Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-05-09

The Drift Toward Free Trade.
An astute observer who depotes suf.
ficient time to critical survey of the
political horizon cannot fail to discern
amid the shifting lights of doctrinal
contention tine faint though steady
glow of an enlightened tendency to
return to the principles of economic
government upon which our industrial
fabric began its phenomenal growth.
To Mr. Andrew Carnegie we are in
debted for the first authoritative ex-
preston Of the opinion that the time
bad arrived whom the prohibitive fea-
lures Ut u protective tariff had ceased
to perform the functions for which they
we're devised, and the attitude now
assumed by Representative Babcook for
the demolition OF at least portion of
the Chinese wall' that now surrounds
Us must be accepted not az his mere
personal conclusion but as the con.
sensus OF an Intelligent awakening
among class of statesmen we have
been taught TO regard heretofore as
immutably hound to the old Mckinley
idea concerning infant industries and
the foreign payment of the import tax.
There can be no doubt that the Ameri-
can plan of arbitrarily interfering with
the natural flow Of international trade
by the arti fetal construction of alb.
normal channels of development has
greatly promoted the growth and ex-
pansion. of the manufacturing interests
Of this country, but in manner which
we are beginning to realize rs being
unstable, improvident, and curiousiy
indifferent to the requirements of the
future. 1t is q method that is indus.
trialiy unhealthy by virtue OF its jug.
gernaut destruction of the minor essen.
sials of trade stability, and ruinously
defective in furnishing no reserve safe
guards upon which to lean in the
troublous periods of financial panic.
We are not disposed to go TO the extent
OF attributing 20 the enforced applica.
tion of our mad tariff principles any
large share IN the causation of the
various financial disturbances that have
recently afflicted us, but we do not
hesitate to say that. the mushroom
foundations Of our manufacturing and
transportation Industries failed to
furnish an effective foil when we sue.
oumbed to the windy persuasicns that
eliminated 10 the Bryan cyolone.
Washington statesmen are beginning
to take notice OF this unfortunate hut
illuminating fact and are very properly
making ready for reyersiqs to more
sensible methods in legislation bearing
upon the regulation of international
trade. There is also evidence that in
tho breaking away from the fetch Of
protection foi protection's sake some
surprises of an amusing nature, bu,
having direct relation to the
speech-throttling policy of the tariff
machine" are in store for US. II
does not require much intelligence tc
discover that the principles OF free
trade are very rife among the intel
leotual classes all over the county
notably within the spheres of colleg,
and university influences, irrespective
OF party, and it would he SURPRISING
wonder ii many who have been con
fined IN state of muzzlement during
nll these years OF tariff prosperity
do not speak out. 1t has not been ,
great while since the Hon. Whitelav
Reid remarked to friend uf ours tina
10 the very nature OF things the pro
tectionists would have to face, soone
or later, the problems arising from tn,
inevitable return TO taEif constructe,
upon revenue basis. This admission
did not mean that Mr.. Reid was fire.,
trader, in the sense the radical mem
beers of his party use that term, blu
simply that his intelligence and iudg
ment enabled him to recognize the foil,
Of any country attempting to per
manently subsist upon its own re
sources. The sentiment he expressed
has just been taken up and endorsed
by his political chief, the Hon. viii
liam Mckinley, who came out into th
open the other day and reminded u,
that we could now supply our owl
markets and must open up new avenue
for the sale of our surplus products
Obviously. the only direction in whicl
new avenues can be oEened up i
through our tariff wall. That has lonl
been Q sacred institution among US
but signs are multiplying so rapid,
pointing to widespread skepticisn
concerning it's efficiency that we fear /
will soon go the way of that other won
derful wall that used TO occupy 8
prominent q place in the interna
arrangements Of the Chinese Empire
May it never be rebuilt.