The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-15
THE DECAY of FREE-TRADErsM.

When Congress was called by the Presi-
dent to pass a tariff bill which would af-
ford the treasury ample revenue, and, at
the same time, give American producers
the advantage in the American market,
there was a feeble protest among those
who have been admiring themselves as rev.
enue reformers They recalled the painful
fact that their first practical effort at rev.
enue reform had created a condition of
chronic deficit in the treasury. and were
not vehement When the Dingley bin was
reported in the House, with it's specific
duties arranged along protection lines, the
real free-traders regarded it as a chal-
lenge to battle. Even Mr. Cleveland said
something about it, and the reform clubs
held meetings and resolved to send out
tracts printed after the style of the Cob
den Club, to influence the voters. Quite a
number of sensitive and timid people wrote
large numbers of letters to the Republicans
of the Senate finance committee, which at
once set itself to reducing the duties of the
Dingley bill.
In course of time the bill of the finance
committee reported in the Senate.
Now, however, another class of people We're
writing letters to the members of the SEN
ate They were very different letters, too,
because they called for duties which would
check foreign importation, stimulate home
competition and afford revenue. And they
wanted this legislation without delay
All along the Republican senators had
been counting upon close votes, and even
losing votes upon schedules and paragraphs
of schedules. What was their surprise
when the first test came, to find a majority
of six or eight, and several more in re-
serve. Several of the silver senator's, two
or three Populists and four or more South
ern Democratic senators came gradually
to the support of the Dingley portions of
the Senate bill One day when Populst
and Democrat were wasting time over
some paragraph of the BILL one sneered at
the other because he did not bring his as
sociates into line to defeat the Repub-
licans. He admitted the charge and re-
torted that his accuser was even worse
off. as one of his party associates was CO.
operating with the Republicans. Day
after day was spent between Democrats in
advocating and defending the principle of
protection. And now it is known that the
banqueters of the Reform Club and the
free-trade organs were speaking for them
selves and not for any solid business ele-
ment in the country.
While these things have been developing
in this country, the Duke of Devonshire,
president of the British Empire League,
speaking at the banquet of the Liverpool
Chamber of Commerce, admitted the fail
ure of Cobdenism, declared that free trade
was not opening new markets for England,
and that it was suffering by being the only
free-trade nation in the world. OF course,
word has been sent that the duke was not
quite in earnest or does not represent
the sentiment of England nevertheless,
British statesmen are considering the pro-
priety of adopting a system of commerce
between England and its colonies which is
in opposition to the maXims of Golden,
and Canada is already making a tariff to
discriminate in favor of free-trade Eng
German and the Frenchman Underselling
him in his own island in his own goods,
which is silently turning him against Cob
denism. The trend of the world is toward
protection and trade treaties. 1t is very
sad for the boys who have brought their
editions of Professor Sumner from the uni
versity, but really there is no help for it.