The San Francisco call., 1896-07-25
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
THE FALLAcY OF FREE TRADE.

4HE EFFECT OF Projection IN UNFOLDING THE
STANDARD OF AMERICAN MANHOOD.
10 many persons the case in favor of free
Ifade comes with the force of q mathematical
demonstration; two and two do not more
clearly make four. The erection of any arlif-
clal barriers to the free exchange of commodi
ues seems to them childishly foolish. Let
every article be made, they say, and all food
ana raw material produced where there are
tne greatest natural facilities; in other words,
wnere they can be manufactured or grown
cheapest. Thus the labor and capital of the
globe will be at their highest efficacy; all arti-
cles VIII be available at a minimum cost and
the general welfare OF mankind promoted.
IL IL be objected that the first effect of free
trade is always to throw large number of peo-
pie out of employment, TO destroy capital and
disarrange industry the free traders have their
answer ready, smile in superior way and an
nounce ex cathedra that the objection is
rounded on an ignorance of economic laws
capital, they say, is not destroyed. 1t betakes
Itself to more profitable industries, thereby
creating new and probably greater demand
ior labor, resulting, OF course, in higher wages
ana the millennium for the workingman.
What wonder that an agreement SO strong
nolds many acute minds in thrall?
AND the tree-traders are right If we make
one concession. II man is q mere instrumen t
tor money-maKing, if the individual man is
only spoke in q huge wealth-prooucing
machlne having no higher duties, aspirations
iiying iiTs1g man tnose layolyed In earning
color he is of, in what country, and under
what conditions he lRbors, then, indeed, they
are right, tor that is the logical outcome OF
their position.
Protectionists, on the other hand do not al
ways defend their position wisely, or under
stand how complete and far-resching is their
case. They are half apologetic. They appear
70 nave haunting doubt that perhaps, after
all, those loud-shouting, dogmatic free-traders
are right Let them take heart of grace and
patriotic and monstrous
1t is unpatTiotic because wo cannot hold 1t a
matter OF indifference, e. g., whether England
spoulu make all the iron goods, ships and ma
chinery for the world; or whether all the
spindles must go to India, China or Japan;
Whether California must devote herself ex-
clusiyely to fruit and the great North to wheat
No; it'll good for state TO have a diversified
lie, anordlng opportunities for different kinds
Of talents. Civilization Itself depends on it,
Tor 1t takes all sorts TO make nation The
United States must hear the music Of the ship
builders hammers no less than the Hgee" and
shaw" of the plowman.
And it is mons trous doctrine. because it re-
gards the workingman as q mere pswn in
game, He is thought of as an impersonal alb
straction. Your true economis does not even
speak OF him as man, but tickets him "La-
bor' or 'Wages," and nabitually argues about
hin him as an incident in the production of wealth.
what monstrous perversion this isl
industry exists, or ought TO exist, for the
capitalists weekly payroll. They are them
selves. in much truer sense, the object for
which production goes on. For, whether is
more important-that Vanderbilt should add
million TO million, or that 100000 families
should live in comfort and decency, raising
good and sturdy citizens?
] lIhe tendency OF free trade is to throw more
and more power into the rich mans hand to
place the poor man more hopelessly in his
power, to promote these gigantic rings and
trusts, the special evils of American civiliza-
ton. It is an extension of the doctrine of di-
vision OF labor, and would result in the deg
radiation OF the worker, depriving him of his
godl1ke faculty OF all-round DEVELOPMENT and
putting him into one little niche, out of which
ne could not stir on peril of being ground to
powder by the world-girdli1g machine of
which he is the merest atom
Even the contention that the displacement
OF industry due to the adoption of free trade
does, at worst, but temporary harm will not
stand close examination. The displaced work
ers, according TO the theory, go where their
services are in greatest request. Admirable
According to the fact they sink into the
ranks OF and compete with unskilled labor
Many OF them go lower still, ana no longer as
wages or 'labor," but as men and women
are trampled in the mire And.their children
poor, wee devils-what becomes of them?
:, Nor does the capitalist come off scathless.
de is supposed to remove his capital joyfully
10 some more profitable investment. 1ndeedl
Yet these same armchair philosophers remind
US, truly enough, that manufacturers capt.
tai consists OF his factories workshops ma
chtnery, etc. Let the capitalist then take COM
tort. He can transfer his ready money to
Hamburg or London, and his dismantled fac-
tories and plant will look interesting as ruins
This question is not only an economic but
moral one. Good economics and good morals
will not be found at loggerheads. There Was
once an Archbishop who madea wise remark:
In moral questions TWO and TWO do not al
ways MAKE tour. K. A. WRIGHT,
430 Bryant street, San Francisco.