Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1857-01-23

! - y spssssd for soon. dAw,f
Fhs Protective T.riR.
Ever since the late election, in which
the issue Of self government was deci-
dsd against the Republican party, that
party has been industriously engaged
IN the search after some principle, meas
are, Or system, that might answer for
platform upon which to rally the
scattered fugitives, warning .gains, the
democratic party. As often as our
opponents have made an issue before
the great jury Of the people. so often
has Judgment been rendered in onr IA
vor. simply because there was but one
uniform test for Democratic policy, and
that was found in the Federal Consti-
at'on. To-day the Republican party
|" dead'-dead beyond the hope Of res
arrect'on-and it is in vain for its fol
lowers to try to breathe into !, the
breath Of life. Now and then the IF
'ort is made, but it proves "a failure
Inc last attempt is that Of the Pro,cc-
i've Tariff scheme, fossil relic; Of the
OLD wing party, and the victim Of many
nercc political campaign. The the
DRY looked so pretty and seductive that
" was tried, time and again, and WIS
cast aside a. kind Of patent medicine,
Mt only for party capital. bu, totally
'"'m'csl TO the agricultural and com
mercial interests Of the nation. The
American System" a, it WAS .l.nom-
mated by Henry CLAY, was borrowed
from one Of the .emi-barbarous nations
OF Asia, Familiarity known in history
only,as the Island Of Japan. The Jap
an system" is and ever has been to fo,-
ter "home manufacture" aud every
other industrial pursuit. to such ,lc-
vree, that the advocates of the protcc-
tive tariff must admire their complete
success in the etiort,-a success that
has shut up Japan within Itself, like an
oyster within its shell, and destroyed
I'll its commerce, all its intercourse
with surrounding nations.
The Japan system is the t"iai de-
struction Of fleets of merchantmen or
Of commercial greatness. and is bot
toned upon the idea thu, u nation
should not be dependent upon any
other nation tor any article oi isc or
Of consumption. THIS theory Of the
late Wing party hal its p,ccc.lcn, also
in China, where vast and lcnsel, pop
ulsted empire tlourishe,i within itself
incloscd within walls OF masonry work
upon the land, and system of exclu-
sion upon the seaboard. until she was
forced to open her gates to the com
mercial world, and send forth her tea
and silk in exchange for either !sold or
il equivalent.
The doctrine Of protection KEEP, Chi
NJ under cloud Of obscuri,y for ages,
and still shuts the gates OF Japan upon
the civilized world. This notion of a
nation living within itself, and by tariff
exclusions, building up every conceiv-
able branch Of industry, is one of the
cardinal doctrines of barbarous nations.
1t 10 both absurd and impractieable.-
The doctrine Of Free Trade is the only
rational doctrine for promoting the
prosperity Of nations. Climate, soil,
internal resources, and national habits,
regulate the kinds Of industry or trade
the most desirable and suitable for anv
people. 1t would be an act of insan.
ity to adopt high impost duties upon
he article Of tea, simply because some
hundred or thousand people of this
country were raising that article. 1t
would Be- both an outrage upon consul
mem, and commerce. The same NAV
b said of silk. Suppose that por-
ton Of our people were engaged in the
raising and manufacture of elk
Would this Be = reason why tariff
should b imposed upon the imported
article for the benefit of these few -
In other wordA shall the many be
taxsd for the few Protection, as .
basis for tariff duties, is one of the
most Utopian Of oil schemes. 1t ia
kind Of hot-house operation for mstu-
ring different branches of industry. in
advance Of the inclinatious aud wants
n . people. 1t isa compulsory pro
~ a creating . species Of industry,
imply fem the nsosssity which the
'sslasaoa of certain imports imposes.
10 people VII psespss where The gov. !
'sansat becomes the auss Of il dill.
crest hranehss Of industry. All that
government ahould do, Is to protect
nd regulate trade and co,nmerce. fhom
~ piracy Of the people. By protec.
'on W mean simply that government
Aa1 secure % national industry unin.
assapesd psaos In Ill its branches Of
seavtsy. -Four climate is unsuitable
: ne sa''aas q tsa. coffee and spioea !,
= asss saitasls tos some other kinda =
! peoGneeiooA let % exoha>ss ON, .,,. =.