PROTECTION AND FREE TRADE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15658, 11 July 1914, Page 12

PROTECTION AND FREE TRADE.

Although the principles of free trade have been established for 150 years by ,%. chain of arguments as solid as those upon which the truths of mathematics are based, "H.T.G." advocates those errors that support protection. He is wrong when he tells us that history proves that the rise and fall of nations depends! upon . commercial policies, for _it is j abundantly evident that the rise and fall | of nations depends upon causes beyond the control of politicians, trade organisations, or kings. History proves that whenever and wherever politics have meddled with trade, trade has been suppressed. Towards the end of his career the late Mr. Richard Seddon recognised this fact, and advocated a free breakfast-table. The whole scope and tendency of sound legislation is to restore things to that natural channel from which the ignorance of preceding legislation has driven Inem. The most valuable additions to legislation are enactments destructive of preceding legislation. Tito best laws that have ever beon passed have been those by which some former laws were repealed. As the people of the United States, exploited by the vices inherent of the protection policy, haw kirn down protective tariffs, so will the people of New Zealand, struggling daily under an ever-increasing load, ultimately destroy their own protective policy. In the meantime, a few will grow rich at the expense of the people, and betake themselves to a land of greater freedom, in which they may spend their wealth. The Jews stand as a stern rebuke to the opening sentence of "H.T.G.'a" article, for if the rise and fall of nations depends .on' commercial policies, how comes it that the Jewish nation is extinct ? The effect of free trade and protection has been put to practical test in Australasia. In New South Wales agriculture flourished under free trade, and the Port of Sydney became a huge trading centre. Under protection Sydney has grown into a huge, discontented city, the country districts of New South Wales have lost 10 per cent, of their former population, and the imports of the State now exceed the exports. Free trade has been proven sound policy by searching scientific investigation. It gives a nation free play to develop its resources according to the national character. Protection curbs enterprise, suppresses trade, and engenders vices. In the whole of New Zealand there is no man deserving of greater pity than he whomfcur Government trains to search the baggage of travellers in the hope of raising Customs by his hold-ups. Morally, the methods of 'the New Zealand Customshouse and the highwayman are akin. Cosmos.