The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-04-29
A Free Trade swan Song.

The Democratic Senators held Il long
conference about the tariff bill and
what they should do with it. They
are said TO have concluded that they
couldn't do anything with the tariff
side of it and that it was not worth
while to try. senator Rayner of Mary
land. the chief survivor in the Senate
of the classic Democratic tariff policy,
gave the reason in this outburst of re-
freShing candOr:
Tariff for revenue only is out OF
existence so far as the Democratic
party is concerned. We might just as
we'll write protection into u next
platform and let it go at that"
These words may well be regarded
as the swan song of the free trade or
"tariff-fOr-rCN enue-only' notion as n
practical policy of American politics.
The growth of that notion into what
millions of sincere men came 10 regard
rs a sacred party principle is a curious
story.
About seventy years e energetic
British manufacturers discovered that
about all that prevented them from do
Ing nearly all the manufacturing was
that the food of their laborers was so
high priced. They set about to get
cheaper food, not so much that they
might pay lower wages as to get bet
ter fed and more contented and effec-
tive labor for their money.
There was a struggles of about TWEEN
~ Years between manufacturers, who
saw worldwide and always expanding
trade in cheaper food, and land OWN
ers. who had high rents from high
prices of grain and wanted to keep
them. The land owners went down
and England become for a time the
factory, while other nations remained
the farms.
Because this policy was enormously
and increasingly profitable TO Britain a
large number of Britons. with that
wonderful British faculty for believing
that whatever is to their advantage
must be to ~everybody's. formed the
opinion that with the abolition of all
trade restrictions would come in a sort
of international millennium.
They honestly believed this. They
honestly believed that because the CON
ditions of the time enabled Britain to
manufacture most things for less than
other nations it was a sort of divine
order Of the universe that their coun-
try should be mainly factory and other
countries mainly farm. They wrote
books. they constructed systems of eco
monte philosophy, to support this Cos
pei, and sem out missionaries to prOpa-
gate il.
How certain sections of the United
States, where land-owning profits were
.arge and manufacturing profits were
doubtful, and the political party whose
strength was in those sections swal-
lowed almost whole this British gospel
Is we'll known. Yet though they were
content to play farm to British factory
other sections and other Americans
were not.
There were years of controversy
Until the e~xigencies of civil war com
PEELED a high tariff. and then there
were more years of controversy
whether this policy should be regarded
As merely a temporary ~expedient or as
justified by results as a fixed political
principle
As IN issue Of practical politics the
controversy may be said to have ended.
American tariffs are being reduced be-
cause circumstances have changed and
American Industries do not need so
much protection. As other nations.
which for like reasons of national in
.erest have lifted tariffs. grow to some
hing like equality in manufacturing
power with those who gained it first.
their tariffs may come down.
But the free trade or tariff for-reve-
lue-only notion may be SAID 20 have
ceased to be practical craftsmanship.
That this notion, wholly the outgrowth
Of the particular condition of a par
ocular country at a particular time.
,hould have ever become regarded as
. fixed principle Of practical states
nanship gives it high rank in the his
org of human delusion-Chicago Inter
Ocean.
The Improving Balance Sheet.
Secretary MacVeagh and his associ-