The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1875-03-11
FREE TRADE ADMISSIONS.
Facts Versus Theories.

It is not often that leading journals with
free trade leaniugs deal In statements which
We can heartily commend They common
II deal largely in hypothesis and enigmas
and it gives us pleasure to chronicle one ut
tcrance that relates to facts, which we find
IN the New York Times That journal in
tbe course of some remarks upon the little
tariff bill in the House, candidly admits that
whatever popular feeling there may be as re-
cards the protective features of the tariff is
Hvorable rather than averse to protection
It opines that, so far as the people are con-
cerned. they are inclined to attribute the de-
nression of the iron trade to the reduction
Of 1872, and that this feeling is far more DO
tent than any elaborate argument. We as
sume that this is true, but cannot find in it
any ground to rcproach the people therefor.
When a man is starving, he can be more ca
slv reached and relieved by the timely Gift
of loaf Of bread and pound of meat than
by the most elaborte dissertation upon nu-
triton, waste and repair, delivered by mas
ter When q man asks for bread it Is not
the right thing to offer him stone. Hun
ger is a fact All the theorizing in the
world cannot satisfy it or drive it away.
And the same thing is true as regards many
questions in political economy. Especially
is it true as regards protection 1t is a well
known fact that reasonable discrimination
in favor Of home enterprise multiplies and
dyersifes industry, quickens trade and adds
to the general prosperity. One fact of this
kind ought to have more weight than vol
umes of argument put forth to prove that
the fact does not exist, or if it exists that il
IS the result Of some unknown or vaguely
known operation Of the laws of trade. The
practice which prevails of rejecting the OBJ
yious reason of things and accounting for
them by theories which have filed the world
with the din Of controversy is not COM
mendabie, no matter who may adopt it.
Our cotemporary alludes to the statement
Of one of the Pennsylvania delegation that
in his district there are twenty-five thou
sand men out of employment, every one of
whom will vote against the party which op-
poses the restoration of the ten per cent. du-
", and declares that this statement will
command profounder respect than any
learned discourse by Prof Sumner. Nol
doubt Of it. Not one Of these thousands of
men out Of employment is so stupid that he |
does not comprehend the practical question
involved in protection. He was able to see
that protection developed and diversified
industry, and to feel that through this de- |
yclopnent and diversiication he himself
was getting On in the world as he never got
On befor IS he to put aside this knowl-
edge and listen to theories, or is he to make
the most ofexperimental knowledge? What
good could he get out Of long and learned |
argument going to show that protection
does net profit the masses, but only a few
capitalists ? He is one Of the masses whom.
according to free trade theories, protection
T9bs IN order to increase the gains Of mo
noPoiy. But if he has experienced prosper
Gus times under this syetem, and felt the
pinch Of dull times under partial abandon
mout Of this system, we cannot iast now
bring to mind any refutation of the argu-
nent which, employing the pitiless logic of
iacts, convInceS man that protection is as
Profitable for him as it is for these much vii
fled monopolists. 1t is really and only
question Of experimental knowledge. Bv
great good fortune the experiment of pro
tactlng home enterprise has been pretty fair
y tried during the last fourteen years. Pri-
or to the accession Of the Republican party
mthe nation the experiment was continual
y interrupted, and never had anything like
fair show. Yet sorely best as it was it
several times demonstrated It's influence as q
iet0r Of national growth. The exigencies
Of war compelled US to rely upon ourselves,
and the habit eventuated in a policy which Z
Is called protection. The masses are much I
more generally in favor Of the policy than I
before and they will continue to regard it
with increasing favor if the matter be left to t
their election. (
The fact that the opposition Of these men
nut Of employment would be exercised to-
ward the party which would oppose the lit {
'e tariff bill is, by inference, made to as f
Nne the nature Of a reproach. The thing t
implied Is, that whereas members Of Con I
sres would not be influenced by the most c
eaoorate argument Of Prof Sumner. thev
VII. take notice of the demand of these !
twenty-five thousand unemployed working
men. These working men are Of the people,
<l' they represent nineteen-twcntieths Of
1e entire mass. Ought not their demand, t
nsad upon their experience as regards the c
INDUSTRIAL policy of the nation, to have more 3
'osnt with their representatives in Con c
sIss than anything in the way of elaborate t
Sumcnt presented by a dealer in theories ? n
y seems to US that representatives, in Con
N.sS ,,3 are, IN all respects, to reflect the will
A 'le masses of their constituements They g
ae III sent to Washington to listen to the a
insists, hut to do the will Of the people who q
sa' them ''bere. And every representative Is
.tays one OF two things, to wit either 81
.r protection did develop and diversity G.
-aastry, and 20 render the country prosper
,& Or that II d., and dose not Take the
:'1fd Of the last dozen years and compare r
VIII any period of a ! I'9zen years since the +
,.u u.a,atlon was adopted, and see if the ar Il
'~'@ tor protection is not Q verwhelming.