The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1881-08-11
PROTECTION WAR.

| Last fall the republican party managed
to raise the question of protection and
strange to say, induced the very mel
against whom protection operates, to be-
come earnest advocates of it. 1t is al
most impossible to understand the course
of reasoning through which The agricul-
| tural classes came to conclude that pol
icy of protection is advantageous to them,
their products being exported and the
price of commodities which they pur-
chase being greatly enhanced by having
competition barred out. While England
| which is a market for our agricultural
products, admits them free of duty, our
farmers suffer only from the protection
imposed by the home government. Eng
land is free trade country and our man.
ufacturers who cry for protection
against the cheap labor of England, man
age to compete successfully with the
English people at the very doors of their
own factories. To do SO they sell cheap
er in England than they do in America,
Notwithstanding the expense of transport
tation. If all the countries with which
the United States have commercial rela-
tons should favor q free trade policy, the
people of the United States adhering to
protection, there can be no doubt
that protection would prove glorious
thing for the industries thus fostered.-
But should all countries adopt prohibit
tary tariff such as the United States have
for a number of commodities, then inter-
national commerce must cease. LIE Due
would ask that his tea plant be protected
and the breeders of Cashmere goats in
California would lessen the demand for
the precious wool by raising its price.
England was at ole time the most IN
just country in the world in her COM
MERGE with other countries. The mer-
camille system was curse to America,
source of benefit to England, and the
mercantile system was but protection
carried to a shameless extent. The corn
laws of England were decidedly advan-
tageous to the heavy land holders, but
grievous burden on those who had to
purchase their bread. When failure Of
crops came and want stared the people in
the face, with the granaries of other
countries filed, buGprotection keeping the
golden grain from the furnishing peasant,
the sophistries of protection were laid
bare by the logic of want and England
became a free trade country. It has
remained so and prospered. The price
of corn is not artifcially raised by law
so that large producers may grow rich
out of the necessities of those who pur-
chase the necessaries of life. Although
the cotton from which English goods are
manufactured, is raised in this country,
cotton cloths are sold cheaper in Eng
land than in this country. Where is the
advantage to the producer of cotton, one
of the agricultural class Do the pro-
tected cotton factories of the United
States pay him higher price for his
raw material than the factories of Eag-
land which languish under competition ?
If he has right to sell where he pleases
why is he denied the right of purchasing
where he pleases2
Iuo 1usItor1 r~~ri~ - .~e~--- O.
far
American products and being refused
access to the markets of America. A
society has been organized in England
for the purpose of retaliating on those
countries which refuse to admit English
products. The society is known as the
National Fair Trade League and is CON-
posed of the very best mon of the king
dom. No one can say aught against their
purposes. They demand that import
duties be levied on the manufactures of
those states which refuse to receive Brit
ish manufactures in fair exchange, but
when the nation agrees to admit British
manufactures free of duty, then the tariff
to be remved from the manufactures of
| that nation.
That duty be levied on all articles Of
food imported from those countries which
! tax British imports. Here is something
to interest our farmers. They have had
| free market for their grain in the Brit
ish Isles. But British manufactures
were not admitted free. Now that mar
ket is to be shut out or the price of grain
reduced in proportion to the duty i'm
posed. How do our farmers like this 7
Are they still prepared to chant the
praises of Protection which has drawn
from their pockets to add to the wealth
of manufacturers Are they willing to
deprive themselves of market SO that
certain manufactures may be protected
from competition with England?
| THE history of words is indeed curious