The Citizen

IRISH OPINION ON DEMOCRATIC FREE TRADE

We beg to call the attention of our readers to the following editorial, which appeared in United Ireland of June 7 last, commenting on the defeat of the Morrison Horizontal bill. We need hardly say to our readers that United Ireland is the property of Mr. Parnell and Mr. Justin McCarthy, and is edited by Wm. O'Brien, M.P. for Mallow, and Mr. T.M. Healy, M.P. for Monaghan.

A bill to establish in the United States what the English call "free trade" has just been defeated in the house of representatives by the narrow majority of four. The measure was one of enormous importance for English manufacturers, as it would have enabled them to export their goods to the United States without the crushing tariff now imposed for the protection of native manufactures, and its fate was therefore watched with intense interest by English money. Accordingly, all the Irish members in the house of representatives, to the number of nearly thirty, voted against the proposal, and thereby have inflicted a bitter blow on the "mother country." Their taking this course is the more remarkable as the vote they gave was against the policy of the party with which most of them are connected, as its sponsor, Mr. Morrison, is a leading Democrat, and his party, as a body, have unfortunately allowed themselves to coquet with free trade. In the last number of the American which has reached us, the Democratic party is plainly warned of the result of their free trade (and, consequently, pro-English) policy upon their Irish supporters.

One element of the political situation the Democrats cannot afford to ignore. It is the growth of a strong protectionist feeling among the Irish-American voters, who have come to see that nothing would better suit their hereditary enemies than to have the United States become as dependent for its manufactures upon England as Ireland has been forced to be. In this sentiment Messrs. Finerty of Illinois and McAdoo of New Jersey gave voice during the debate.

The struggle of Mr. Parnell's League to secure Ireland her rights is turning in this direction. It will be an ill day for the Democratic party when it finds the Irish-American vote arrayed against it by some of the most powerful motives which govern those who cast it.

The American being an independent and non-party journal, its words carry special significance. We congratulate Messrs. Finerty and McAdoo upon their admirable speeches on this question, and they may rely that Ireland is not ungrateful for the blow which they have struck against the common enemy by procuring the rejection of the Morrison bill. Were it passed, it would have been worth at least £100,000 per annum to British manufacturers. If the Democratic party at their coming convention are so unwise as to adopt a free trade plank in their platform, we feel sure this will alienate hundreds and thousands of Irish votes. Apart from their own interests as artisans and laborers, it would be simply criminal for any Irishman in America to support a policy that would only benefit the oppressors of their native land.

We may remark on the above that it was a mistake to suppose that all the Irish-American Democrats in Congress voted against the Morrison bill. Many of them, including Mr. Foran, of Cleveland, and Mr. McAdoo, of New Jersey, voted against it and incurred the censure of their party for their course. We may also add, that though the warning of United Ireland against the adoption of a free trade plank by the Democrats was urged by nearly every Irish-American journal in this country, including the Boston Pilot (which is now supporting the Democratic ticket), it was contemptuously ignored.

We cannot but repeat the language of United Ireland, that for Irishmen to support the policy of free trade would be a criminal policy which would only benefit their oppressors.