Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 October 1888 — A FREE TRADE PARTY. [ARTICLE]

A FREE TRADE PARTY.

A Speech Which Glrea Mr. Mills and Hla Farty Dead Away—Break Down the Barrier* Againat Importation, Is Hla Cry and Lot In Imported Goods Wholesale. In the debate which commenced in the house last April the general tone of Democratic speeches was in favor of free trade, and nobody suspected there was to be any backing down from this position till the Oregon election brought warning that the American people could qot be induced to abaudon the policy of protection. Whatever may be the posi- . (ion of the leaders of the Democratic party to-day. or whatever they may seek to inake the people believe their position is, there can he no doubt that in April last the party was openly and boldly in favor of free trade. On April 17, Mr. Mills delivered his first prepared speech fn, support of the bill which had been reported by the committee on ways and means, of which he was chairman. In that speech he deliberately said: “If to-day THE BARRIERS AGAINST IMPORTATION WERE BROKEN DOWN and OUT imports should increase, from $200,000 - OOP to $300.000.000. that importation would create a demand for that amount of agricultural products to be exported to pay for them.” There are here two distinct propositions submitted by Mr. Mills; the barriers against importation should be broken down, and, second, that we should import from $200,000,000 to $300,000,000 worth of goods from foreign countries over and above what we now import. If to take do\yn the barriers against foreign importation is not free trade, wliat is free trade? And if to invite the importation of $300,000,000 worth of goods from Europe in addition to what we now import, is not to take labor away from our own workmen and give it to foreign workmen what is it? To buy $300,000,000 more goods from abroad means that we are to buy $300,000,000 less from our own manufacturers. This is plainly a proposition to build up the industries of foreign countries and cripple our own. If this fs not a proposition to be hailed with delight by foreign manufacturers and with disgust and fear by our own, then we do. not understand the motives that move the human heart. Again, Mr. Mills said: “If the tariff imposed a revenue duty sufficient to obtain money enough to support the government, but not high ENOUGH TO IMPEDE IMPORTATIONS, then our foreign trade would grow rapidly, and our ~ agricultural products would find ample markets at good prices.” Here is a proposition that all obstruction to the importation of foreign goods shall be removed and importations allowed without jjfupediment. If this is not a propositifiPto establish free trade we do not know in what language such a proposition could be stated. There is to- be a fence around the cornfield ,_hiitit_ is not to be high enough to be a liinderance to the roving cattle of the neighborhood. What kind of protection would this be to the farmer's corn?

There can be no doubt that this speech of Mr. Mills expressed the feelings and -purposes -oL-the ftaaecratic-party.;. .f or. at. its conclusion, we noted “[enthusiastic applause from the Democratic side.]" And now the purposes of the Republican partyure the very revefte of "those here declared by Mr. Mills and applauded by his party. The Republican p'rty, instead of Inviting $300,000,000 worth of foreign goods in addition to the $460,000,000 of du’iable goods now imported, favors a national policy that will discourage the importation of so much of this $460,000,000, as we can make here* and encourage the making of that much more as home. The Republican party believes in giving the work of making our own supplies to our own workmen instead of foreign workmen. It believes in a policy that will be greeted by our own manufacturers with delight, and by foreign nations with disgust instead of glee. Here is a sharp, clear, well-defined issue between the two parties, and if the working people of America mistake the nature of the present conflict and vote the bread from their own mouths and the mouths of their wives and children, they will have few to sympathize with them when the day of the calamity shall come. It may be useful to say that the speech from which we have quoted was published in The Congressional Record of April 17, 1888, but after the Oregon election its circulation as a campaign docu-ment-~&-aaed...,LXt..iGL,iiiffiBult fAfind a copy of it now, and most of the Democratic speakers are going about the country denying that Mr. Mills ever uttered the sentiments we have quoted.