ABSTRACT
The coquetting of the Conservative party with protectionism has begun to bear fruit. By sticking resolutely to the vague, by twisting and suppressing some facts and ignoring others, as well as by a diligent continuance in lamentation, these people may cause the reader a good deal of annoyance ere they can be got rid of; and the people are therefore reluctantly compelled to notice what should on its merits be treated as a piece of clumsy electioneering, or as the wail of a few people disappointed in the extent of their gains. The truth of the matter is that the protectionists studiously ignore the great cardinal free-trade truth that it is the country which imposes restrictive duties whose trade suffers in the long run, not the country or countries against whom the duties are imposed.
