But we have yet to inquire how it is that Mr Hutchison has thrown over in his new scheme the local manufacturing bootmaker, the saddler and the ha> ness-niaker. We say nothing about the consumer, for, of course, he is a creature whom a Protectionist would scorn to study. We have always hitherto understood that what was wanted was to exclude manufactured boots and shoes, so as to enable the local manufacturer getting his raw material free or with a trifling impost, to make boots that would not be too dt-ar to start with, and that would cheapen by local competition. This is clearly not the view of the President of the Protection League. The bootmaker is clean out of it. It is for the tanner and the fellmonger that Mr Hutchison would sacrifice the revenue, create new taxes, and enhance general prices. Mr Hut chison, we fear, is likely to create for himself a perfect labyrinth of woes, which is indeed one of the penalties that Protection brings upon its friends. He has yet to lea n that i c must either be a Freetrader or a Protectionist, and when h- chouses the latter, as no doubt he will, he has then to perform the perilous feat of protecting all round, without regard to the' conflict o' interests that the process may call into

existence,

Mr Hutchison is evidently much concerned to show that he does not altogether despise the great economists and philosophers who have so ably ex pounded Freetrade doctrines during the past century. Mr Hutchison ua«

blushingly traded on the ignortuiQi' oi his an 'ieuco so fur tv to suy tliat he had no less a per sonage than Adam Smith on his side, although, iie judiciously added, " tin passage was teo long for quotation." Wo should think it was, ndeed. Mr Hutchison might havo added that "it would take too long to find it." We recommend tlie members ol' ihe Protec tion League to take Adam Smith for themselves, and if they clo not lind the doctrines of Freetrade as powerfully ex pounded there as they are in any of his successors we shall be ready to join the Protectionist ranks ourselves. 