Litchfield enquirer., 1881-11-24
q WHOLE NO. 2S94

DoRs AMERICA BLOCK PROGRESS ?-Amer- ica owes her greatness to far other causes than her prohibitory tariffs. Indeed, when one thinks of the vast resources which have come to America as sheer gifts from nature-her boundless virgin soil, her untrodden forests, her inexhaustible mineral stores, her climates favoring every fruit and crop, her teemipg seas-when one thinks of these, it is scarcely possible for him to hear with patience all these advantages ignored, and prosperity attributed to the mere barring out of the skilled handi- work of other nations. In the unfairest way --in way which Englishmen need not hesi- tate to admit is often most keenlY irritating the large part of Americas well-being which is owing to the unique causes named, is jumbleu up confueingly with other causes-all being set down as proof clear and positive against English views Some silly people among our selves even, though luckily they are too few to need much dwelling On, have had their h. tellects obfuscated in the same way. Survey ing the whole scene. it may, in fact, be sober ly and sadly said that the politico-economica doctrines of universal inter-relation and coop eration among mankind, which our chief thinkers have made it the great task of Eng land to spread, would at this hour he further advanced throughout the world If America were plotted out. This charge of hindering the worlds progress will not be palatable to American ears but is it not the planest, most easily demonstrable truth? The American gospel of industrial isolatlon-what bearing has it, or can it have, possibly upon the world at large and general progress? Such gospel is for America only. According to her own doctrine, taken strictly, the world beyond her own limits should be non n-existent; and in that case doleful for her to think of, there would be no outside markets to which she could ship her superfuous products. We need not labor the point further Taking the case at it's low est, narrowest, it is an actual fact that as things stand American prosperity has furnish ed sophism which perplexes and darkens the whole free trade reasoning which England is irrevocably pledged to put forward as her own; and it is also further fact that in her commercial arrangements with the nations of Europe, England inevitably finds her treaties with them made the harder and the worse from their being able to quote America against us. Only let it be imagined that our gigantic relative had had, as we from our point Of view are forced to call it, the courage to adopt free trade, how different the case would stand at this day? No shred of rhetoric even, not to speak of reason would have remained for use by statesmen who are afraid of progress, or by incompetent manufacturers and traders who shake in their shoes at the thought of as the modern ideal for world in which me chanical science is to play her part, would by this time have decisively overcome the old, pre-scientific ideal, and rulers everywhere would have found themselves perforce com mitted, by the mere activity and example of the two great English-speaking peoples to the freest intercom muncation and widest ex- change of products. .-1he Contempora1y Re- Die1D