the Party OF Tariff Re
form-He Does Not Deny That lie is
Democrat stIll.

NEW YORK, Dec s.-The American
Economist, in to-day'a. issue, publishes
the following letter from George Ticknor
Curtis
The New York Times, in it's issue Of
yesterday, thus quotes approvingiy from
the London Economist
ut must never be forgotten that there is no
free trade party yet in the United states, but
the difference between the Democratic and
the Republican party Is substitution OF mode
rate for extreme projections. The hepuDll-
cans desire To remove all their home manufac-
turers from the competition of foreign pro-
ducers, while Democrats will give a fair
measure Of protection hoWeySsr ,Sa %,sn ,9s
may not be unfairly treated
This is the temperate advice OF the London
Economist, one OF the most convinced tree
trade journals in England, TO its readers. IL
represents the view that Is taken now, and
has been taken for years past, by intelligent
ngnsn ooseryers oa ] ,ris s.so sia W. IN canend
AZ 20 the attention of Senator Hawley OF Con-
necticut, whose mind seems still darkened by
forebodings OF disaster from the influence OF
the recent election.
rhe London paper is entirely mistaken.
There Is free trade party in the United
States. 1t is the Democratic party as
now organized and led. by its late action
IL has entirely renounced the principle Of
protection, maintaining that any protec-
tion is both unconstitutional aud un-
favor what the London paper calls 'mod-
crate" protection The difference be-
tween moderate and extreme protection
is a difference of degree; but the differ
ence between any protection at ali and TO
protection atsall is difference OF princi-
pie.
The Democratic party, as it is now or
Ranized aud led, repudiates all protec-
tion. 1t makes no account of degrees; IL
goes for the destruction OF a system. On
the other hand, the Republican party.
adhering TO the Constitution. and TO the
policy tnat has been pursued ever since
the Constitution was made, seeks 20 pre-
serve the principle of protection, and it
does not seek 10 determine what, "possi-
bilities of competition" can be provided
for. $50 that consumers may not be un-
fairly treated" We want no competi-
tion between our own manufacturers
and foreigners, in our own market.
In respect to the same articles. We eau
furnish our consumers wi h as good ar
ticles as can be brought from foreign
countries that are OF a superior grade TO
those made here. let our consumers who
want such luxuries pay an enhanced
price for them. This has always been
our policy, and IL always must be.
IL we mean to maintain our independence,
and to keep the control OF our own iu-
dustries in our own hands.
Senator Hawley's mind may be dark
ened by forebodlnRs or disaster from the
influence of the recent election. IL sup
pose the Times considers that my mind
is equally darkened. The difference,
however. Is that the senator is "A Repub-
lican and / am a Democrat. III Mr.. Haw-
ley is in the dark, il is u dark uess that he
shares with ali the superior minds that
have governed his country for period of
q hundred years. IL | am in the dark, it
10 darkness that share with Webster
and Clay and jackson aud Van Buren
and Buchanan, and all ths great lights of
the Whig and the Democratic party.
The truth is, that when "A political
party renounces a principle in which it
mas long acted, there must inevitably be
great peril TO the public interests, unless
the opposite party can succeed in win
ming for that principle the continued
support of the people