Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-08-18

the machinery of the Custom House is
tho best device for filling the perpot.
ually-hungry public purse, IL tariff for
protection has not this apology for its
existence. II is essentially abnormal.
1t interlercs with the laws of trade.
These laws are just us absolute us the
laws OF nature itself Such u tariff Is
effective only so far as it is prohibito.
ry. II may stimulate certain indus.
tries unnaturally and build up new
and robust monopoles, but all this is
at the expense Of the general welfare.
So far as concerns the country at large
which labors under such system 1t is
failure, and its alleged advantages
are illusory. The iallacy which under.
lies the protective theory exists in the
very nature OF things. It must neces-
sarily be partial, and therefore inequit-
able if not iniquitous, as well as un.
equal, in its operation. 1t exalts one
interest and depresses another Every
seeming gain in one direction by means
of it is inevitably balanced by the com
pcnsation Of real loss somewhere
else. Allowing that the laws OF trade
need revision, their amendment should
be something more than tinkering,
But human craftsmanship as il hap
pens not being wiser than the divine
omniscience there is little TO encour
age the hope that, under the most ia.
vorable circumstances, any protective
scheme can be elaborated which shall
be so thorough and exhaustive and so
completely cover the whole ground as
to be safely substituted for the natural
system of things as regards trade any
more than perfect substitute could
be devised for anything else that has
been ordained by nature.
"As society conduces to the well.be.
ing Of the individual man, so does a
free inter communication contribute to
the true prosperity of nations, 1t is
not healthy for either a person or a
people to be hermit. There is mu-
tual dependence between the different
branches Of the human family, and it
requires them all to make up that
great whole which wa call mankind.
From the earliest known ages com
merce has been the evangelist of civil.
zation and the minister of human pro.
gress. Out Of it we have sprung those
kindlier influences that have done so
much to put our race upon higher
plano. 1t is the great reciprocal
almoner of gifts, experimenting the
needs of every cline by exchanging
the surplus of the one for the plenty
of another. 1t distributes the supera-
bundance of different lands so that
there may be neither waste here nor
privation there. Such benefits as have
come from war illustrate the overrul.
ing power of Providence to educe good
from evil But not so with commerce.
1t has preached in all ages the gospel
Of peace and fraternity among the ma.
tons, and its missionary work in
breaking down local prejudices and
alterations and spreading a cosmopoli.
tan and philanthropic spirit is one Of
the most benefcent of its achieve.
ments. The United States cannot af
ford 20 disregard its rights and obliga'
tions as one Of the foremost Common,
wealths of the globe by surrendering
the commercial function to other hands
Jealousy of other countries and fear
Of competition with them is unworthy
the genius of this great Republic. Our
flag should be seen upon every sea and
in every corner of the earth as the
sign OF a freedom that we have reduc
ed from prophecy to fact, and as ar
inspiration to emulate us in the estab
lishment OF government Of, for and
by the people"