He felt that woman possessed the finest and highest qualities, and that it was her mission to project and incorporate these elevating qualities into society.  He thought man had nothing to fear or lose, but much to gain; that to multiply woman’s colleges everywhere, was to furnish the twentieth century, or “Woman’s Century” as Victor Hugo called it, with a dynamic force, that would beget more blessings for humanity than all previous centuries.

Gertrude thanked Mr. Searles for what he had said, and the party withdrew to the Winter Garden Cafe, pretty with palms, where Lucille, Leo, and Alfonso talked of society matters, of art and music.

Gertrude read to her mother, while Hugh Searles and Colonel Harris stepped outside into the gentlemen’s cafe for a smoke, as both were fond of a cigar.  There the conversation naturally drifted upon the tariff question.

Mr. Searles asserted that he favored free trade, and that he was sorry America was not as far advanced and willing as Great Britain to recognize the universal and fundamental principle of the brotherhood of mankind, and the inborn right of everybody to trade as he liked in the world’s cheapest markets.  He added that he sometimes felt that Americans were too selfish, too much in love with the vulgar dollar.

Colonel Harris, wounded in his patriotism, now showed that he was a little disturbed.  He thanked Searles for his deep interest in Americans, adding, “We are glad you have come to study Americans and America.”  Then looking the Englishman full in the face he said, “Mr. Searles, you will find human nature much the same wherever you travel.  Nations usually strive to legislate, each for its own interest.  You say, ’Americans work for the almighty dollar.’  So they do, and earnestly too, but our kith and kin across the sea worship with equal enthusiasm the golden sovereign.  Look at the monuments to protection in your own city.”

“What monuments?” asked Searles.

“Monuments to protection on all your streets, built under British tariff laws.  Every stone in costly St. Paul’s Church, or cathedral, was laid by a duty of a shilling a ton on all coal coming into London.  A shilling a ton profit on coal, mined in America, would create for us fabulous fortunes.  Selfishness, Mr. Searles, and not brotherly love, drove your country to adopt free trade.”

“I do not agree with you,” said Mr. Searles.

“’Tis true, and I can prove it,” answered Harris.  By this time several patrons of the hotel stood about enjoying the tilt between tariff and free trade.

“Give us the proof then,” replied Searles.

“To begin with,” said Harris, “I must reply to your first assertion, for I deem your first statement a false doctrine that ’everybody has a right to trade in the world’s cheapest markets.’  Nobody has a right to trade in the world’s cheapest markets, unless the necessary and just laws of his own country, or the country he dwells in, permits it.  Now as to the much abused ‘brotherhood argument’ let me assert that, like England, any nation may adopt free trade, when it can command at least four important things:  cheap labor, cheap capital, and cheap raw material.  Now Mr. Searles, what is the fourth requisite?”