The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-06-02
SATURDAY. JUNE ., 1900.
THE TENDENCY TOWARD FREE
TRADE.

Nothing would please The Times better
than 10 have the party come out square
~ for revenue .only.-Richmond Times
Talk about the praiser of past time!
Why, our able anti-Bryan contemporary,
butting vainly against fate, is trying; to
bring back an issue which now seems
more remote than the beginnings of
Fgypt. and by the side of which Tiglath
Piieser II. looks positively baby-ENeW
York Sun.
On the contrary, there never was a time
in the history of this country when
tariff for-revenue, or if you please,
free trade, was such a live question. The
whole theory of protection was uprooted
when the Republicans abandoned the
.>home market" idea. /; has been proven
by experience that we cannot live within
ourselves. but that We must have out
side markets for our surplus products.
1t has been proven also that We are
able 10 compete in the markets of the
world and that We do not need protec-
ton. Our foreign trade is extending
month by month at enormously in
creased rate, and every such month
brings us nearer and nearer 10 the free
trade basis. The people are learning some
very valuable object lessons from this in
crease of export trade. They see, as we
have said. that the manufacturers of the
United States are able to hold their own
anywhere in the world without the pro
lection of government, and the time is
rapidly approaching when the manufac-
turers of this country will have absolute
" no argument TO offer in favor of ., high
protective tariff. Indeed, We believe that
free trade will come largely through the
fundamentally of the manufacturers
themselves. I'VE are now entering upon
the manufacturing advantages, says a
writer on this subject, which England
herself entered upon half century ago.
ana the progress here will be as steady
as Ii was there, being due TO the same
causes as there, namely. the possession
Of great natural superiority England
built up her immense manufacturing in
dus,ries and export trade upon a free
trade basis and as surely as commerce
goes on America will eventually adopt
England's policy.
There is another consideration. another
argument for free trade which is to be
reckoned with. There is a great outcry
In this country against trusts. Some of
this is purely Populistic, but there is a
strong, healthy sentiment among the
great conservative masses of the country
against any species of government aid
TO trusts. The Times is opposed 10 anti
trust legislation. We are opposed to all
legislation that IS. per Sc, hostile to en-
Ierprise We know that organization is
the order of the day, and that there must
be great corporations 10 carry on the great
affairs of this progressive age. but while
we are opposed 10 government interior
ence, we are more opposed to government
aid 10 any of these corporations by what
ever name called. We say that a tariff
which enables corporation to monop-
oize any trade and so raise the price OF
sts product TO the consumer, thus employ
ing the taxing power OF government in-
directly as means OF enrichins the
trust and extorting unreasonable profits
from the consumer, is an outrage which
should not be tolerated and which will
not be tolerated il the people can pre-
vent II.
Unfortunately. in the campaign of lsss.
The great Democratic principle of tariff
] for-rerenue-only was abandoned for free
silver. and the attention of the people
8 was diverted. The Republican party was
thus enabled 10 get into power and re-
enact the Mckinley tariff. The Demo
cratic party may In this campaign still
cling to free silver. and SO enable the
Republican party to continue in power and
to continue ats high tariff. But we say
that the tendency in this nation is towards
: tree trade. and free trrde win come.
A GREAT REIaotsIER.
Tho Cincinnati Enquirer has been saying
f3,a,,.>,r 70 dr. a,....1.o