The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1877-07-07
Protection Which Does not Pro-
tcCt
n @. Times,

in the United States Wnn!u hc an m |
trrcStinw and instructive volume. In ,
one regard 1t would be II onions one
i'll this, that it would Sh"" that
the prnci pie has met with no en-.
enlargement, except in matters OF
commerce and the industrial enter
prisrs. In all other respects rrotcc-
ton has hccn rcgnrcd, and consist
emily avoided, as but hurttnl inter !
ference with the normal laws OF
development. The slightest meet
ding of the government with the
church, or any action tending to the
advancement of u particular srct, or
with the freedom of the press, oy the
establishment of censorship like
that which exists to-day in France,
would be resented by the people as
AN infringement of the most sacred
rights of personal and political '1hcr,
Itv. Yet, in all other countries where
| the protective theory maintains, these
are held to be matters properly and
! lr.itimatrly subject to the survrIl-
lance Of government. They were S"
considered in England century ago,
and the chn,ch yet maintains its c>-
tahli>mcnt there, but under greatly
modified conditions. In France and
other continental counties where the
government retains the pa'ernal syS-
tenn of supervision in these respects,
the princi plies of free trade are also
rejected. On the other hand, in En-
gland, we notice the same consistent
cy in another direction. At the very
time when the English began to clam-
or for emancipation from the csrion-
are of the crown in those matters,
Adam Smith gave to the world his
extraordinary work. "Thc Wealth
of Natiou>.'
Since then the English have adj:
vanced in political economy, and
these other grea: principles, p"'7 pas
Su, till now the doctrine OF free trade
is as firmly established with them as
, that of tn" freedom of the press.
1t is then 4 matter Of remark that
while we progressed with them i'll one
! respect, we arc so far behind them in
: the other. 1t can easily be shown
q that the outra-cs upon the people,
in the shape of tariffs, a'c just az
p calling and deserving of condemna
q ton as any other interference OF gov
y eminent. The protective spirit III
y cludcs them all alike, and it is no les:
4 truthful and prcjndicial in one CASE
q than the other. Of course, a sweep
q Ing abolition of duties could ncithr
q he asked ncr would it be desirable
u But there are some abuses that Shon''
bc corrected. and this can easily h'
:. effected. Nov is the most au>rlrl"n
, time for the conditions that lampc
u. trade to ha amended by the repeal
% such unwiSr laws as have been enact
ed in behalf of individuals and lorA
"a interests. As an illustration of til
If folly and wrong OF protection we re
, fer to the recent tariff on Sn|p|atr Il
,r ouininr. In the interest OF Wight
y. man & Powers and some other deal
"a or in drugs in Philadelphia VIII
ID manufacture this, article from tn
ID bark, a hcavy duty was imposed o
70 it. and the result is that these firm
10 have monopoly of it's sale, an
% this medicine which should be ;
Il. cheap as possible has in consequent
nearly doubled in price. SO, for Il!
,e benefit of two Philadelphia firms II
nd country is left to shake with agnc al
he burn with fever, because of the Z!
On pcnses of this one specific.
Yet this is but one of numero'
tn instances of duties equally oppre
he siye, that cry out for correction. Civ
lin service reform is but the preface
If the reform that is needed. But
a. must necessarily be preceded by son
ed changes in our commercial tariff la"
,cr We cannot restore our commerce
He it's former grand proportions witho
the a thorough overhanling Of onr who
A financial and revenue system. I
prs berinninc of this reform is necesS
md rily retrenchmcnt and economy
tie the part of the government: Up
she these depends entirely the ability
81 reduce taxations direct and ind1re
ess It is only through this rcducti
and the connection of these ma
ski abuses that trade will enliven a
;cr, that prosperity come to as that ira
IN. alone can bring and which Cove
,ith ment can influence but indirect
,im and benefcially, at all, by the stri
:wo est regard for sound business priu
,me pie. These remarks do not apply
the greater interests, >such as
guarded by the tariff on sugar,
which but a just protection is atfo
,ar- ed to the sole industry and prod
raw of whole section.
hio, 1t is easy enough to draw the
ira at the right place, and, while qua
ling ing these larger interests, cancel
d. abuses resulting from an indlScri
nate application of the protect
nal system.
and
p an RADICAL SCARE IN PENNsYLvA,