The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-02-04


selves, in times OF peace, what we inflicted on |
the South as the stern appliance of war. The |
beauties and, benefits OF complete protection
TO home industry were enjoyed by the South TO
perfection, but Il is not generally supposed TO
have enriched the Southern people Its only
effect was to produce universal distress. II
carried up prices several hundred per cent for
the benefit of blOckade-runners and the riclSptv
manufactures II forced into q siekly existence.
we know that 1t may be said that the cripplng
effects of the blockade were owing 10 the dealt.
tuition of established manufactures and that
twenty years of protection previous TO the war
would have rendered the blockade harmIess
But the real effect of that kind of protection
would have been to stunt The growth of the
South, so that instead OF holding ont four
years, it could not have maintained the war
iour months.
1t the South had possessed power TO hem itself
around with the voluntary blockade of a protec-
tive tariff for twenty years before the war. and
had used that power, the effect would have been
TO divert large portion OF its capital and
industry into manufactures. Instead of grow
ing rich and powerful by the sale of cotton, its
agriculture would have languished: for its
deficient capital did not suffice Tor both pur-
suits, and, having to buy abroad the South
would have no motive TO raise ANYTHING to sell
The greatest want OF a new country, for IT'S rapid
development, rs the use of capital; and this is
generally furnished by Older communities, not
IN the shape OF money, but of goods sold on
credit. The South, by purchasing it's goods in
this way instead of manufacturing them, was
always in the use OF large amonts Of capital not
IT'S ONus WulCn euhOleu IL, IN the absence OF
immigration, and in spite Of bad labor system,
to grow up to pTodeiOus strength
Had the South manufactured its own goods,
IL would have lacked this aid aud stimulus, and
its progress would have been feeble. All the
surplus moIey it could save or borrow it de-
voted TO the construction of railroads, and 1t
was chiefly by the aid OF these and well-de-
velOped agriculture that the South was enabled
TO battle 20 long tine mightiest armies ever raised
for purposes of invasion. 1t the South had built
factories instead OF railroads, 1t could not have
resisted the North for single campaign. The
Tapidity with which 1t could transfer troops on
interior lines, TO meet us AT every threatened
point multiplied the Southern soldiers. The
Southern armies could have been fed so long
as they were, only IN a country given up to
agriculture.
When the catastrophe at last came, it was
chiefly by want Of food and the wearing out
of the railroads. 1t is clear, then, that the free
trade policy of the South was wise, even as an
element OF military strength; and facts nave
demonstrated that the blockade, which gave
that section four years of complete protection
to 'home industry" was something very differ
ent from a blessing. And yet our sage legisla-
tors at Washington are aiming TO blockade our
our own ports and distress our own people,
by q method whose practical effect must be the
same as a great Gordon of blOCEadlng sQuadrOns
Protection is q Wel-sOunding word, ard we
ale wiling % cCncede that the thing 1t properly
signifies Is the oily legitimate object of govern
nent. Government owes protection, not to the
manufacturers merely, but 70 every class of
citizens and 10 every individual 1t Is saCredIy
bound to protect each and all against injustice
and wrong, against the lapaclty which would
impOveris part OF the community by traAs-
icIring their earnings or their property without
compensation 10 others. But what in common
parlanCesis called 'proteC ion" is a form of rob-
berry. Who is 1t that asks for protection? Who
are the men that nil the lObbes ana besiege the
committees of Congress TO ClamOr for high
duties? II is not the people; not anybody de-
pued by them to express their wishes; but the
greedy manufacturers and their we'll -Dalu agents.
And what do these cOrmOrants ask TO be pro-
tected dgqHtSt? Is it against oppression by the
community? Oh, no Against injustice? Again
no. Against taking way their property to give
TO others Sull the same no. What then
Why, against iOlC pTJceS-they want to be pro-
trCCeG against low prices and against nothing
else. But to whom are low prices an evil? To
the rapaclous manufacturers only. To all the
rest OF the community, low prices are an advan-
tage and a blessing. The sole object of the spe-
Cies OF robbery misnamed protection is to keep
up or carry up prces-tbat is, TO prevent all
consumers from getting as many goods for the
same money as they would if trade were left
free
The manufacturers heing confes>edly unable
to make goods as Cheaply as they can be imported,
having Coniessedly gone into Improbable
branches of business, have the impudenCe TO
ask that other people shall be compelled make
up their losses And this legal robbery of some
to reward the bad management OF others Is
called protection! We should prefer to see the
laboreIs OF the country protected in their right
10 the free use of their wages, and against the
unjust compulslon 10 pay more than goods are
worth because few rich owners of factories
would suffer by low prices. The slavery which
We have abolished took from the negroes all
their earnings beyond bare subsistence, and
gave the surplus to their master; but the tariff
transfers the system TO the North, and takes the
earnings OF the white laborers TO give to a few
Repu DlCan magnateS. Down with this Odious
aristOCIacy in legislation
.