FREETRADER AND LOCAL PROTECTIONISTS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1905, 30 July 1888, Page 3

FREETRADER AND LOCAL PROTECTIONISTS.

IO THE IDITOB. Sir —Your correspondent.Mr P. Walker alias Freetrader (I could" suggest a nmoh more appropriate alias for hrn), makes use of my name m a most unwarrantable manner, when he drags me into a con troverey, which I have not sought, and m which I shall decline to continue, until something very much more brilliant and original emanate from the fertile imagi nations ot such correspondents as Mr •' Farmer" (a Freetrader) m Saturday's « Guardian," defiaeß the principles of Protection an followß :-Benefit to the * few m the present, to the many intne future. He is pretty nearly right, but how could a Freetrader arrive at such a conclusion? . • Mr Walker, m the earne issue, says tbat he has carried en hia business for the last 15 years under the old tariff, and as a Freetrader he is quite satisfied to go on for another 15 yeara. If Mr Walker is true to bis principles he ought to be untuned to make euch an assertion, as m the old tariff there was absolutely no Fretfrade. Nor is there Protection, pure and simple, m the new, beoause fully half of the duties were imposed for revenue purposea only, such as duty on tea, etc. , and the tariff was only accepted by the tfrotectioniats as an instalment of what should be done, which is as follows :— Place duties upon everything you can grow, manufacture, or produce ; admit all raw material free ; and place duties (if thought necessary) upon anything that we cannot produce. By these means population will be inoreased, wages will become more regular, the question of what we Bhall do with our boys will be definitely letiled, farmers will have a home market, capital will be kept m the country, money will beoome cheaper, and as a natural reimlt •• prosperity," as m Victoria, will be the order of the day. Mr Walker Hkenß himßelf to an old howe, and afi&rms that there is plenty of running leit m him yet, but lor fear of his becoming a confirmed roarer, or having his knees broken by a nasty fall, I would advisa him, before again blindly rushing into print, to oifc down and thoroughly study the question, Bay for 10 ,*k-4 ■*<•»• p. THoaiß .