The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1855-04-17
American Interests-Free Trade.


One ofthe cardinal points in the platform
of the newly organized American party, as
promulgated in New York. and Virginia, is
the encouragement and fostering of American
manufactures, and American productions of
every description peculiar to our resources
and necessary to our wants. That this is
now and ever has been the only correct, po-
litic and independent doctrine, with regard
to the domestic economy and prosperity of
this country, is proposition which for near
ly a half century has remained uncontrover-
ted,though often attacked by its most powerful
and ingenius adversaries. The history of
those protective and salutary measuresw which
have from one period to another been adopt
ed by our government, although perhaps in
themselves imperfect in their mechanical
formation and practical bearings, furnish
abundant proof and justification of the entire
soundness of the principle in which those
measures had their origin. The protection
ofAmsrican industry, by judicious restrictions
upon the productions of foreign competing
nations, is principle in our government as
indefeasible as the laws Of self defence or
self-preseryation. Upon this principle de-
ponds, not alone our prosperity and sturdy
development, but our actual and unqualified
independence also. The only successful
argument every arrayed against the system
ofprotection was the invention Of artful par
tzan demagogues, that the effect OF pro-
tective tariff fostered one branch of Ameri-
can industry, at the expense Of all tie rest;
that the system of protection favored few
at the expense of the many; that it tended to
build up monied aristocracy in the country
to be supportedby the laboring poor. These
arguments, though the base, pernicous and
time serving inventions of strong Britt sl
free trade interest, were nevertheless potent
In the handsof their Democratic % American
agents, in appealing to the prejudices of the
laboring classes, and arousing a controlling
opposition from source the most of all to b.
benefited. The foreign population have gene
rally gone en- mdssc with the Democratic party
against protection and against all tariffs
though often acting under decisions and de
ceptive influences, yet their natural instinct.
have ever tended to foster foreign industry in
preference to American, by their united ant
determined opposition to protection to home
industry. We are glad to see this principl,
of protection made prominent feature o.
the American platform. 1t will commend
itself to the appreciation of every enlightened
reflective man in the union. 49, -
owe NEED TO BE MORE AMERIcANIzED. ,
We apply this maxim only in commercia
sense, knowing that it stands admitted by al
whose curiosity has led them to examine tn
subject, or whose interests have made ther
=. to feel most ruinously the folly of the exis.
ing laws and customs which regulate GU
commercial intercourse with foreign cou
tries. We believe that the day for sacrif
cling great domestic interests and the stiflin
of home manufactures for mere paltry part
IAN ends, has gone by forever. The polio
which has drained the country of its gold an
s. received in exchange commodities to gre,
extent as easily produced mere, or much be
ter dispensed with altogether, is destined
undergo speedy and salutary change. Tt
old political organization which has ev,
fostered British free trade is, rapidly passr
into history before the advance of the''Amer
can Guards" whose policy is that AmeriC
shall support as well as govern itself.