Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-03-10

In an adirsaa delivered before the
North Stafordshire Chamber OF Gem
merue, Sir Robert Clifton, ono OF tho most
eminent living statiaticiaus. advanced
the proposition that Htarted, that the
substantial SUCCESSES in matters of
commercial policy have been for n long
time past and still are on the side OF
Free Trade, and not on tho sidu of
Protection. Not only is there far more
Free Trads in the world than people
sometime1 think, but much Of it is Of
very recent growth.
The great success for Free Trade in
England half century ago, he sail,
was itself 20 gigantic that it amounted
TO conversion Of tho world for good
to practical FREQ Trade. From heing
almost all Proteetoniat, the world be
came at jump half Free Trade. II
was the decisive stop, which cannot bo
undone. believe this all the more
because | am quite satisfied that the
step was not taken out Of love for the
abstract theory OF Free Trade. 1t arose
out of necessary conditions which were
felt in the daily life of tho nation, be-
cause the great industries of the
home, and because cheap food and raw
materials were essential to the welfare Of
the masses and to the prosperity of tho
export trade. The like conditions must
make the leading countries OF the world
free trading in time, whatever their
theories OF policy may be. FREQ Trudn
in England has, in my cage, como to
stay. As to Protection in tho United
States, tho speaker held ,that it is
played out" because the economic
conditions arc now ouch that there is
nothing substantially to protect. Some
Protectionists will perhapg say that
this ia the result of their policy.
America having got its manufactures
by means of Protection in tho pasta
proposition in which | cannot follow
them. Bur, whatever the past history
may have been, the present position is
clear. The United States, nulons
volens must very soon become a
country OF international Free Trade.
To sum Up, then, he concluded, you
have the actual facts on the side of
Free Trade, not only of tue great sue.
cess of Free Trade policy, first in tho
conversion of tho British Empire, and
next OF a very general extension of the
policy by means of the Golden Treaties
but you have on the same side tho
consolidation of rates ami the growth
OF great communities each with Internal
Fr0e Trade; you have also tho constant
tendency OF acionce to cheaper the cost
of production and moans of commupi-
cation: and you have, finally, the
growth of conditions In the most i'm
portHnt countries Of tho world, such az
heralded Tree Trade in this country
itself, causes which must produce the
like results. The old order is changing
rapidly; and Protectionist commercial
policy is fast dying, if it ia not as good
as dead. The average man AMI poll
tcian, therefore, who talk giibly oil
their Protectionlst policy, are tho Rir
Van Wrinkles Of the modern world. The
world is moving on IN Bpits of them,
and their petty intVrferonGbs are tot
ridiculous for serious discussion. Ia il
posaiblo to suppose that the people wht
propose Mckinley Tariffs on the othol
side of the Atlantic, or tho people VII,
here propose counteryailing duties ant
other Old World apparatus of Pro
lection, are not going to ha found out
when all tina actual conditions of bust
ness are against them?