The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-04-30

WE wish the Journal to tell us why the o
politco-economica doctrines which 1t p
teaches are not sound everywhere. 1t be- c
lieves in the protection of domestic indus 9
try. 1t holds that our mechanics ought to =
be protected. But how far. does our do
nestle industry extend, and who are our r
mechanics? Is the Journal willing to pro. i
tect Southern mechanics from competition r
with the "pauper labor' Of the North P ,
Dispatch.
Tho Dispatch is decidedly averse to hay !
ing the question Of protection pressed upon
the attention Of Virginians at this time. It
is too early, it says, for them to I" consider
the tariff question seriously" Other aud
more imperative questions-such as the.
success of one party over another--now
press upon their attention. The industrial
wealth and power Of the State-that ma
terial prosperity which is to lift her to the
highest rank of American commonwealth
is matter of small moment compared
with the party success for which our con-
temporary earnestly strives, if it does not
daily groan and agonize in spirit, to accom-
plsh. And here is precisely where we diff
fer with the Dispatch. We recognize the
force Of party obligations, and the sacred
ness, if the reader please, of party ties and
affiliations; but we would sink them a
thousand iathoms deep, if they stood
in the path Of our material pros
perity and greatness as a people. Our
civilization has infinitely more to do with
human happiness, and the glory of human
achievement, than any or all political par
ties ever built up by the force of dividing
lines in human opinion. Opinions are
often founded on anything but positive
acknowledgements frequently, perhaps, on
the whims and caprices Of the passing hour;
but our civilization is a thing of vital growth
and organization. 1t is not dependent
upon the assent Of the understanding to
this or that dogma of our political faith;
but vital law underlies it., and to inn
pede its development and growth in obedi-
ence to this underlying law, is the highest
crime against society, since it inflcts the
highest detriment upon it. We say,
"Politcs to the dogs" when human
opinions shape themselves against the pro-
gress of civilization against the true
development and upward march Of our
race to the grander possibilities after which
it is striving.
The Dispatch asks us about forty ques-
tons in one breath. But we shall content
ourselves with answering the two more
material inquiries which we clip from its
leader of this morning. And, first, we
answer, that all "poltico- doc
trines" are as applicable to one industrial
people as another. A doctrine that is
sound here is sound everywhere; and, if
the earth were peopled with the same in-
dnstrial race in all its climatic zones, with
but one government beniguly operative
over all, the doctrine of free trade might
be defensible in principle, if not
demonstrably success in fact. But with
the supreme motives of selfishness govern
ing the different nations ofthe earth, and the
advantages that some have over others for
monopolizing the fruits of particular zones,
and the material products Of their soils, as
well as the industrial wealth which such
special advantages afford them, there can be
no such thing as absolute equality in trade,
or 10 manufacturing enterprise, among
them. There must of necessity be such
INEQUALITIES Of advantage as to pre-
clude the idea of free trade as a
politico-economical principle. Human
selRshness would defeat it, if nothing else.
What makes it imperative that each nation
should regulate its own industry, and con-
fer its own special protection upon this or
that particular branch of it, is the fact that,
without this exercise Of its power, the
markets of the world would be controlled,
if not by one nation, by at least two OF
three of them successfully combining their
advantages to that end. Nations, instead
of individuals, would reach out after
Inonopolies, and, the markets of the world
being controlled as to price, would also be
controlled as to the right of trade. Eng
land, instead Of monopolizing the trade Of
India and the Leyant, would seek to con
troll that of every civilized nation agains
which she could successfully fortify hel
manufacturing aud other industrial powel
to defeat competition. A politico-econom
ical principle, to be sound, must have it
application adjusted to the demands anf
necessities Of each distinct and separat
people organized and constituted into
government. A principle which looks t.
the welfare of anything else than the gov
ernrnent that adopts it, is not, and canno