Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1870-01-26
TIE FEE TRADE QUESTION.

imported goods; by this means, they
claim, the people would be enabled to
buy in the cheapest markets which the
world affords, and, as the necessities OF J
life would therefore cost them much
less than now, theyswould according
" accumulate wealth more rapidly.
There is certain plausibiity in the
argument, but we deny that the con
cIasion follows from the premises. The
first effect of a free trade policy would
ba to food our markets with foreign
goods; wherever these goods could be
sold at less price than similar Ameri-
can goods they would soon supersede
them, and the consequence would be
that our American producers would be
compelled to give up their business,
As we said not long since, nearly every
country has its specialities, in the way
Of manufactures or agricultural prod
ucts, which, from cheap labor or fa-
vora bic climate, or some other advan
tage, it can afford more cheaply than
they can be produced elsewhere.
These favored products would come in
at our open ports and, as our home Ia
dustry could not compete against them,
the result would be that our whole peo-
pie would have to devote their atten
ton to those few kinds Of labor in
which they would not encounter this
ruinous competition. We can raise
wheat, cotton and tobacco profta
bly,, but our factories would have to
stop run ming or only continue by re-
ducing the price of labor to level
with that of other countries, and the
various employments which, at first,
would be found profitable would soon
be overdone, and, at the best, the
great supply of labor-caused by
the dlscontinuance Of other kinds Of bu-
siness-would so far exceed the demand
that only the lowest prices would be
paid. The laborer would undoubtedly
be able to buy foreign made coat for
less than one Of American manufacture
now costs him but the removal Of the
tariff though which he would obtain
this advantage would also deprive hin
of his employment, or. at the least
cheaper his labor to level with thai
Of other countries.
The condition Of affairs produced BY
a freetrade policy, as here considered
is what we might expect under the ia
vorable circumstances Of peaceful anc
friendly foreign relations. But, in tht
case of war, cut off from the markets
to which we send our produce anC
from the source Of many OF our mos
necessary supplies, and wi bout thu
means of remedying the difficulty a
home, our condition would be pitiabl
indeed. It therefore becomes matte
OF national importance, as we'll as o
pecuniary advantage to the people
that the resources of the country b.
developed and all the various indus
tries of which it is capable fostered, II
order that it may become selfsustain
ing and independent in war as well a
eace. This can only be done, il
one case, through the protection of
tariff.
It should be remembered that
though theorists have long proclaime
the virtues of free trade, as yet, n
nation has consistently carried it gu
in practice. England is the most com
monty adduced example, but she pre-
tected her manufactures till she be
lieved them secure from competition
and whenever this does not prove to b
the case she is prompt to afford tn
protection ola tariff. Only last yea
Belgium succeeded in making.a certain
kind of goods much cheaper than
had ever been done before, and sen
large quantities to British markets
The English government imposed
high tariff upon it immed lately On
Of the most important sources of gu
national revenue has been the tariff col
Iected upon imports. Let US now re
move all foreign duties and the add
tionaI direct taxation, necessltated b.
our great debt, falling upon peopl
distracted aud impoverished by the de
struction of their business interests
would become burden too great to b'
borne, and the most serious conse
quences might be feared
1t is of course impossible to treat
this subject fully in the narrow limits
ola newspaper article, but we have giver
some Of our reasons for believing that
a change of our national policy upon
the tariff question would be unadvisa
Bile. It is very possible that some wise
changes might be made in our tariff
laws, but such as they are we consider
them the very bulwark of our nationa
prosperity. A wisely regulated tariff
which bears upon all classes alike
neither expressing one nor favorln3
another, tends to diversity the pursuits
e