The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-01-26

II Is always great deal easier TO c0mpro-
mise with principle by making special cE-
ccptions than it is to meet it fairly. The
world is continually dodging the truth and
making small concessions to il, simply be-
cause il has not the courage or the conviction
t0 grasp il. A very @oou illustration Of this
is afforded by the hill Row pending in Con-
greSS providing that all imported materials:
;;scd il rebuilding the city OF Chicago SHALL
he exempt from duties. II is estimated that
by this single stroke Of torbealance by the
Government the people Of that city will save
many millions. while the national Treasury
will sustain a compalutively triling loss.
Hence n feeling Of sympathy for all afflicted
community suggests concession to them
which Congress would not think Of making
to the whole nation and yet what good
reason is there for making the distinction:
WHY not extend Il similar favor to the burned
regions Of Michigan and the northwest: ]:
The lumlerlnen OF ;liose regions are surely
entitled to as much coumiScration as the
people Of Chicago.
II the principle Of "protcction is SO be-
neliccnt as its advocates claim il to he. why
should ii be waived in favor Of any locality,
or at any timer Why should it be proposed
10 help our crushed commerce BY national
aims III the shape OF bounticsS Why enact
the farce of cxacting tribute in the form Of
duties with one hand, and refunding them,
rs bounties, with the other? More than this,
why waive the tariff rs to materials and sup
plies for ships, az is proposed, and retain II
az inst all other industries? 1t must strike
every intelligent reader that these exceptions
are the very best demonstrations OF the tallacy
OF the protective" theory which could be
made, and that they are simply eypedients for
! lodging conclusion which cannot be gain
/ sayed.
1t seems unnecessary to point out q fallacy
which is so plain, and yet there are thou
sands Of people who upon other subjects
are conccdedly intelligent, but who seem ab-
solutcly infatuated upon this one point.
They either cannot or will not bc moved by
the plaincst logic; but as often as they are
driven into a corner by such demonstration
Us that at Chicago, or by the destruction OF
cur commerce. they dodge the principle by a
special exception which really comedies the
whole issue. Thus, if there is any good
reason why the people Of Chicago should
be allowed to have cheap lumber and
other materials to rebuild their burned
city, why should not the same boon
be extended to the millions Of poor people
all over the land who are struggling fol
cheap rents and cheap homes? If the ship
builder cannot thrive without bounties OF
free materials with which to build and eqril
his vessels, why should not the southern
planter and the western farmer be permitted
to have free cloths, free ploughs and every.
thing free which he docs not produce? DO
they not have to pay for the proposed boon
to Chicago and. the s1ip-builders? 1t seems
strange that the people do not see these
i op6 tI,af fkov do not pynrriSp their
sovereign power to apply the remedy OF
''reyenue reform"
| Anomalous as it may seem, such reforms
arc always more difficult OF accomplishment
| in Il popular government than they are in an
autoclstic one, simply for the reason that IN
| tie former, capital, always all memorable dcs-
pot, controls the people, while in the latter
| the chief consideration with rulers is to keep
| the masses contented. BY securing cheap
living to the people they strengthen them.
selves, and hence the chief end Of European
political economy has been for the last half
century to lessen the burthen of taxation
uponthe poor. The rulers very socn dis
covered that free trade was the iirst step in
that direction, and Governments being
stronger than capital, they established ut.
With lis capital controls, and hence the
struggle has been long and unsuccessful
We have faith, however, that it will not be
so much longer. The people, and especially
the producers, are rapidly becoming edtl-
Gated; and, fortunately, they are becoming
strong enough to assert their Will. The old
fnllacy of protection is doomed, and though
the principle Of revenue reform may DC
lodged for time it will surely prevail in
the end.--BYtalo Courier; r '.' 800, "a.