The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1898-12-23
Free Trade and Protection.


ing language: "The Republican.
are closing the gates of the world to
American trade by maintaining a
protection policy" The Kansas
City Journal taking this expression
for text preached protection SER
mon that should forever close the
mouth of any free trade orator in
Kansas.
Mr.. Overmyer is not the inventor
of this doctrine. 1t is as old as the
fundamental principles of the first
free trade party. 1t has been voic-
ed from the stump by every Demo-
cratic orator, with the exception of
few in the school of the late Samu-
ell Randall, for the past thirty years.
1t has been the mainstay of most of
the Democratic presidential camp
algns. 1t has been stock argument
in most of the Democratic journals,
and, therefore, Mr.. Overmyer is
not entitled to the honors of a dis
coverer. But there is one distinct
ion which he seems 10 have earned
beyond any question whatsoever.
So far as we have observed, he is
the only man in the United States
who has had the temerity to stand
before an American audience in the
present campaign with defense of
the exploded theory. That Mr..
Overmyer is able to do this thing
in the face of the magnificent trade
showing made by his country since
the adoption of the last Republican
protection measure forms remark
able testimonial to his boldnesS-or
his ignorance.
However, we did not need the
great trade showing made within the
past two years 70 come to know
ledge of the falseness of this doctr-
inc. 1t has been refuted by the trade
results in every era of high protect
ion the United States has ever had.
In 1872 the United States stood
fourth among the nations in the tot
al of her exports. Today she stands
first, and every percentage of increa-
Sc has taken place under Republican
administrations in periods of high
protection. 1t invariably results
that when the Democrats with their
free trade theories are in power our
foreign trade falls off, and just as
invariably trade increases when the
Republicans control the affairs of
government. Below we present a |
little table which sets forth this
fact in striking fashion. This ia
bic has to do with the exports by |
four-year periods, and it is compil-
ed from figures given by the treasury |
SS14-Pres. Arthur. 215 600 600 |
Cleveland. IMMUNE. 2S32, 100000
SSS-S2TPres Harrison; .S6lS 10000
o93-6-Fres. Cleveland .............. i2S,0OO,OOO
S97-S-Pres. Mckinley. ......... 2,312,0O0,0OO
The Mckinley administration is
given for but two years. If the
same ratio is maintained for the re-
two years our export trade
will show a grand total of 81, 624,-
300, 900, or an increase of 1906
700, 900 over the last Democratic
administration. During Cleveland's
irSt term our export trade fell off
1888, 900, 900 from what it had been
lnder the Arthur administration.
During Cleveland's second term it
ell off $500, 900, 900 from what it
lad been under the Harrison adj
ninistration. In other words, every
Democratic administration this
ountry has had for nearly forty
ears witnessed a falling off in our
xport trade, and every Republican
administration gained not only over
is Democratic predecessor, but also
'ver what had been accomplished
Inder Republican policies in pre-
,ious administrations by that par
y.
In the light of such statistics as
hese how foolish it is to talk of Re
publican tariff measures closing the
rates of the world to American
Jade. On the contrary Republican
ariff measures have stimulated our
export trade to an astonishing de-
gree. Under the Wilson bill which
vas heralded as the lever which was
% pry open the markets Of the world
20 American products our trade fell
off in these markets at an alarming
rate. Under the Dingley bill, which
was denounced by our Democratic |
friends as Chinese wall" that |
would shut US off from commercial
with the outside world,
we have had in two years almost as
much export trade as during the en-
tire four years of Cleveland's first
administration, and if the next two
years simply maintain the average
showing the percentages of