Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-09-28

been hcpeieHsiy AMI egregiously wrong
Were cur own expsctztiOns, Ia common
Nth those Of the majority Of public
commentators, founded on an entire
miaconception o. the probable effects Of
protective policy IN the States II tins
report DO not tissue Of artfully con
trlved fabrications II would really seem
that these questions ought - Do an
s1ered IN the Affirmative. Ii Is Of
course far from improbable that the
report has been prepared by adherents
Of McKinleyism. The time Of its publ
cation IS a. least suspiciously opportune,
and party zeal in America would scarce
ly hesitate at even such a method Of de
molishing opposition But when all is
said and done. there stand the positive
statements OF the subcommittee III all
their force. According 70 these the
cost Of living has actually declined IN
the United States since the adoption Of
the Mckinley act, whereas in Great
Britain IL has increased. We rub our
eyes In amazement. Were those pro-
phetic voices right, after all, which fore
told an era Of prosperity for the people
OF the United States as result OF their
fostering home industry by means Of a
wall of hostile tariffs"
The explanation Of the Thunderstorm
condition of this London editor is that
no had gone on believing with childlike
simplicity the preposterous falsehoods
about the new tariff, which were coined
by his American allies. So far remoy ed
from the scene Of It's actual operation
and with strong personal interests Ia
prejudice his mind against our new pro-
tective measure. he swallowed without
question every whopper that was dealt
out TO him Here Is sample Of the
kind OF stuff upon which the British
passed. IL is taken from the London
Labor World of Dec. q, 1890:
THE sudden, general and rapid ad-
vance in the value Of goods of every de-
scription has proved to the projections:
consumer better than a thousand argu-
ments the folly of loading trade and
commerce with fiscal chains. A worsted
wooden suit for GO is now 60 IA; alpaca
at ? shillings and 9 pence 70 shillings
per yard is now shillings TO shiI
hngs and pence; wooden goods at 10
pence per yard raised TO / shilling and
pence per yard; pear buttons at l penny
per dozen, now To pence. The tax Of
100 per cent. on tin plate has raised the
price of cofYeepots from to shillings.
An orange formerly penny to ~ pence.
now costs a1s to pence. Barley Is taxed
l shilling and 2l1 pence per bushel.
formerly 5 pence; maize ~ pence in
stead Of . pence; corn and meal 10 pence
instead of 8 pence; cigars formerly 215
pence are now pence. and a similar
rise through the list. But not content
with taxing the living. the dead arr
made To contribute, as a tax on collins
formerly so now costs f12 to SIG"
We remarked at the time on the gull
hbility of the Britisher. But it seems
he went on believing with undated
ardor. Naturally the consequences have
been Just as The Financial News now
describes. But let as quote farther from
what il says:
''If the conclusions of the subcom-
mittee are really borne out by the i'm
proved conditions of the people, the
Americans will undoubtedly DO able
henceforth to put forward substantial
justification for their protective policy.
We might perhaps go farther and say
that free traders. all the world over. will
be strongly inclined 10 reconsider their
position. IL such view could be sus-
tanned in an exhaustive and impartial
inquiry, the members OF the Golden
club would be compelled to adopt new
set of arguments in favor of their cher
ished creed, or the conventional shib-
bolethS Of a party which had outlived
its reputation for sagacity would have
10 go ignomiuiously by the board"
In that paragraph is contained the dy-
Mantle bomb for the American free trade
camp. On this side there has been
maintained a sturdy determination to
attach no importance whatever 20 TIL
senate investigation and TO repudiate
the work Of Edward Atkinson, Henry
c rter Adams, Francis A. Walker, Sen.
ator Carlisle and Senator Harris. all
eminent free traders, who unanimously
agree that there can be no question
about the facts reported. The Financial
News continues:
Free trade has hitherto been held mp
to our reverent regard, on the ground
that In opening our markets without
hindrance to all sorts of foreign compe-
tition W. conferred upon the public tho
enormous benefit Of cheapening the cost
Of living. The distrust of this theory.
limited at by Lord Salisbury in May last.
would no doubt be accumulated If II
turned ont that protection in the United
States had brought about such result
while free trade in Great, Britain had
done the opposite"
If this English editor will regularly
read moro true American newspaper
sId less Of The Times and World he
viii be safeguarded in future against
such terrible shocks to his nervous sys-
tenn a. the one which called forth the
comments ouoted sbove.
An Independent Paper on the Issues
The radical free trade plank Of the
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