The record-union., 1897-11-07

tion Of that portion of foreign trade
which 1t would be injurious for us 10
have. What then is this trade which
we wish 10 restrict? II is the exports
of manufactures which free trade would
give us
But. says the free trader, this is
as much OF an absurdity as that which
We previously called 'reducto ad absur-
dunn If free trade will give us foreign
markets. IT will also give us increased
wealth. Why. then should we not
| have it?''
Because the destiny of this Republic
! is something higher and infinitely no.
| bier than the accumulation of wleath.
1t is given to many nations to make
wealth and TO accumulate il. but this
nation has been singled out from among
the nations of the world for the pur-
pose of materializing an idea.
But" says the free trader. are vou
not going deeper and deeper into alb
surdities? Are we a nation of DREAM
ers and idealists? Are we not above
everything a practical people? OF what
value. pray, is a mere idea when COM
pared to hard cash, to commercial SUI
premacy?"
OF infinitely more value: Take the
1 idea OF religion; had the great and no.
4 BILE teachers of mankind thought more
of money than OF ideal duty. they
would probably have had more money
and the people of the world much less
religious knowledge or feelings And
/ yet religion is an idea.
! Now, does not almost every step in
/ hi OH ,ySp pClN
! the fact that this nation has been sim
gled out TO live for an idea and for its
/ PRONUNCIATION throughout the whole
world? And this idea is none other
! than the permanent establishment of
political. civil and religious liberty.
/ In witness thereof, we may observe
/ that the Pilgrim Fathers did not for
/ sake their fatherland in order TO find
a place to make money; they sought
these shores in order TO escape the tyr
amy of religious persecution. And so
with the Quaker. the Huguenot, the
/. Catholic, the Jew and the Calvinist.
But. influential as these are. they are
insignificant in numbers when COM
pared with the mighty host from all ma
tions who sought a home in this all
embracing harbor of refuge against po-
litical and civil tyranny.
What about the millions born here
and with tendencies for liberty inher-
tied inborn?
And yet liberty is an idea. and is it
less valuable than money accumulated?
Far from it, All the money in the
world is infinitely Of less value than lib
erty.
Do We need more concrete evidence?
Then here it is: How many men or wo-
men would give up their lives for mon
ey? But who can count the hosts who
freely died for the sake of liberty?
If, then, it be the mission of this na-
ton 10 establish forever and for all
people the idea of political. civn and re-
ligious liberty, it may then be properly
called a missionary people. or people
| with a mission just as truly as the
Greek, Roman and Jewish nations were
missionary nations.
| And If we are a missionary nation,
we must observe the law governing
such. And this is the law of national
isolation.
The Greek isolated himself and called
all others ''barbarians." and this iso-
lation gave us art and philosophy for
| this day and for the days to come.
The Roman isolated himself and re-
fused all other citizenship, and this lso-
lation gave us civil and political law.
The Jew isolated himself and desig-
mated all others heather" and his iso-
lation gave us religion to this day and
for ages to come.
Had there been no such isolation, we
would not have the art, the philosophy,
the law and the religion which we have
And like these historic nations, we,
too. require national isolation in order
to accomplish our glorious and immor-
tai destiny And the surest path to-
ward this is TO repress any tendency IN
the direction of such commercial inter
course which if pursued would tend to
destroy our national isolation. And
what is more calculated to destroy 1t
than free trade?
So long as we are not Obliged to go
further then in the wheat pits ana
cotton exchanges in our own country
in order to transact foreign commerce.
and so long as we mainly go abroad TO
buy. we may continue to preserve our
independence. Whenever we change
conditions which will make it neces-
sary for US to go abroad to sell. then
are the days of our independence gone.
What special interest have we now
in the concert of powers or the
| Eastern question" or in the European
alliances at this time? Establish for
eign commerce on the scale which free
trade would permit and at once the
commercial instinct Will prompt us to
meddle and interfere and in the end
not conquer-but be conquered.
And now, if we must have isolation
for a time through restriction, must we
then make it unjust? Certainly not,
Therefore, we should have protection
for manufactures by tariff on i'm
ports. and protection for agriculture by
a bounty on exports.
AS for free trade. it will come. must
come, hut not before this nation, this
people has performed its mission
In the order of development we may
witness the wisdom of providence in
having given the world its religion. art,
law and philosophy first, and liberty
through us. last
Though last. it is By no means least,
but peer of each and guardian OF all.
Liberty. what shall we say Of her,
how shall we picture her?
/ Come back. oh, Phidias, carver di-
vine and fashion rs your nasterwork.
Not from yielding, foarny, snow-'ille al
abaste,., nor from sdamantine metal
clinking Carara, nor from enduring
bronze Come, make. and let her feet
be firmly planted on the earth and
LET her head extend 10 the heavens;
with a face more chastity beautiful
than Diana's, with nlien more majestic
than Minerya's; her outstretched arms
o,-ar oil ;ba earth and lot her shelter