New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-04-03
Beneflts OF Protection 70 Home
Industry.

There is no single public question OF any
thing like the Importance Of protective
tariff, about which there is SO little known
among the great mass of the people, nor
about which there has been such ingenious
and dishonest efforts to mislead them. But
it cannot be denied that change has been
steadily going on in the public mind since
the rebellion, especially at the South. The
dethronement of liking Cotton" the over
throw of slavery, and the general prostration
of business by the war, have forced upon the
Southern people an examination OF the policy
of protective tariff, and its influence in
building up new branches of industry. The
necessity Of devising some means for devel-
oping the great resources of the South, and |
restoring its prosperity, naturally directed
the thoughts of capitalists to the construc-
ton of manufactures. Every manufacturing |
establishment has had the effect to raise up |
scores of converts to the doctrine Of protec- |
ton, and led to a more careful study Of the
subject.
Honest examination, and the personal in |
terest of the people, have already wrought
wonders in the right direction. An enter |
prising Tennessee business man, for instance,
writes to a friend, that the people of the
South are becoming more and more inter-
ested in the discussion OF the question, and
the practical results of protection to our Amer
lean industry; and he states that where there
was one advocate of protective tariff among
his acquaintance half dozen years ago
there are now at least fifty. This is true,
undoubtedly, of many other portions of the
South as we'll as Of the country generally.
But still there is vast deal of ignorance or
misrepresentation in regard to it. The teach
ings of Calhoun and his revenue reform" dis
ciples have so thoroughly poisoned the peo-
pies minds with the absurdly false and mis-
chievous notion that protective tariff is an
absolute tax not only on every one who con-
sumes an article paying such import duty, but
on every similar article of home production
| throughout the whole country, that large
portion Of the people are still the blind and
| obstinate believers in the beauties and bene-
| fits of free trade.
No means, therefore, should be spared by
|
the dangerous heresy, by spreading broad
| cast among them information in regard to
| the true principles and practical operations
of the policy Of protection. We have at
tempted, to the best of our ability, to aid in
this important work. But it needs line upon
line, precept upon precept, here little and
there little, to lead them to that thorough
understanding of the subject which its direct
and important bearing upon their most vital
interests so strongly demands. We, there
fore, renew the subject to-day, and present
again, in condensed form, some of the lead
ing arguments in favor of protective tariff.
These reasons are especially applicable to
our Southern readers. They arc briefly
| First. Because a protective tariff stimu-
lates into life, and encourages the growth of,
our oTn industry, preserves it against the
ruinous consequences Of foreign competition,
and increases the reward of labor, while at
the same time it is one of the chief and
easiest means Of providing revenue for the
expenses of the Government.
| Second. Because, beside calling into exist
ence new branches Of industry, it enlarges
and diversilies the sphere of home industry,
and secures a steady and good market for the
labor Of the country.
| Third. Because, by making a steady de-
mand for labor at increased wages, and thus
by adding to the comfort of the workingman,
it provides him with the means and the in
duccments for intellectual improvement, and
renders the value of property more uniform
in price and more readily converted into
money.
| Fourth. Because, next to the laboring
man, protective tariff is Of the most vital
importance to the farmers of the country as
the surcst and only sure means of building up
a home market for their agricultural products,
with a steady demand and remunerating
prices, and by keeping out Of our own
markets foreign products which rival and
often supplant them.
Fifth. Because the effect of protection is
to bring the producer and consumer much
nearer to each other, to render their inter-
ests mutual, to lessen greatly to the producer
as we'll as to the consumer the expense of
transportation, and thus make the profits of
the farmer greater and the expense of the
consumer less, and to guard both against the
ruinous charges Of the transporter.
!Sirth. Because it has so wonderful tend
ency to develop the resources of the country
and to bring into operation all its industrial
energies without really lessening or embar-
RAISING the commerce Of the country.
.SerenM. Because, by largely increasing
manufactured products, it really cheapens
prices in the end, and is therefore positive
benefit to the consumer, as the experience of
protective tariff has always shown.
Eighth. Because, without the duties realized
from foreign imports, the amount would have
to be raised by direct tax in gold upon the
people.
Ninth. Because, while free trade would
compel the Government to levy the two
hundred millions of dollars We now collect in
gold from foreign imports, on the whole
property Of the people, it would destroy
their ability to pay it by breaking down our
whole system Of manufactures, throwing two
millions of laborcrs out Of employment, and
almost literally beggaring the country.
| Tenth Rncause we believe the country