The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1879-10-03
PROTECTION VS.. FREE TRADE.

We notice that our correspondent
r in our issue of the 26th, takes us
to task for our statement in favor of
Protection in our issue of the 10Th.
r says: Il was not little chagrln-
ed at the levity, OF at least the care
less manner in stating the position OF
the two parties, for both are misrep
resented" "Levity" is pretty good
now, isn't it. What two parties pray
does r refer to? In our editorial
we did not discuss the subject of pro-
lection, as a party measure at all.
We distinctly stated that it was above
party; that it was national. We
did not attempt to discuss it from
patty stand point, for we are perfect
ly aware that neither of the great
parties asking the suffrage of the
people are united on this great and
national subject. There are promi-
nent politicians in both of, and, in
fact, all the parties who favor high
protective tariff and others who are
equally Jealous in advocating free
trade-there is no such party as g
free trade party in America to-day.
But those who hold to the doctrine
of free trade are made up of individ-
ual members of all parties. But does
r attempt to set us right in regard
the position of the "two parties,' -
which he says we "misrepresent?'
Not one syllable does he write defn-
ing the "position Of the two parties
or correcting us for m;stating their
position. OF course he could not, for
We had not attempted to make out
the policy of any party. We fail to
see that R has proved anything or
helped the cause of the free trader
whose cause he seems to have cham
pioned, by making the assertion re-
ferred to above. Not one of the
propositions we advanced in our
editorial of the 10th, does r refu.e-
but says the "reason for the question
being agitated at this time, is on ac-
count of vast improvements which are
now beginning all over the State"
which we presume is correct. But
r seems to doubt our self respect
and patriotism, for he says When
a person undertakes to instruct, or TO
lead community, to deal with a
question of SO much importance as
the writer selected, personal self re-
spect, if not. national patriotism,
would dictate nothing less than a
manly and an intelligent trestaneHt
of the same" We had fully hoped
that our course had been such as to
retain our self respect-and no one
ever before doubted our patriotism.
to our knowledge. r says, :" TIE
Free Trader does not plead for nom
revenue for governmental purposes. :"
We did not say they did; but on the
other hand stated that the most VIC
lent Free Trader was in favor of a
tariff sufficient to meet the expenses
Of the government. And in the
same connection, we said that all the
revenue received from tariff fell far
short of furnishing the means of op-
Grating the government; and we
reafirm the same. Neither does the
tariff work hardship in. the case
r speaks of, by building up private
interests at public expense, for the
tariff has no more TO do with this
particular case than the law of Prim-
ogeniture of England. Now r, you
are no doubt, astonished at our lack
of self respect again-but listen.
You Indirectly refer to the building
the Northern Pacific railroad, when
you say rails can be purchased of
Eastern manufactures at So OF So per
ton less than they can be bought in
England and land down at Portland
for, with the tariff added. And that
this company ought to be allowed to
purchase of England, who has offered
to furnish for the whole road at $2S
per ton laid downin Portland. Now
we lay down this proposition, that if
the tariff was entirely abolished, the
Northern Pacific, road could. not save
a penny in the purchase of their iron.
Why? Because when Congress pass
ed the act Incorporating the North
ern Pacific and giving to the said
road an immense land grant it was
made one Of the conditions and in
serted in the bill, that all the iron for
the equipment of said road should be
purchased of American manufactur-
ers. The company saw fit to organ
ize under the act, and have built from
Duluth to the Missouri river in Da-
kotah, at Bismarck, and are complet-
ing 200 miles more on this side of
the Missouri river-and the company