Show FREETRADE REPUBLICANISM Will the United States asks the Chicago Chi-cago Tribune a Republican organ agree to let their the South American states raw wool copper ores fruits tobacco sugar su-gar etc come in free 1 I not how can they be expected to materially increase their trade with this country 1 This is avery a-very pertinent question and it opens up an immense field of investigation regarding the industrial measures and commercial relations re-lations of this country more materially as relates to its dealing with its neighbors It is an open and unconcealed fact that some of the Republican organs in the west apart from the one quoted are beginning t inquire of the thick and thin defenders de-fenders and exponents of the present pre-sent tariff in what way it can be expected that trade with South America could bo promoted until the prevailing tariff i scaled down generally and removed altogether al-together as to some things notably raw materials such as previously mentioned I is even admitted that after the question of cheap and improved communication a between the countries is settled it will still bq necessary t lower the tariff on the products of those nations which must strike the average reader who studies as he reads as a very high grade of wisdom coming com-ing at the eleventh hour The Republican iparty is in a quandary and its press is endeavoring vainly to help it out Tho authority quoted the Chicago Tribune has all along had a leaning to the side of reason in this important im-portant matter but it has not teen permitted to carry its vagaries too far and has always managed to keep in the traces without any considerable amount of kicking Tho unwashed and ungodly GlobeDemocrat of St Louis has likewise shown a disposition t listen to the dictates of reason and give heed to the clamors for the greatest good to the people of the great producing sections in tho interior but it has not gone to the same length that its Chicago contemporary has In a recent issue the GD says that any compact which we may enter into t increase this trade with those countries will undoubtedly involve some reduction of our duties so far as regards the goods of tho other parties to the agreement I is then asked how with such a man as COLUMBUS DELANO and DAVID HARPSTER of Ohio standing in the way of any reduction of raw wool duties we are ever t do anything any-thing in that direction And when it is further considered that the last national platform of the Republican party is against the surrender of any part of the present system of protection and would rather flood us with free whisky and overrun us with free tobacco than submit to any such surrender the question must assume irksome irk-some proportions But it was undoubtedly easier t explain away anything else than the great protectionist BLAINE as premier of the HARRISON administration presiding over an international gathering whose j I tendencies and objects must have been in the direction of fewer restrictions upon commerce if it had any tendencies at all The Republican party learns slowly but in the course of human events it has to get I to it sooner or later generally later |