The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1860-06-02

TIE VALUE OF PLATFORMS The N. Y.
Tribune, one Of the leading Republican organs
Of the country says, the twelfth resolution of
the Republican Platform contains an explicit
affirmance Of the protective policy. On the
other hand the N. Y. Evening Post, admitted
to be among the ablest opponents OF the same
party, can't find "a single word in favor, or
the slightest mention Of the doctrine of pro-
lection" The Tribune is a well known adj
vocate Of the doctrine Of protection, and the
Post is equally well known as an earnest Free
Trade organ. 1t is easy, therefore, to appre,
ciate the convenient uses to which platforms
may be applied, and equally plain that they
are of great ~ value as tests Of political
orthodoxy.
Here, however, is something that Greeley
and the Post could not, by any possibility,
quarrel about. 1t is too plain to admit of
different constructions, and is worth more than
q thousand such resolutions as the one refer
red to above, as q declaration of opinion on
the vital question Of protection to American
Industry.
Views Of John Bell on the Protection
of American Industry.
From his Speech in the Senate, May 20, 1858 |
What is the true policy Of this country g
To encourage and protect, by all constitution
al and just means, its internal trade and IN
dustry to promote the division of labor and
the diversity of industrial pursuits: TO pro-
vide congenial and profitable employment, as
far as practicable, for the whole population.
Let all the arts of production and civilization
| be cherished by discriminating patronage
Let the fame and smoke of the smelling fur
mace be seen rising from every hill and noun
tain side, and from every valley where Nature
has stored her mineral wealth. Let beautiful
villages spring up along the line Of all our
railways, great and small. and dot over all the
interiors and, in or round all Of Them let the
stately factory appear, with its busy hum of
looms and spindles. and hard by the great
work shops be found in which that sort of
machines are made that produce the wealth of
England Let the dranght stocks of the
country diversity the scene aud the stroke of
the big forge-hammcr, reducing the crude
metal to the desired forms, be heard nor let
the decent school-house be forgotten, and first,
and above all, let the tall church spire ascend,
pointing to heaven. In word LET domestic
industry and the manufacturing arts be en-.
couraged and sustained so that agriculture
may find its surest market at home, and be
relieved of the foreign dependence and fuctua-
tons TO which it is now subjected.
Thus the producers and consumers of agri.
cultural products will be brought together.
The producers OF the raw material, and the
manufacturer who fashions it into thousand
forms, for use or ornament, will be placed
side by side. So Jefferson. with a Il his orig.
inal prejudces, ut last advised. Washington
and Hamilton, and the Adamses also favored
this policy So did Madison and Monroe, and
so did Lowndes and Calhoun, in 1916, both
of them advocating and voting for the tariff
| Of that year. which was strongly protective
in all its features Even General jackson,
| with all his wild notions about credit and
commerce, was still too practical statesman
not to see and acknowledge that a IL such man.
ufnctuIcs as are necessary to make nation
independent OF foreign supplies in time Of war
ought to be encouraged. In fact. all those
who, in their day, have made their name illus
trious in the annals Of this country by theil
civil or military services, have, at some period
Of their lives, favored this policy. The illus.
trious names Of Clay and Webster will occu,
10. every one, without mention from me, o.
champions OF this great American policy.