The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-01-17
General Jackson on Protection.

General Jackson on Protection.
From the Tribune.
We print to-day entire General Jackson's noted
letter on protection and free trade written to
DR.. Coleman, of North Carolina ian avowed free
trader) in 1924 General jackson was then
candidate for President; DR.. Coleman wanted to
support him, but could do 80 with most satisiac-
ton and to the greatest advantage providing he
would come out for free trade. This he refused
10 do, but avowed himself heartily for protec.
ton. HIS reasons do not need to be vindicated
nor re- enforced; and we ask our readers to scru-
tinize and weigh them carefully.
The World, having been shamed into printing
them, proffers the following plea in Abatement
i. These are General Jacksons "crude first
thoughts" not ''the revised opinions OF his ripper
Judgment
To which we answer: General jackson was
over tiftyseven years old when he wrote this
letter. He had been prisoner of war more
than forty years before. and had entered Con-
gTess nearly thirty years before. Napoleon Bo
naparte, born two years after him, had run his
memorable career, and died three years before.
1t General Jackson's opinions on the tariff ques
tion were "c1uden when he was ffty-seven years
old, it is most unlikely that they ever became
mature And in fact, though party exigen-
cies somewhat modified his attitude in after
years, there is no evidence, and no probability,
that he ever renounced the opinions set forth
in this letter.
The vital matter of General Jackson's letter is
his conviction that the interest of our farmers
required higher duties to be paid on foreign
manufactures in order to create home markets
at their doors instead of compelling them to
rely on the remote and precarious markets of
Europe. The World says he twas certainly
mistaken in this; we think he was eminently
right: but the tact is unaffected by dissent or
approval
General Jackson regarded the free trade policy
as that OF British merchants" in antagonism to.
that OF American farmers. That happens to be
"our sentiment better expressed" And, If we
could only get hold of the list of subscriptions
to the funds of our Free Trade League, we have
no doubt that it would strongly tend to confirm
Old Hickory's view Of the matter.
The World comedies that what our country
needed III 1924 was greater diversity OF indus
trial pursuits-in other words, more of her peo-
pie employed in manufactures, ever in agricul-
ture-but holds that General Jackson was mis-
taken in regarding protective duties as the pro-
per means to the desired end. General Jackson
appealed to common sense" in the premises,
and we are sure he did not appeal in vain.
General jackson thought that considerations
of national independence and national defense
lead, and grow our own hemp and wool, instead
of buying them abroad. Herein we think he
was eminently right. The World thinks other
wise--or rather, tries TO regard these considera-
tions as no longer applicable. But that they
are, the failure and collapse of the late slave
holders Confederacy strongly affirms. Had the
South been mining its own metals and weaving
its own fabrics in l860-61, instead of buying
them abroad and trusting in Cotton as King, 1t
would have suffered far less and stood q far
better chance of success in our late struggle.
Shall experience teach in vain?
On the whole, it seems to us that the Worlds
notions are crude" and the views of General
jackson singularly sound and mature. And we
think our subsequent history has signally tended
to establish the ripeness and craftsmanship
evinced in his letter TO Dr.. Coleman.