The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1869-06-24
Tht Uribn,,e.
WITH SUPPLEMENT.
THE EVIDENCES OF HISTORY ON
PROTECTION AND FREE TRADE.


we doubt not-be carried on with increas-
ed bitterness, and be used as a test ques-
ton producing an entirely new formation
of our political parties. We are very
willing to conceit to the free traders that
they are right in the theory of their ideas,
but we know just as well, for history it
self has convinced us-that in the prac-
tice the right is on the side of protection.
Let the whole civilized world carry out
free trade, and we shall be in favor of its
adoption here by all means in our power,
but as circumstances are now, we are by
all means opposed to it, for we will not
consent that our farmers and labor
ers shall sink to the same level with the
white European slave, and that our be-
loved country should be drove into bank
ruptey. The opponents Of a protective
tariff in defending their theory, always
refer to England, country which least
of all supports free trade, on the contrary
sustains protective system in its strong
est sense. But the history of the last
50yearsof their country speaks the plain
est for the unconstitutional necessity of
protective tariff in these United States,
and it will be of interest to look back and
see what it tells us.
/ A little over fifty years ago our second
war with England came to an end. There
were, for the then existing population,
considerably many factories and foun-
dries in operation here, who procured \
market and corresponding employment
for the raw material of every descripulc2.
Money was sufficiently on hand and the
public debt very small. Two years later
we adopted the socalled English free
trade system and, as with one blow,
, everything was changed. Mills, factories,
ETC., were closed. the demand for labor
ceased and the poor-houses had to be
increased money became scarce, interest
rose rapidly and farming lands fell
| to one third of their value The banks
stopped payments, the Sheriffs had
| more work than any one else, and mort.
cages were as good as warranty deeds.
| The rich became richer, but the trades
men, the farmers, the laborers and the
manufacturers were ruined, and although
the expenses of the Government were
| light at that time, the treasury was in
sufficient to meet them. The country
| was in such a state that General Jackson,
| then the President, exclaimed ''where is
there market for the overplus of the
| American farmers produce. P" The eanswer
which he gave himself to this question
is as applicable to this day as it vas then
and throws the free trade theory so sue.
cessfully in the shade that we here repeat
it. with the exception of cotton the
farmer has neither a foreign nor home
| market" Now if this is true does ii
mot prove clearly, that there is too much
'labor expended on farm produce, and
that the channels of labor must be mul
'tiplied? Plain common sense teaches
''us the remedy; withdraw the surplus of
labor from agriculture and employ it in
mechanics and manufactures, thus you
will create not only a home market foI
''your bread-stuffs, but you will divide
labor equally in the most profitable
manner for the general benefit and
prosperity ofthe whole country will be The
| consequence Withdraw from agricul.
"ture six hundred thousand men, women
''and children, and you give at once
"a much better market for bread-stuff:
than you can fnd now in the whole OF
Europe. In short, we have submitted
"too long already to the policy of The
''English merchants. It is high time
that we, Americanize, ourselves, that WI
''feed our own mechanics and manufac
"turers, in place of those of England
France and Germany, or else we shall
become paupers ourselves in a shor
"time by continuing ear present policy.
Thus spoke General Jackson, bnt il
spite of this warning the people confined
in the miserable condition as before
described until the year 1928, when the
| first national tariff was adopted. Almos
from the moment of its passage the state
of the country improved and new life ant
energy took the place Of apathy and in
difference which had so long prevailed
before. New mills and factories were
erected, labor was in demand and imm
grafton increased in consequence, the
demand for farmers produce was such
that no export was necessary. The pub
lie revenue increased SO rapidly, that very
soon, tea, coffee and many other article.
were freed from duty, and the publ,
debt was fully discharged.
! History can scarcely show simila
case of such general prosperity as wa.
developed after the passage of the nation
al tariff all over the country. IF we had
keptit up We should probably have had NJ
rebellion and the south would show us
to-day a state of prosperity, through
which the plantation owners would have
become rich, while their slaves would
have obtained their liberty by degrees tt
the advantage not only Of themselves bu
of their former owners and of the whole
nation. But the tariff was abolish ed in
1884 which WAS followed by another ''free
trade crisis" which lasted for nine years
and producedjust the opposite of welfare
and prosperity. Mills, factories and
| fnundrieS wera closed lahoro.s la -.