https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tariffs_in_United_States_history
What happened in the 1910s to eclipse the need of the Federal government for tariffs by the 1920s? Are you arguing this became a better situation for the country?
How many states did the US have as of 1920 from when the original 13 colonies to have a tariff were put in place?
What year was slavery ended?
Can you name just two countries who have “free trade” today?
Free Trade is an economic ideal. There no country which practices free trade and never has been. It is merely the the Optimum State according to Economic theory and almost all legitimate economists, no matter which school they belong to.
I don’t argue about what happened and whether it was the best. Certainly more people have a good life than any time in history.
Our government experienced its growth through the demands of major wars. It massively increased during the Civil War, then dropped back, WWI provoked another massive increase then with the Depression and WW2 a massive increase which has NOT dropped back upon victory. War grows the State.
People who are in favor of a tariff simply do not understand the economics of a tariff. It is a tax paid by American consumers.
Like all taxes it slows economic activity. We are free to impose such a tax but need to understand it’s impacts.