The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-01-10
ABOUT PROTECTION AND FREE
TRADE,

TRADE.
The New York Times in classifying
some of its exchanges as to their status on
the Tariff, puts down the INTELEGENCER
as Free Trade journal. Herein the
Times is wholly mistaken; and We cor,
rect the misapprehension of our metro.
polltan cotempoary simply because If we
are worth quoting at all we ought not to
he quoted wrongly.
We have no sympathy with Free
Traders, and no faith in their theories; nor
dove understand that their theories when
put in practice In this country have ever
yielded any but unfortunate results. We
believe, in general way, that II is
ms true Of nations; rs Of individuals,
that II is what they produce and fabricatc,
not what they buy1 that nlAkes, them
rich; that everything it is possible to
grow and manufacture on the soil Of the
United States ought to be grown and
manufactured Mt home, not bought abroad;
md that, therefore, the interests of the
country, as n whole, require that home in
(ilslry and labor of every kind he elIec-
lively projected against foreign competi-
ton Or political economy ought TO aim
at analional development under which not
a bushcl ofgain norpound of meat would be
shipped from our shores. There can be but
one end fora country which dcvOtes itself
to shipping away the staple productions Of
It's soil; anil there are examples enough TO
showthat, with reference to the ordinary
lifetime of nations, it does not take long to
reach it, Soonor late, the soil is exhaust
cd, unless the elements of tsNfertility are
returned in the costly shape of imported
fertilizers. THIS thas Deqnths experience
in Elrsp; and ifproof were needed of q
proposition us self 'evitcntas anything in
chemistry, we have abundant examples
in our own country, in the exhausted To-
lncco fields of Maryland and Virginia
and In tiesabid exhaustion d thewhsat
region ol'thc Northwest. Whoever doubts
what ought To be the substntum ofthe
Industrial policy of every country, should
read the Baron I4eibig's letters on Agricul.
turnl Chemistry THE agricultural pro.
ductions Of n country should, rs fur us
possible, he consumed on its soil and their
constituents returned thereto. This is
the fundamental idea to he kept in view
This requires "A population equal TO their
consumption, and no such population is
possible ir the other human industries
are performed in foreign countries. A.
country which Is wholly devoted TO agri-
culture is poor at its hest estate. 1t is a
varied industry that makes wealth, com
fbrt, intelligence and progress, and which
secures even Agriculture its best rewards.
The nearer the factor is brought to the
farmer the better for both. If an
illinois frrmer ships o bushel Of
wheat to the factor in Europe who makes
his broadcloth, the expense of carrying it
thithcr is equal to It's first value in the
li,nncrs barn. So far as these two are
concerned that expense is Il total loss. So
Is The cost of bringing the cloth to the
larmer 10 pay for the wheat. Ifthe iacto-
nv stood adjoining Tie farmers barn it
is certain this expense of transporting the
wheat and cloth would be saved, and the
one would get, more cloth for his wheat
dndthc other more wheat for his cloth,
Demagogues and paid emissaries are now
flooding the West with arguments to show
that her interests demand Free Trade.
There never was more fatal and ruihous
mistake. Ifthe West Is to'be mererais:
rof hogs and corn and wheat for Eng.
lind, her future is not promising. What
she wants Is market not four thousand d
miles away, but at her doors She wants
n,anufactories .ofeSery kind on. her own
sou, SOFAS so have a market at home; and
when she gets them her farmers wllI:fnd
their greatest rewards in productionsthen
available but too perishable to bear ship.
ment to foreign markets. =
We do not agree that protection is best
only for manufactures. It's bess for the
agricultural interest, because wherever
there is manufacturing population agris
culture finds its market. Its capabilities,
too, are greatly enlarged, because it,Can,
produce and sell proftably many things.
utterly impossible if tile mafketis distant
things that arc absolutely. worth more
than the great staples, Nosstlie Vest
ern farmers find their market in the
East and in Europe Why SHOULD they
not bring 1t TO their own doors and save
the commissions Of the middle men and
the cost of trunsportationS A system
TINT brings the producer and tabricator to.
gether is adverse to the Glass whO inter
pose between Lliese two Chief motors Of
the industrial world and live by increas-
ing the cost of their productions TO the
consumer. These are they who always
camor for Free Trade. .d 81,
OF course, there must bethr system Of
exchanges which eicall commGTe; and
there lsa Legitimate field for it without
overthrowmg national Industries; but It
has always operated lisastrously In this
country, and will until our Industries are