Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-05-24
MIR. DAVIS MAKES A MISTAKE.

Perhaps 1t was natural that the hon.
Horace Davis, in addressing an audience OF
Pennsylvania Protectionists, should have
been tempted to put himself en- rapport
with his entertainers on fiscal subjects, but
we are nevertheless obliged to point out
that he has made mistake in expressing
hope or belief that California will accept
the erroneous and mischievous economic
doctrines which find favor in Philadelphia.
Mr.. Davis is reported as expressing the
opinion that this State is about to enter
upon her third stage Of development, which
will take the form of manufactures.
land this, the reporter makes him say
has led Californians to reconsider their
"views upon the subject of protection,
''and it may be set down with reasonable
certainty that the Californian voice will
hereafter be in favor of a policy of pro-
lection" We hope not, nor do we I'M
derstand what Mr.. Davis means by saying
that the people of this State have recon
sidered their views on the subject of pro-
lection. If any indications of this charac
ter have appeared, they have certainly
escaped our attention, and we trust that
the economic views of intelligent Califor
mans are too firmly grounded in reason
and experience to be liable to such a
| capricious change as our representa-
tive suggests. Protection is an OBJ
jectionable policy because it involves
the imposition of burdensome taxes upon
the community for the purpose of bolster
F., ing up industries which are incapable of
maintaining themselves If California is
in such condition at present that she
cannot have manufactures without Protec-
ton, this fact is sufficient proof that the
time for the introduction of manufactures
has not yet arrived, and that therefore it
would be mistake to try to force the
change. The natural growth of industry
and production is the only safe and desirable
kind of growth. Protection seeks to create
artificial markets for wares the production
of which is not required, because they can
be had more cheaply elsewhere The
methods pursued in creating this artificial
market are, moreover, immoral and unjust.
The right of the consumer to buy in the
cheapest market is one of those self evident
propositions which nothing but stupidity on
the one hand, and INSCRIPTIONS greed on
the other, could ever have obscured. Pro-
lection rohs the many for the benefit of the
few. Its imposts are as naked coniscations
as the forceful deprivations of the highway
robber. Instead of fostering the industries
of country it letters them. By turning
capital aside from natural and therefore
legitimate investments, and by concentrat-
ing it in artiicially supported manufact-
ures, it checks healthy development, and at
the same time builds up great body of
subsidy-seeking paupers whose interests are
totally opposed to those of the people. and
who are continually striving to extend
the area of industrial paralysis, and to
draw larger forced contributions from the
helpless consumer. 1t is perfectly safe
maxim that no business or industry which
cannot live on its own merits ought to
live. If manufactures will not flourish
here without propping, it is because
capital finds more profitable investment in
other directions. Freedom of trade and
of production ought to be the demand of
this as of every progressive community,
for any other demand is confession of
weakness which freemen should be
ashamed to make.