The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-11-16
"Saeredn Proteation,s Mnr,

The last issue of the Chicago Journal OF
Commerce furnishes very interesting
sample of the Inconsistency and weakness OF
the advocates Of a prott Tive tariff. On one
editorial page appears Jan article on 1.-THE
Tariff Question in the Canvass" in which
the editor expresses his unbounded joy over
"the important, prominent and eflectual
part which has been played by tariff pro-
lection to home industry in the presidential
campaign" and goes on to say what q
criminal thing it is to say one syllable against
tariff protection which is SO sacred in its
character that it is PROCLAMATION even to hint
at revision. lie also goes SO far as to tell the
farmers that the present protective ta,iff IS q
wonderful "bIessing' to them. Turning to
the next editorial page of this protective
organ, we hnd two columns devoted to q
painful jeremiad over "the decay of Ameri-
can shipping Says the journal of Com.
merce:
sour surplus products and manufactures
needed by other peoples, employed, in 1879
2.9oI vessels, nearly all flying u foreign flag
This year greater number of vessels will be
demanded. What is left to us of the i'm
mense balance of trade in our favor if we pay
for freight and passengers, annually, $500 600,
600 to foreigC ship.owners? These are the
tacls that reveal the mystery of Engand's
Increasing riches, Notwithstanding her i'm.
ports so greatly exceed her exports. Receipts
for freight and passengers, policies for fire
and marine assurances, and interest on mon
eys loaned to various nations, which are
poured regularly into her Golfers, more than
equal the excess of her imports over her ex
ports. And the reverse of this state of things
must be considered by American, hnanciers
when thoy would compute TIE balance in
our favor. What if our grain and provision
exports, and our increasing sale Of American
manufactures exceed, by many mil.
lions our imports of British, French and Ger
man goods, do VIC not see if these millions are
paid back to foreigners for froghts and fare,
European, Asiatic and African sights, rt lies
hotel billy, that we diminish our balance to q
cipher? On the other hand, if freights aud
all their concomitants passed Tito the hands
Of American ship-owners, masters and sail
ors, then We should be adding to our wealth
as nation and our power to control more OF
the conmrrce of the world. Early impress.
sions are lasting, they are often indelible. II
our ships could be the lrst to bear our flag
and to float it over oui goods and products
in new port or foreign field OF enterprise, it
would be easier for US - retain the patronage
and command the trade of such ports and
fields than though we came in as successors
and rivals. Every season, therefore, that
passes without due efforts to enter open fed:
of enterprise makes the future entry more diff.
cult and doubtful"
Now the reason we pay 100000, 900 an
nually TO foreign ship-owners and have near
ly al our lreighting done on foreign vessels,
mainly British, instead of American vessels
Is because so.caled protection of American
industries and protection of Amer.
lean shipping Interests have limited the area
ofour foreign trade and made il impossible for
American ship'owners t. compete with Eug-
land in the carrying trade even in the trans
portion Of our agricultural produce to Eu-
rope-produce which comprises nine-t enlhs
of American exports, tho protected manu-.
featuring industries exporting the least
quantity Of tho aggregate exports.