Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-21
OPPOSED TO TARIFF
Its Abolition Advocated As
Panacea for Business Ills.
RECORD OF FIFTY YEARS
Address by Louis r. Enrich, Presi-
dent of Free Trade League,
at Boston Meeting.

BOSTON, May 2O.-The Free Trade
League Of the United States met in an
nual session in this city today. At a
dinner given tonight Louis r. Enrich
president of the league, delivered an
address, congratulating the members
upon the favorable outlook for legis-
lation along the lines advocated by the
organization. He said, in part:
I'VE meet under national conditions
which should give heart to every man
who favors sanity and justice IN the
relations Of commerce. That a Presi-
dent, elected by the party which has
stubbornly defended policy OF COM
mercial blockade. should have negotiat-
ed liberal trade agreement with our
northern neighbor: that he should have
possessed the wisdom and the courage
to propose absolute freedom Of trade
to the Canadian commissioners. and
that he should have had the boldness
to proclaim the fact, mark a turning
point In the annals Of the American
people.
Trade Isolation Developed.
THE last haf-century witnessed q
great development of the policy of in
ternational trade isolation. Protection
which has been recognized as the mother
of trusts, is the daughter Of war. Oul
civil conflict and the German-French wal
gave birth to progeny Of protectionism
These same fifty years, owing largely tc
the exploitation Of the powers of steam
and electricity. have effected marvel
Gus increase in the aggregate of the
worlds wealth. If in 1860 a Statesman
had been gifted with a vision of the
tremendous wealth-accumulationS OF oul
time he would have been we'll justified
in prophesying that these opening years
of the twentieth century would be blessed
with the abolition of extreme poverty
with a great reduction in the effort nee
essary to win a livelihood, and with q
great increase in the spirit of peace and
of content throughout the civilized world
Strangely enough. the very opposite
conditions prevail! The nations are armed
to the teeth, and their ornaments are
still increasing. Although some classes
have grown rich beyond the dreams OF
avarice. large sections of society are
stepped in poverty SO excessive as to de-
mand the constant miniStratiOn of highly
organized charities Despite the wonder
full growth In the powers Of production
from which a reduction in the cost OF
living might reasonably have been pre-
dicted. we are faced with great In
crease in the cost of life's necessities
Everywhere there is unrest and discon'
tent"
Monopolistic Trusts Engendered.
Referring to inheritance taxes. grad
uated income taxes, and like PROPOSE
tons as the means resorted to by So
ciety in an effort to get back some of
the disproportionate possessions which
it has legally licensed certain classes
to acquire. Mr.. Enrich said: by ILL
considered legislation we have en-
gendered monopolistic trusts. and now
we seek to curb their power by dis
turbing attacks on their existence and
methods of business"
Continuing. he said:
I'VE hear much these days of con
servation.' of scientific management
of the doctrine of efficiency There
can be no real efficiency in our in
dustrial life, no scientific management
or conservation of the resources of this
planet, until these resources are vir-
tually conveyed to the race as whole
all trade barriers. and by comforting
on every man the privilege of making
what he can most advantageously pro-
duce. and the right to exchange it in
absolute freedom with the rest Of man
kind.
Free Trade the Panacea.
Free trade would reduce poverty, and
proverty's issue-crime. Free trade would
introduce more normal and more stable
conditions in our business life, preventing
hat, hot