Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 June 1893 — Mexico Abolishing Corn Laws. [ARTICLE]

Mexico Abolishing Corn Laws.

For the second time in less than nine months, the government ol President Diaz has broken down its tariff wall. From March 15 corn will be admitted into the republic free ol import duty, whether as grain or flour. On the Ist of July last a similat order prevailed until Sept. JO, and its announcement was received with acclamation and joy by the poor people. The crop failures of two seasons had not alone rendered corn dear, but actually scarce, and the duties imposed under the tariff law reduced the poorer classes to a condition of suffering and extreme distress. True, the great producers and handlers of corn were fattening while destitute people pleaded for relief; they resisted the proposal to import free the food which the people required, because, forsooth, their particular interests, their exclusive industry, would suffer. Nero, who is reported to have fiddled while imperial Rome was burning, was no unique monstrosity. The same spirit of indifference enables men to-day to witness the miseries of thousands untouched, nay, reaping out of their miseries princely wealth. Maj. McKinley says the principle of protection cannot die; so said the slave owners who had their principle handed down from the earliest days; yet the hour came when, in indignation and shame, the nation cast away the degrading system of slavery. And this is precisely the war of to-day between Republicans and Democrats, commercial and Industrial slavery, or their freedom. It is a great drawback to the development of Mexico that so much of the land is in the hands of few owners, hence the great extent of uncultivated estate. If this land were fairly taxed it would be thrown open to cultivation, whereas it is now held for speculation, and the owners cannot develop it. In the present instance, however, the liberal and intelligent policy of President Diaz’s administration has proved superior to the protective instincts which are responsible for the fiscal policy cf Mexico. The right course is often stumbled upon by accident, or forced into adoption by the dire distress of a people. Several reductions in impost duties will take effect on April 15, including those on wool, ivory, mother-of-pearl, cotton, hemp, flax, and other fibers, jute, zinc, etc., while on some manufactured articles, notably tobacco goods, there are increases, thus indicating a desire to free manufacturing industries from the burden of imposts on raw materials, and while giving the same an impetus relieving in a material way, the contumers from the unnecessary cost of added duties. There is in Mexico a strong party, with several journals in line, notably the Mexican Trader, whose mission is the removal of all vexatious restrictions on trade. Men are traders instinctively, and may be relied upon to make advantageous barter, and to work out the problem of “the survival of the fittest” in industrial undertakings, and any system which seeks by protective duties and enervating bounties to permanently maintain any industry, insults human intelligence, destroys self-reliauce and enterprise, and is a dead weight upon individual energy, in fine, is in opposition to and subversive of the laws of nature.American Industries.