New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-12-14
Committee or Ways and Means.

If We were TO form an opinion as to the
views of the House of Representatives, and of
Speaker BLAINE, upon the policy of protection
by the con titution of the Committee Of Ways
and Means, we could come to no other con-
clusion than that the principle of encourage
ment to American industry is doomed to de-
struction so far as that branch Of Congress can
accomplish the ruinous work. But though the
committee may represent the revenue reform"
views of the Spsaker-who comes from State
clamorous fer the repeal of the duty on salt
aad coal, but painfully anxious to retain it on
lumber, potatoes, and other staple products of
Maine-and Notwithstanding the House passed
at its last session, under whip and spur, bill
to repeal the duty on coal and salt, we cannot
think majority Of that body ia prepared to
strike down, or 50 reform as to paralyze, an
interest which has contributed moro than any
thing else TO orr national prosperity and
greatness.
There-is no use Of refining or theorizing
upon this question Of protection. 1t is policy
that has built up nufacturing interest that
gives direct employment to two millions Of
operatives, and gives direct support to ten
million FIVE hundred thousand people. Ii is a
policy that has rendered us independent of all
other nations, and enabled US to prosecute to
successful issue long and desperate war. 1t
is a policy that has elevated, or is rapidly
elevating the American workingmas to higher
position than that occupied by that class of
;,,o NJ barp
in the worlds history. Ii is :. policy that has
created a market at home for the products of
our farmers, aid to far lar .er amount than we
should have secured in Europe by adopting
the destructive doctrine OF free trade. it's, in
brief, IAN american policy" devised to foster
rican agriculture, and every conceivable branch
of American industry
The Abandonment of this American policy OF
protection for the British policy of free trade
would overwhcim the nation with pecuniary
ruin. No advocate Of the free trade theory
of the enemies of American manufacturers an
American laborers, or OF revenue reform"
that ignores the principle, can doubt that it
will strike a fatal blow at our national prosper
ity, and the most vital interests of the people,
unless they wilfully shut THAR eyes to the whole
history of tariff tinkering by Congress. They
know that the same consequences which have
followed tho overthrpw of protective tariff in
the past must follnR from the same cause in the
future. They know that the effect has been inva-
riably disastrous to our prosperity. We there
fore repeat cur convictions, or at least our very
strong hope, that Congress Will cease tampering
with the national welfare and the peoples in.
terests, IN spite Of the advantage Mr.. BLAINE
seems designedly to have given the free trade
or revenue reformers by placing a majority of
them on the Committee OF Ways and Means.
The Republican party of Pennsylvania does
not seem satisfied with the composition of this
committee, or of the Speakers course towards
Pennsylvania. Though native of that State,
he is accused esasciaIly by the Philadelphia
Press, with having almost ignored its interests
in selecting the committees Of the House, being
given tire Oh lirman of only four unimportant
ones. The Press thinks Hon. w. d KELLEY
should have been made Chairman of the Com
mittee of Ways aid Means, and with some
reason. 1t does not question the motives of
the Speaker. bat expresses the very positive
opinion that his constitution Of the committees
is not calculated to strengthen the Republican
party in Pennsylvania. Aud we are not sur.
prised that State which owes so much Of her
present greatness, and relies so much for her
future prosperity on protection to her indus
tries, should feel sensitive that committee
having such intimate relations TO this question
should be given to the enemies of protection
and majority of it selected from those whose
views are held by very small minority Of the
Republican party.