Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-12-19

Growth of Free Trade Sentiment.
Among the alnaDscs for the coming
ysar-in these days an almanac is a
publication containing the calendar for
the yssr accompanied by any amount
or any kind of special or general in
formation-is the Free Trade Almanac
for 1909. It 10 issued BY the American
Frss Trade League Of boston, Mass,
whose motto is: Equal rights TO all,
special privileges to none. " 1t is.
naturally, devoted to free trade informa-
ton, argument and literature, in sddi-
sion to the dozen pages allotted to the
monthly calendars. IL is issued for
general circulation, and may be OBJ
tanned, az s cents perl copy or 81 re
hundred, on application to Hazard
Stevens. secretary Of the league, CO.'S
fremont Building, Boston.
As to the merits Of the publication,
we may ssy.that IL is well filled with
matter Of interest and value to every
advocate of free trade, or to those who
favor the removal Of harassing tax
restrictions upon the trade Of this
country with the rest Of the world; to
those who favor tariff for revenue
only, without the slightest consideration
for protection, and who look upon tine
tariff solely as revenue measure. The
selections comprise the best coptribu
tions to the literature Of free trade, or
revenue tariff, from the sblest minds
that have given consideration to these
important subjects.
In this connection, it Is interesting
10 note the situation. briefly, with
respect to the progress Of the uattle for
the removal Of trade restrictions. Very
early in the history OF the government
the protective policy Of trade taxation
was advocated as a measure for the
benefit Of what we're then accurately
denominatsd 'tour infant industries. -
But eSep at that time the sentiment
against imposing restrictions upon trade
was generally paramount, and while the
battle waged with varying results for
nearly half a century, it was practically
settled in 1916 Ey the adoption OF what
was called the Walker tariff. This Law
was the production OF Hon. Robert j.
Walker, Secretary Of the Treasury under
President Polk, and go satisfactory
were its operations, that the tariff was
eliminated from the domain OF public
discussion, and ceased 10 be political
issue untii after the Civil War. II was
scarcely mentioned in the platforms o.
the political parties after 1916, unit
the National Democratic Convention o.
1876 made a declaration in favor of g;
tariff for revenue only" For mean
while, in 1852, the Walker tariff has
been substituted By the Morrill, tariff
very moderate measure of tariff taxa
tinn compared with the existing Law
and designed to raise rsvsnus to assis
10 meeting the extraordinary financia
demands upon the government for tn
prosecution Of the Civil War.
Since then the tariff has been a
issae before the people Of this countr
1T each recurring general election, an
has thrice been attended by the enact
ment Of new tariffs. There was til
Mckinley tariff, in 1883, with il
onerous protective duties and it's anna
ing favoritism. Thea came the Wilso
tasiff OF 1899, designed az ravsnu
tariff, but with its most favorab
features einasculsted by the work of
Senate which, though baying a Demt
cratic majority, lent q willing ear
the demands of the protected interest
I And then came the browning atrocit
of class legislation. = the DinRley tarIt
higher than anything ever DRAINED
in the days when the plea for tari
taxation was the encouragement al
protection OF "our infant Industries,
or when money was needed to rrosscu
costly war.
SO now we have the situation, aft
nearly century of tariff discussion al
an almost continuous struggle for Il
freedom Of trade from tax restriction
OF tariff much higher than at al
time previous in the history of i
country. And this. too, despite t
fact that meanwhile "our infant !
ldustries, = in whose encouragement Il
tariff was originally advocated, ha
grown to vstitanle giants in power a
proportions.
But. despite this state OF affairs,
cannot be maintained that the fl
trade sentiment OF the country b
Photographed as the tariff has increase
Protection, ii is true, has climbed
the highest notch; but IL was
peatedIy made the slogan OF q grs
political party, and the victory OF II
rarty at the polls, despite other iss,
involved in the campaigns, has tw
besn made the pretext for the m
audaoious advances In tariff taxati
for the benefit OF favored intsres
But, despite these repeated victories
the party committed TO the protect
policy, and the defeats Of party VIII
advocated at least tariff for rever
only although once. that party sw
the entire country on this issue q
sentiment for free trade, or for
revenue tariff, has continued to exi
and is still living, vital force in
affairs of tins government 1t
not been great while aince 1t ,
looked upon as q crime to even hint
q reduction of tbs tariff. Now
trade finds its advocates by the th
sands, in all seetions of the count
and among men Of all kinds Of politi
beliefs.
And while this sentiment exists,