Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-01-12

system must. by the mere |
ogic of natural fitness. be wiped out. |
And there Is. therefore. but one way
for the business of the nation to gct
final conditions and that Is to definite
" abandon u policy that cannot. In the
nature of things. be anything but tcm-
porary.
There Is but one condition that this
nation will finally accept as worthy of
its antccedcnts. its prctcnsions. its duty
to- itself and to the world.-and that IL
the condition of the trade. 1t Is the only
cure of unrest. for 1t is the only con
ccivnblc issue to the great contention
which. whatever we may wish. Is to bc.
until it Is settled, the controlling dis
putc of American politics. Other con
tentions may come and other contcn
tions may go. but this greatest of our
present contentious. until free trade Is
the settled policy of the country. will go
on forever.
And tn carry on this contention both
parties are committed. and about 1t that
battle of national politics will he wagcd.
The Republican party Is hopelessly
committed to protection. There may
he misgivings here and there In that
party. An editor here or thcrc-a can.
didatc for the presidcncy--or Il candi.
date for the Senatorship-may have
doubts whether the Mckinley bill
should again be riskcd against the
growing knowledge and the waking
conscience of the people. and here and
there We may find u scared Republican
inclination to steal some of our thun.
der. but the Republican party Is n pro.
tcctionist party. bent on maintaining II
permanent protective system. And II
has now. In the interesting progress of
our reform. come TO this. that II no long
or matters what the degree of Rcpub.
lean protection may be. for the inner
cnt vice of the Republican policy lies
not In the degree of protection hut In
the principl of protection.
And the Democratic party IL commit
ted. II Is Il wise. conservative. patriotic
and even long.enduring party. ana 1t
can al all times be intrustcd to deal pa
ticptly and considerably with all merit
orio,,s interests of rlght-dcnling citi.
zcns. Hut while Il has argued for pa
,icnt degrees of tariff reform. and 80
far has lcgislatcd on that line. II has
never used an argument In furtlcrancc
of tariff reform that was not drawn
from the philosophy of free trade. And
It would from the beginning have been
absurd to advocate the tariff reform IL
we had not from the same beginning
believed In ultimate free trade. 1t now.
In my opinion. Is high time To drop the
shibbolcths of tariff reform and to raise
the banner of free trade. We have al
vocatcd and We have achieved tariff
reform. Let us hcnceforth advocate
and let us achieve free trade.
America. my friends. has In this great
matter Il mission. II has established
| domestic institutions founded on free
dom and democracy: and II must cstab
l!sh International relations founded al
freedom ana democracy. II has taught
| the world that II can thrive within it>
own vast domain and produce high M
tionality upon principles of free trade
and II must now show the world tina
the highest intercourse Of internn tiona
life IL based upon the absolute freedom
| of trade. II II not u mere question al
| profit. II IL not the mere OppOrtunit,
| to bc the greatest commercial nation tn
world has ever seen and to gather fO
ourselves tribute from all tho nations
| The result of free trade will un,lOubt
cdly be the commercial domination .
our country. for. M said In the lat
campaign. whenever tho projections
barriers of this Nation are torn dow
II IL not the United States which vii
need protection against England. Ger
many. ana France, but Il Will bc En-
gland ana Germany and France ,h,
will need protection against us. Ru
this IL not all. We have, repeat.
mission. We have duty. We ar
bound to put our great Nation whcr
world where II can both teach an
learn and where Il will have It's righ
ful conlpanionship with the nations
We are bound To let II show the worl
what Il II so able ii show it-that III
real meaning of unrestricted commerce
has never been revealed since thos
days of Phoenicia ana Greece ana tn;
there IL hidden in 1t possibilities III
dreamed of beneath for all mankin'
American genius, American cntc
prise. American invention. America
. democracy are such vast forces
civilization that Il L., sinful and shame
ful to deny them to mankind. An
what of the unmcasurcd treasure
houses of raw material and what Of I'll
unlimited fcrtilities which nature III
put into our keeping rs trustees II
) the whole world! With all these trea
urrs ana with all this national GENT
: we can food the world with bench
: that will raise our commerce to Il
practical heights of philanthropy IN
: our Nation To all the glories of prol
, incncc. Free trade Is not sordid.
= Is II broad philosophy And he mu
|. be- dull man indeed who cannot b
I come thrilled with its meanings.
Q therefore believe that our great pa
\ ty. having long taught and finally le
!. islatcd tariff reform, should now sho
+ what | know II has. the courage OF !
: essential underlying convictions IN
4 say frankly that it stands for FRI
II trade.
I But what degree of this reform y