Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1856-02-07
From the Ohio StatcsInan.1
The Policy of DamOcranu

~ 6'NotNa NANnN iOlliil~
red upon mankind b. wise governments, than
those which flow from sound fiscal policy.
A system, which, based upon principles of
enlightened political economy, promotes COM
merce, facilitates the exchange of surplus
productions between nations, advances indus
triOus pursuits and distributes wealth, is one
of the chief blessings conferred upon the in
dividual by society, in exchange for a portion
of his natural rights. All this and more is
effected by that liberal policy Of Democracy,
which opposing all monopolies, secures to the
people such a degree Of comparative opu-
leAce as raises them above a perpetual strng-
gle for a bare subsistence, and enables them
to devote a portion of their time to rcerea-
ton and intellectual pursuits. We, there
fore, confidently claim, that every philan-
thTopist as well as every economist, ought to
be in favor of that utmost freedom of eX-
change and commerce, consistent with the
wants of government, advocated by the De
mocratic party for by this tho condition of
the masses must always he improved, though
for a time some particular class may suffer.
There can be no national prosperity separate
aud distinct from the individual prosperity of
the people who compose the nation. The
glory and o~pulence of tho nation in which
the masses are so INDECENT as to be compelled
to a constant struggle with a want, are sim
ply no national glory and o%pulence at all, but
a vile cheat and fraud, concocted by tyrants
and oligarchies to dazzle and delude their
victims. The idol, it is true, is gorgeouslv
appareled and sumptuously adorned, but the
worshippers are naked and miserable.
There is not now, and there never before
was. a nation in which the physical ondition
Of the people approached that enjoyed by
the inhabitants of the United States: and
seeking by the inductive method for the cause
of this unparalleled prosperity, we confident
ly attribute it, in a large measure, to the
SOUND fiscal policy always advocated and
now firmly established by the Democratic
party of the country. It's wisdom is not on
ly fortified by abstract reasoning, but proven
by the happy effects its operations have pro-
duced upon the commerce, wealth, skill, pro-
d~uctions, intelligence and character Of the
nation. To these we challenge the advo
Gates of monopoly 10 appeal, and to abide by
the result of this ultimate appeal. Happily
for all mankind, the efforts of the monopo-
lists failed TO perpetuate here the vicious the
cries and exploded fallacies by which the fis-
cal affairs of the European nations were so
long governed. The Democracy established
the opposite system, under which our manu-.
facturers are steadily acquiring that health,
strength and natural development which can
alone insure their permanence; the produce
tons of our agricultural and mann featuring
skill have increased to an amount which
seems almost fabulous; the surplus of our
staples is distributed to supply the wants of
less favored countries, many of whose people
might otherwise perish Of starvation; civil
cation has been extended, and the arts and
amenities of polished life have been spread
over vast uncultivated and but lately cx-
plored territories; a prodigious amount of
property in its most useful and enduring
form, roads, farms, houses, &c, has been Gre
ated; our has been carried to the
uttermoSt ends of the earth; and to man that
splendid mercantile navy whose keels cut
the waters of every sea, a vast marine popu-
latiOn have grown up, invaluable TO the coun-
try in peace and the right arm of offence and
defence in a transatlantic war. Such have
been the great and benefieent results of pol
icy which it was confidently predicted would
involve the country in ruin.
We gather from the report Of the Secre-
tary Of the Treasury, that in the last fiscal
year the exports of the country amounted to
S275, 156,84G. against imports to the amount
of S261, 46S, 500; the balance of trade in our
favor, notwithstanding the small crops of
last year, being $13, 6S8, 32G. The exports
Of course includes the precious metals, which,
being the staple production Of one portion of
our country, viii always, hereafter, enter
largely into the exports, in exchange for
which we receive the productions of other
countries, to the manifest benefit of all con-
cerned. We are aware that the shipment of
gold from the country is universally deplor-
ed by the protectionists rs if it were n dire
calamity. They seem TO think that our gold
is taken from us without any equivalent
whereas we do not part with one dollar OF
gold without receiving in exchange for it,
some commodity which is of more value, or
we believe to be of more valne, to us. To
keep gold rather than to fling it away pro-
fusely, is the part Of wisdom; but to keep
gold rather than procure something which we
want for consumption, is the part of a mlser.
The gold imported by emigrants and the
freight earnings of our ships, are not inclu-
ded in the above totals: these are great sour-
ces of wealth TO us, and not importations,
speaking in a balance of trade sense, seeing
that we export nothing to pay for them.
The tonnage of our shipping amounts to
5,212,OO1 tons. The reader will have a clear
or idea of its extent by reiecling that it is
eqnalto a navy Of 10, 424 ships, each Of the
capacity of 500 tons. The total value of all
the productions Of the United States for the
last fiscal year, is estimated at the prodigiOus
sum Of S3,0l8, 7S0,8o8. OF this amount ST.
$50, 1913, 1893 is the sum OF articles of manu-
facture. The valne Of foreign goods import
ed during the same period and retained for
home consumption, was S233,02Q,227.
Every dollar of value of the immense cX-
change of our productions for those of other
countries, supplies some want otherwise not 50
easily satisfied by the buyer, and disposes OF
a surplus not otherwise so valuable TO the sell
Ter. The Democratic policy has been emil
nentiy successful, and under ordinary circurn-
stances we should think no one would have
the termerity to attempt to disturb it. The
X. Ms. however, would seem To have no oh
ect but that of trying to receive the obsolete
~iallacies and pernicious preludic.s OF other
times; and a system so full Of plausible non
sense and mischievous error as that of foster
ing monopolies by fscial regulations, can
scarcely escape the efforts of these resnuec-
"a tionists. We shall, therefore, in all probable
ity, be told again, that Ireland and Turkey
have been riued by free-trade with England
and that no country can adopt and folio"
the free-trade policy aud escape run. In an
q aver 70 this assertion, requesting our oppo-
nents to observe the inductive method, We
! shall simply ask is Scotland ruined; IS Aus
trilia ruined; is Canada ruined; and above
all. is the United States ruined?
rThe Cincinnati Jail is literally crammed
with nirsOuers.