The record-union., 1896-07-23
RECOGNIZING THE TRUTH.

The Irish Independent" of Dublin
says that free trade is not showing any
extension, but that it is still ''on trial"
It has existed in the British Isles, 1t
adds, for fifty years, but has made no
progress elsewhere. The Independent
might have added that one of the Brit
ish dependencies, right at our door, alb
solutely rejects it, since Canada has
protective tariff, even against the
mother country The Independent
says:
The leading commercial nations are
more strongly in favor Of protection
row than they have been for some
time France is a case in point, and In
the United States the indications are all
in favor of Mckinley in the Presidential
election, mainly because that gentle
man is in favor Of a high tariff. Ger
many is also an anti-free trade country,
and is utilizing protection at home for
the purpose of flooding the British and
Irish markets with ''rnade-in- Germany
goods, besides competing with the Brit
ish in all parts of the world
A Foreign Office report, just issued,
shows that British trade is rapidly de-
clining in Austria under the operation
OF the existing tariff laws of that coun-
try. In fact, the best markets in Europe
are to a great and expanding extent,
closed to British manufacturers, while
in the markets of South America, Africa
and the East, the United States, Ger
many and France are taking away
very large portion of the trade formerly
monopolized by Great Britain, while
Japan is becoming a very serious COM
petitor to the nations of the West.
England Is finding no new fields for
its wares, and how long its manufact-
urers can successfully compete with for
eigners is question that is not open to
much doubt. They cannot fight against
serious odds much longer, and no matter
how loudly free trade doctrines may be
proclaimed, and no matter how sound
they may be in principle. yet it is quite
on the cards that Cobden's ideas will be
seriously modified in practice before the
Jubilee of free trade has been long pass
ed over
There is no doubt but that the pro-
tective ideas, in one shape or another,
are growing in strength, even among
the working classes, and it need sur
prise no one if, within the next few
years. it is seriously proposed that the
system of trade which now prevails
should be modified, and fair trade be es-
tablished as a measure of retaliation
against comeptitors who are avadling
themselves Of the free trade, which they
reject themselves, for the purpose Of
cuippling agriculture and industrial en-
terprises in Great Britain and Ireland.
Cobden's success fifty years ago did
not close the discussion on free trade in
these islands.
So, then, the Republican party, with
William Mckinley at its head, is pacing
the nations and setting an example that
they are likely to follow. The appeal to
the artisan is of the strongest character
in the foregoing dispassionate extract.
The protective idea is indeed growing
IN strength" and it will develop into
resistless force ere long. The American
nation should be the leader in the move
ment and by assuring industry of re-
ward for its effort give prosperity to
free people.
We believe that this will be done, and
that when the acrinony of the debate
between those who differ on financial
questions has somewhat abated, the
protective principle will dominate in
public thought, and the questions in
November go to the people squarely and
be the hinge upon which the election
will turn. shall American Industries
be protected and prosperity restored p"
Shall fair reciprocity be conserved and
with our home market under our own
control the markets of the world be
open to us for exchange of products
and manufactures that we turn out at
least advantage, and the foreigner 10
4