Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 December 1886 — The Effect of Free Trade. [ARTICLE]

The Effect of Free Trade.

In a recent article in the London Spectator, discussing Blaine and free trade, a reference is made to he canvass, popular with protectionists, of representing the free traders as desirous of helping England at the expense of America, which is wort reproducing for its common sense view of a much distorted impression. After speaking of it as a device to raise the anti-Englkh prejudices of the voters, it goes on to say that the protectionists have not hesitated to declare that streams of gold have been freely poured out by the Cobden Club for the purpose of corrupting t ;e citizens of the United States and of weakening the patriotic instincts. “Thus,” it continues, “words of encouragement, or even any mark of special interest of respect expressed towards free traders by E glislimen, are more likely to do harm than good, as they would be misrepresented to mean that England had a purely selfish aim in desiring the adoption of free trade in America. As a matter of fact, free trade in America wo’d ultimately mean the end of England’s commercial lead-

ership. At first there would be a spurt of manufacturing activity. Then healthy American industries would begin to appear and 'develop until the natural advantages of raw material, always at 11 and, wo’d conquer in the competition for the world’s purchases, would drive England out of those neutral markets which American protection has hitherto 1 t us make our own, and would wrest from us also that ship building and carrying trade that has been a gift derived from the mistaken economic policy of the great ref üblic.” Protectionists have no answer for such logic as this.” —Chicago Herald.