John Bright on Protection

Feilding Star, Volume VII, Issue 23, 4 August 1885, Page 3

John Bright on Protection

Mr John Bright'B attention haying been called to the report of a fair trade meeting at Aston, where a speaker calling himself a Radical said in effect that the principles of free trade might have been all very veil a few years ago, but would not do now, he has written as follows :— " One Ash, Bochdale, May 17.— Dear Sir.^— Your Badical friend is not for standing still, but forgoing back. There seem to be few men acquainted with facts, and still fewer who can reason from them. An American asked me if I thought we should return to a policy of protection; I said, ' Perhaps so, but not till you return to shivery.' The feeble cry is dying out, and even Salisbury and Northcote have discovered this. Our great danger now is, in our foreign policy, in which TonfjCand Liberal Administrations are abwfc equally at fault. Unless our people can have their eyes open on this branch of politic^ life, I think we have disaster and calamities before us. Adding millions to our military expenditure while complaining ef the depression of trade and the miserable housing of the poor is a policy rather of lunacy than of intelligent statesmanship. ' Our children may look out for trouble if we. escape it. I hope you will have no trouble with your friends in Aston. — Yours Tery truly, John Bbight."