Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-11-19
Characteristic Free Trade Misrepresentation.

During the campaign just closed the
Democratic free trade papers in the
country sang mighty low about the ira
if. That question was avoided in ev-
cry instance where it could be, and To-
cal issues taken up. On the other hand,
the Republican papers kept protection
and it's benefits before the voters con-
~stantly. The reason for silence on the
part of the organs of free trade is not
difficult of discovery. The experience
had by the people under a Democratic
administration was entirely too recent
to permit of much discussion of the tar
if.
The election is past, Democracy and
free trade came out second best, and
now the free traders are beginning to
shout about a discredited D~ingleyism,
although admitting that under the
present tariff law the exports exceed
those of any other time in the history
of the country. One of the leading ex-
ponents of free trade in the west says:
statistics show hat the farmers of
the country are reaping a profitable
share of the trade expansion that has
been gradually enlarging for several
months past, despite the handicap OF
Dingleyism. They will not, however,
reap the full measure of the profit out
of the situation until thu removal of the
tariff tax placed upon them by the Re-
publican party enables trade to reach
it's natural proportions"
A more misleading statement never
appeared in print. 1t is not ignorance
on the part of newspaper writer's h a
causes such utterances, but a deliberate
desire to mislead, if possible, the people,
and to insult the intelligence and
general information Of the voters. Ev-
cry one knows that neither the Dingley
law nor any other law in the United
States imposes an export tax on prod
ucts shipped to foreign countries. Ding
leyism hampers trade in the markets of
the world no more than did the Wilson
bill, which appears to have been the
acme of perfection in the eyes of the
free trader.
"There has never been a tariff law in
force in this country that has in any
manner restricted trade with foreign
countries. The nations of Europe, Asia
and Africa and the islands of the seas
are compelled to buy certain articles
for the maintenance of their people, and
those articles, no matter whether they
consist of food products, clothing, iron
manufactures, or what not, will be
bought where they can be procured at
the lowest prices. For many years Eng
land, Germany and France, by reason
of the low wages commanded by arti-
sans in those countries, We're able to
virtually control every mart Of trade on
the globe. But that has also been
changed through the stimulus given to
invention in the United States by rea-
son of the fostering care of protection.
With the improved machinery, system
attic manner of conducting farms, shops
and factories used in America, the de-
NClOplltIl vi Tic lIlllltId al utpOSllS VI liz
states and their proximity to mex
haustible supplies of fuel, American
| producers are now competing in every
land with the products of the other
| countries of the world, and are able to
| quote prices which almost prohibit
competition.
This change has been brought about
| under protection without degrading the
| workers to the level of the European
mechanics; the country has forged
| ahead and now supplies the youth the
| best %educations free. The homes Of the
| industrious workers are comfortable
and with the exceptions of those years
when the Democratic party has been
in power in both branches of congress
and in the presidential Office, free sour
| houses and public places for the dis
| tribution of food to the needy have new
| err been known.
Just so long as the American people
| continue to use their brains in the pro-
! duction of supplies, now that industries
| have been placed in an almost indepen-
| dent condition, just that long will they