The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-02-17
A FREE TRADE ARGUMENT.

Editor Providence News:
II the remission OF the duty on coal
for one year Is a benefit to the American
people (and IL is) why would not the aoo-
fition OF the duty for all time be great
on coal enabled the coal barons TO exact
tribute from the American people (and II
did why does not the presence OF the
the various items in the tariff schedules
enable the producers OF them to exact
tribute OF the American people And II
the abolition Of the duty % on coai oessreSs erecs
tribute from the American people why
will not the abolition of the duties on
r,oYs items in the tariff schedules destroy
the power OF the producers OF such tMarlIt M
protected articles to exact tribute from
the American people7
the size OF the theft, whether IL De : per
cent or 700 per cent: their purpose pwsrco IS 20
abolish theft Il makes lns,,.S no THFr or
PROTECTION; IL is robbery Just the
same. but as the latter form Of robbery
has at present the sanction or law it IL
the the iawi RTgp0'' u '
Protection is direct violation OF the
eighth command Of the decalogue; IN tne ne
field of ethics IL is indefensible and no
policy that is without moral basis can
endure.
Free traders assume that the truth
asserted in the Declaration OF Inde-
10 life liberty and the pursuit OF happi-
ness is inalienable is automatic. They
reason therefrom that II the equal right
of all men to life Is inalienable the equal
right OF access Of all men TO the means
and opportunities whereby life may be
sustained is also inalienable. The means
and opportunities furnished by nature
for the sustenance of life are called the
earth. therefore all men have an equal
right TO the use OF the earth. and such
right Is inalienable. that is to say he
cannot Justly be deprived Of such right
II the right Of all men TO the use OF the
cath is inalienable the right of all men to
participate In the value attaching to
such use is also inalienable: therefore
IL any one shall enjoy exclusive posses
sion OF any portion OF the earths sur
face equity demands that he shall pay
into the common treasury the fun value
of the special privilege thus accorded
him. Thus will society appropriate those
values which attach TO that, the use ol
which il the equal right Of all.
Society will then he In possession Of
a legitimate fund from which TO defray
the expense OF government II VIII nno
no necessity for infringing upon the
rights OF It's members by taking from
them that TO which II has no claim The
citizen will have all OF his inalienaole
rights protected. SoNerhiheht WI"
restricted to its proper function. whicf
,s the conservation OF such inalienablt
rights. Government is simply the agen
OF society. II is a creature OF delegated
powers and any power not possessed by
society cannot be delegated to govern
ment nor TO any other agent. Society
! IL simply the aggregate OF the individual
| Of whom it IL composed and Its power
are simply the aggregate OF the power'
| of those individuals. No one will con
| tend that one individual has any right Il
interfere with another individual In dis
posing Of the product Of his labor; II thu
right OF one individual In nothing thu
right of a million Is no greater. for .
million times nothing II nothing still
| The power 10 impose restrictions upon th'
| individual IN the matter OF trade is
therefore. an usurped power Free trsd'
Is natural right; protection is rob
| bery. J. w.