New-York tribune., 1903-07-27
GOALS TO NEWCASTLE
Cockran's appearance in England q,
Champion of Free Trade
London JnIv 10

The appearance of AIR. BouTke Cochran a, -.
National Liberal Club last night as a r..
Trade coach for Mr.. Chamberlain's opno,s,.-
was more significant than any passage IN bg.
speech 1t was an indication OF a cbanga !.
venue in the case of Free Trade agains, D..
lection, which has been on trial before the h.
of American public opinion for half a cant,--
During that period convinced Free Traders In.
MIR. Cochran have been condemning Protectio,
in the United States system OF organizss
plumber for the enrichment Of the few AZ ~.
expense Of the many. and Cobdenism has bsan
accepted in England as something sacrosanc+
and infaIlible. and all economic agnostics bav.
been turned out OF court AIR. Cochran ,o.-
finds employment for his forensic powers g.,
England. where the most influential statesna,
is heading movement against Free Trade s,s
where the government and the Unionist pa-+
are divided respecting the expedieRcy OF main
| tanning a single handed combat against ~.
ProteetiOnist world. He also offers. as the r,o..
eminent Irish-American orator and leader
convincing proof of the familiar truth that n.
Irish race. despite the economic misfortunes q,
its island home has ever heen the most sar
viceabe ally of British Free Trade Decad.
after decade. in Presidential and Congress sIae
tions. the Irish in the United states has
been concentrated and thrown heavily on tba
side of lower tariffs and Free Trade and nov,
the greatest of Irish-AmeTican orators "a
ceived as a guest of honor at the National Lin
eraI Club. instructs Mr.. Chamberlains ad
versaries in the mysteries OF tariff discussion
and inspires them with enthusiasm by his far
vid eulogies of CObdenism.
Let il not be supposed that have any IN.
tention of treating 8Ir. Cochran with unfairnes,
or prejudice. His services to the cause Of
monetary reform and public morality ought to
|
cism even when he comes abroad and assalIs
what convinced Protectionists like myself are
| accustomed to regard as the foundations Of
American prosperity. Moreover. the impas-
stoned eloqUence and argumentative force with
which he presented his Pleadings in favor OF
Free Trade were worthy OF the highest praise
The argument might not be convincing. pos
siby because I had heard it too often in Amer
ica but I could not keep under restraint
feeling of patriotic pride in the brilliant per-
formance OF a natural orator, who had come
over from America TO teach English Frss
Traders how to argue their case and TO revive
their enthusiasm in a lost cause. Mr. Coekran's
speech. both in manner and matter. was
revelation TO his Liberal auditors. and. while
it was constantly interrupted with hearty ap-
plause. they rose in body at the close and
waved their handkerchiefs in an ecstasy OF ad-
miration and delight. like swarm Of gushing
schoolgirls. When there a retreat from
the banquet hall TO the smoking room. many
a Liberal faint heart heard exclaiming.
What pity it is that have not a speaker
equally competent 10 discuss Free Trade before
popular audiences" Mr.. Cochran was indeed
at his best. speaking with fiuency and fervor
never quoting figure nor becoming dull. and
passing lightly from one controversial point
to another, and creating an impression that he
prehensive way and had successfully established
his case No English orator. not even Mr..
Chamberlain nor Lord Rosebery, could have
made equally brilliant and interesting speech
on dry, controversial question. nor have II
vailed him in the impassiOned elOquence OF his
closing tribute TO the soundness and justice Of
British fiscal and monetary policy and to Eng
land itself the phenomenon OF the ages"
1t would be interesting to observe the effect
of oratory of this kind upon English working
constituencies. I am not sure that it would be
convincing, even if the prejudice against for
egn and especially against Irish-American in
terventiOn in English politics could be
come The phrasing Is mainly drawn from the
academic sources Of Cobdenism, and is not
markedly original Mr. Cochran rings the
changes upon cheapness. but neglects u demon
strate that the prices of commodities have been
reduced in large measure by the increase OF
productiveRess through the multiplication Of
industries in countries where the home market
is adequately defended. He repeats the Old
formula about buying in the cheapest and sell
ing in the dearest market, and defines pros
perity in Mr.. Cobden's own manner as Fan
abundance of commodities fairly distributed
among those who produce them; but he does
not answer the practical question asked in every
industrial community in England: What is
cheapness worth If. owing TO foreign compet
ton, there is no employment and no wasss?'
He defines the cardinal principle OF high vases
as an abundance of commodities. and arguss
that the proposal of Mr.. Chamberlain Is 70
restrict this abundance. and therefore TO lnlit
the rates of wages and TO diminish their puF-
chasing power; but he does not meet the oe- T
lection that the displacement OF domestic mar
ufactures in the home market and IN The r.
port trade by competing manufactures u
wolves loss of occupation, diminutiOn Of pro
duction and decline in wages Employment
the most practical issue for WOrkingmsn u
Free Trade England. and it is also in counuiss
like the United States and Germany, where II
dustries have been multiplied and their pro
ductiveness increased by the defence OF lls
home market and it is probable that EnsiEA
industrial constituencies would cross-exaEnlls
Mr.. Cochran on this point and not be eOntsn'
with his melliauOus generalitiss about the pei'
chasing power of wages. the plepitude or cam
modites and the requirements of universal Ia'-
tice.
Nor is it certain that Mr.. Cochran, were y
| to take the field as Liberal canvassev assH'-
Mr.. Chamberlain's policies. would succeed =
convincing middle class voters that the Hss
policy of the country, effective as il may nss'
been for several decades, is now an ideal -
/ for promoting prosperity at home ana -