New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-08-09
TIE FREE TRADE UATERLOO.

If Waterloo stands for the most crushing de-
feat In history il typiiics the years campaign
Of Free Traders against the American policy Of
Protection With overwhelming ma1ortti''s IN
both houses they started Just one year ago In
extra session 10 overthrow the Republican pol
ley. II is Il subordinate question now whether
Mr. Germans u,!matum. giving the conference
until noon to-day Ia agree or disagree. ends In the
massage If The Senate bill or defeat " any tar'n
leclslation In either case thc defeat Of FRI"
Traders is complete and huln!liatIng. Before
the final action a brief review j. In order
|. The Free Traders demand. formulated by
Democratic leaders and Treasury experts prior
Ia the extra session In August. never saw me
light The mere report ~ II brought such clos
Ing OF mills loss Of employment. reduction ~
wages and general disaster that when the extra
session met in August reconstruction Of the
proposed bill began.
o Before the silver question was finally Out
Of the way the overwhelming popular verdict AZ
the fan elections last year warned FRI" Traders
that they must modify their bin yet more. The
measure Professor Wilson proposed in Dcccrn-
Der was far different from the bin he would
have proposed in October.
3 Continuing disaster aud continuing hostile
maioritics forced further yielding in tie House
Committee and In the House. The b,ll It
PASSED the House was a weak dution 81 the
bill offered as that a weak diluton Of the
bill originally proposed. II left discriminating
duties AT almost every point ana about half the
protection given by the Mckinley act, though
the Free Traders started out 10 take away pro
lection entirely save rs II might result from II
purely revenue tariff
T. A dozen Senators. representing manufaci-
uring and mining States. found II nm absolute
necessity for their States and themselves To
force radical changes IN the bill. Overwhelming
Democratic defeats IL spring elections bound
them together In an Irresistible phalanX Ia
change the bill or beat II. The Sugar Trust.
with the sugar producers OF Louisiana Kansas
and Nebraska. Joined forces for the same pnr-
pose.
). The Senators who combined against the bill
blnntly stated In caucus their determination not
to vote for II unless II was made satisfactory
TO them The caucus yielded. and fortXihrcc
Democratic Senators bound themselves by
pledge TO support the bill required by III" repre-
sentalivcs Of the sugar interest and ~ manu-
featuring and mining States.
g. The opportunities for corrupt and shameless
barter presented by this blind pool to support
any bin reported were us'~l to the utmost by all
the trusts and monopolirs. bill resulted which
Frcc-Tra1e organs denounced as "a Bill OF
Sale" as shameful surrender OF every prfn-
clple for which the Democratic party had
fought. and UNNECESSARILY worse than the
present tariff It's general effect 10 leave
much more than half the protection afforded
by The Mckinley law. but monopolies and IA
vored interests secured advantages "a great
as. and In some cases greater than resulted
from all the errors and abuses which had grown
M under system Of general protection.
Z The Democratic Senators forced to
pass This bill. bad as II was and rcckng with
corr,Iption or no bill AZ all. When II passed
Free Traders frankly admitted that the present
tariff was more fair and just. more adapted to
the wants Of different Industries. better pro
tecive tariff in all respects. besides being free
from the scandals and The Infamous favoritsDs
Of the proposed bill 1t is the deliberate 1udg
mcnt OF the country that. II II has 10 choose be-
/ tween the Mckinley law and the shameless Bill
. Of Sale and Surrender. its ma1Oritcs for ntcli
gent protection will go fnr beyond those hitherto
cast for the protective system.
g. The conference was expected 10 amend and
purify the bill The President himself. though
( he had been consulted and had asscnted to i'll rs
features. denounced It's "periidy and dishonor.'
and yet his friends at once began to barter will
Senators for favors to trusts and monopollc'
which had been omitted I'm the distribution OF
plumber. They have assented to a sugar sched
ule even less decent than the one proposed by
the Senate, and to shameless favoritsm for III,
benefit Of other mOnopolies by the Score. hui
insist upon gift Of millions to the Canadian
coal monopoly at the expense Of American Goa
miners.
II any such bill passes, IL is blasting dishonOl
MS well as crushing defeat for Free Trade. II
no bill nasses the defeat Of Free Trade Is com