New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-11-14
A TrIu,m pin for American Industry

Though the most important result OF the
Presidential election just ended is the guar
antee it has given the country of continu-
ance, for four years more, of an honest and
economical administration of the Govern
ment, Of protection to the loyal people Of the
South against Democratic lawlessness, vio-
lsnce, and outrage, and Of wise and con-
ciliatory foreign policy, there are other con-
siderations which will render the overwhelm-
ing triumph of the Republican party a source
of the sincerest qualification to all true Amer
leans. And one of them is the practical APP
prevail by the people ofthe policy ofprotection
to American industry which President Grant
has so strongly recommended in his messages
to Congress, and the assurance it gives to
American manufactures, working men, and
all other industrial classes, that the tariff
will be no further tempered with by Con-
gress. a serious blow was truck by the last
Congress to one of our important branches
of industry to appeasc the clamor of foreign
manufacturers and of our own importers for
free trade in salt. 1t was to give the people
salt a great deal cheaper than it had ever been
before. But rs yet it has accomplished no
such result, nor is it likely to do any such
thing. What it has done is greatly to cripple
Michigan by bringing the Canadian manu-
faeturers into free competition with them.
Whatever temporary effect this may have
in cheapening the price of salt to the Amer
lean consumer, it is certain that the end will
be an increase in price. When the Canadians
have succeeded in breaking down our manu-
factories, as they are in a fair way to do, they
will be able to command their own prices.
A similar blow was struck at our btu
minous coal interest, and in smaller degree
at iron manufactures. But circumstances
have combined to avert from these interests
the disastrous consequences the reduction of
duty on salt brought upon those engaged in
its production. All this sort of trifling with
the prosperity and independence of the coun-
try for the benefit of our foreign rivals has
received a rebuke from the people that will
e0ectually end it.
One Of the main planks in the Greeley
Copperhead platform was the reference of
the questions Of protection to American in
dustry to the people. The issue was squarely
presented to them by the Cincinnati and the
Baltimore Conventions, whether the policy
which has been pursued by the Republican
party since it has had control of the Govern
ment, and under which the country has made
such rapid progress in wealth and prosperity,
q, Uha.r
response to the appeal has been to send al
most united Republican delegation to Con-
gross in nearly every manufacturing State, or
every State largely engaged in manufactures.
Every New England State which has chosen
members ofCongress has elected nearly a solid
Republican protective delegation. Pennsyl-
vania has given one hundred and thirty
thousand majority for Grant on that issue,
Michigan fifty thousand, Connecticut four
thousand, New Jersey fourteen thousand,
Rhode Island eight thousand, and so on
everywhere.
The people felt that the destruction of the
policy of protection to our industry would be
calamity to the country only second to the
defeat of the policy of protection to the lives,
liberty, and property of the loyal people OF
the South and continuance of honesty,
economy, and fidelity, generally, in the adj
ministration of the Government. And no
class felt this so painfully, or foresaw the evil
more clearly, than the workingmen of the ma
ton. They looked upon free trade rs a
measure more certain to reduce the price OF
wages than any other commodity, and that
if it should result in cheapening the price OF
some Of the necessaries of life, it would not
compensate for the degradation of labor sure
to follow. Almost everywhere, therefore
laborers engagedin manufactures, voted near.
| ly unanimously for Gen. Grant, and Republ
can members of Congress. There is no fear
therefore, that the next Congress will legis
late for the benefit of free trade, if they dc
not undo the mischief done by the present
Congress.