Freetrade Weakening.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 7069, 15 February 1893, Page 3

Freetrade Weakening.

It is not a little remarkable that the old arrogance of the free-traders has disappeared in the controversy on the condition of agriculture at Home. Ihere is no talk now of the “ axiomatic truth ” of free-trade doctrinesThe Saturday Review says :—“ The question is by far the most importont that exists of its kind, and we cannot conceive anything more lamentable than the attempt to settle, or rather to stifle, it by arguments such ns the * enlargement of purchasing power,’ the plain advantage of buying everything where it is cheapest, the desirableness of ceasing unprofitable businesses and beginning profitable ones, and all the musty shreds and scraps from the old banqueting table of the Anti-Corn law League. It is no use increasing the purchasing power of a man’s money if he has no money to purchase with. Though it may be very pleasant for Jones to buy cheaply, the nation, of which bolb Jones and Brown are members, acts very foolishly if it lets Brown starve that Jones may buy. And the substitution of businesses would be very pretty indeed if thousands and millions of men could be dead-lifted out of ruiu meanwhile,” The

same paprr speaks of “ the orthodox of freetrade —the respectable but rather one ideaed people who do exhibit towards protection the very same attitude that their grandfathers exhibited towards freetrade itself; Freetraders must meet protectionists with something more than old Cobdenio patter ; they must recognise that freetrade v. protection is a cause to be argued, not on general abstract laws, but on the practical circumstances of esoh country’s case at the time.” The Pall Mall Gazette is equally candid. “ The cult of protection is growing,” it says j " let us face the fact, however distasteful, and it is growing because of the decadence of the most important and historic industry in England.” “It is of no use,” rays the St James's Gazette , “ repeating that protection is not within the range of practical politics. . • • Protection has to be reckoned with, and party politicians must make up tbeir minds what their attitude towards it is to be, and that without much further delay.”