Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1871-06-16
FREE TR.fDE .f.vD PROTRC-
TIO.V.

in calculation of the subject of protection |
versus free trade. In the midst Of so much |
that Is one-sided and partisan upon this
suhject-the Importance of which demands
far more serious study than has yet been |
bestowed upon 1t by our legislators is
with feelings of equal surprise and thank
fulness that we find writer who is able to
throw light upon n subject which to most
of us remains exceedingly dark, and who
is yet honest enough to admit that there
are two sides to the question, and that
neither the party of protection nor the adj
vocates of free-trade are wholly in the
wrong. Concedng the correctness of the
frec-trade principle particularly as a mat
ter of economy, he yet finds that this may
be, and in our national history often has
been, ovcrshadowcd by questions Of far
greater moment than mere matter Of dol
lars and cents. Mr.. Bushnell says:
We'll, then II did after long time, come
to me to ask. Is there nothing in the world
but trade? Is good bargaining the total
cone ern OF states and craftsmanship? We
spend money for education, and what does
it buy? Intelligence, some may answer
but that is only figure of speech, we re-
ally buy nothing. The money is sunk,
and intelligence is left there is no trade
in the matter, and no trade value concern
ed. We 20 to war for our liberties and the
integrity Of our Institutions expanding
moneys without count and industries with
ont measure. DO we this in trade? None
of u will have any such thought, We
| sink so much OF money wealth, and eX-
| poet to have, in place of it, veal immeas-
/ urablc that is 10 money veal at all. SO,
| also. we build. We beauty, We tortify;
! an Il here again We sink the money veal
for what has no trade value. Besides We
want Il name, and, what is more, that iu-
visible. intangible. inappreciable thing
called honor, We can go long way round
and spend much for ii, but We cannot buy
it; trade brings no such commodity. Pub
lie security again. the security of law and
Ii berty, that which anchors permancnce
and order. is there any losing trade we
would not make to keep it, any sale OF it
that we would make for the total riches of
| the globe?
How then is it that lree-trade science is
going. as we hear, to settle peremptorily all
| the great questions of public economy'
! For if we set ourselves down to it as the
/ test Of economy, and say it is final, is there
nothing to be done or thought Of In the
world, we are by and by obliged to ask,
| that il out Of economy and rightly spurns
| it? May not the worst economy some
times be the best ? To be fostering modes of
production, where the trade-scale balance
shows only disadvantage wears bad look
/ certainly, as respects the matter Of econo-
my. But how many and vast supplies are
wanted that must not be left to the uncer-
tanties Of trade; where to higgle over the
| expense would be even a contemplate
weakness. This is true in particular of all
| the supplies that are needed for the equip
ment of the state of public war. Without
| these no people is n proper nation, or at
| least by any possibility strong one.
| Therefore these VIC must not only have,
/ but must have the way Of making, our
! selves, at any cost.
/ Led along in this transitional way, am l
| any the less sure Of the free-trade doctrine
/ that see it so often passing clean out of
| range, and leaving 50 many questions un-
! decided. 1t seems, in one view, and will
| by and by more largely appear, to settle
nothing. 1t is good against protection, as pro-
pounded in terms of dircc, profit; but pro-
! lection is at liberty still TO invoke public
| help on other grounds, where the compu-
tation of trade-prott shows disadvantage.
/ There is still a vast realm of interests,
wants and public considerations that 50 far
overtop all trade-protit issues rs to even
sink them out of sight. Instead. therefore,
OF going bravely on, as at first expected
to settle everything by the science, saw ii
drired quite away and stranded as it were,
on a side-shore, which the currents of leg
islation scarcely touch. And yet, in still
! anuthc view, the currents of the world
are in it. II Cnnobes commerce and the
nation by inducing II more tit conception
of the communion of the sea. 1t iustiiies
commerce by revealing the beneiicent law
in which all peoples and climes are made
complementary to each other. II makes
the trade Of the world law of good neigh
borhood for the world, showing the peo-
pies all working for each other, and for
bidding them, 10y mutual jealousies and
mutual plumber, to make hostility, injus-
tice and poverty their common lot. Nay,
it even organizes a kind of neutral beneii-
cence, that answers some of the conditions
vi brotherhood, and offers q good analogy
to interpret the highest and most holy.
Under these Nnental transitions, which
almost amy mind working in fair intention
Is likely to pass it comes, at last, TO be con-
cluded, that protection, thrown oHt in Its
first argument, the argument Of profit has
a large field yet to he occupied and that
free-tradc, gaining the same argument
gains It only for such field a. the argument
of trade profit covers. The practical ques,
tons remain, for the most part, still TO be
decided by other and different considera
tons. All the greater pityit is that So ma.
ny politicians, and 50 many presses still
keep on Juggling at their old war, and badg
ering each other in their old arguments, as
If the particular measures Of tariff adjust
! ment contended for could be tested, or very
; much affected any way by such arguments
We have the fanatics Of protection citing
still their figures on one side and fanatics
Of free-trade lifting their unmeaning aas
of revenue reform on the other-the latter
. a little more violent of the two, because
= they have so much science 10 boast that no
body regards because 1t has no application
not perceving, as they ought, on botf
sides, that revenue is supreme just now o
yer both, and the question Of protection
I or no protection, mono but a matter of sub
1 ordinate consequence.
lie then proceeds at length to note som'
70 Of the cases where protection is vindicated
= Notwithstanding the disadvantage in pc
70 cuniary point of view. These are, in brief
I as follows: |. When it is incidental rs re
CARDS duties imposed for revenue. 2. Wher
r the duties to be laid are like to be only
4 ! iamDorarv loss wiz as in fostering new