The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1881-01-20
The Truths OF Trade.
Washington Post.

The Truths OF Trade.
Washington Post.
GALL that we have to 90 to insu:e q
coDtInusnce of National Prosperity"
gravely remarks an o~llike organ of
the ultra protectionista, lis TO keep
the balance of trade uniformly in our
favor, TO the extent of few millions
. month"
The remarks quoted are fair spec
linen OF the 1liInsy trash with which
the advocates of a tariff for protection
seek to fortify their untenabIe posi-
tions. They are either grossly igno
rant of the rudimentary principles of
trade, or else they are Intentionally
deluding their credulous follow ers.
TLey talk of continuing to import
gold in exchange for our products,
talk of keeping the balance of trade
in our favor, as permanent arrange
ment, so that we shall be adding mil.
lions every month to our store Of cash !!
When the ReY. John Jarvis, his eyes
in fine frenzy rolling, and his long
arms plO wing the air like the arms of
windmill, assures his gaping and
guliible colered brethren that "the
sun do move, shub," he does not per-
petrate a greater absurdity than the
writer or speaker who, making the
measure of values mel g coma odity,
talks of continuing TO import this
measure, tor years and years TO come,
in exchange for our surplus products.
How long will it be before the dupes
of these protective sOphists can be
made to understand that q Nation can
not sell more than it buys? How long
before they will learn that commerce
is an exchange of products--one man
giving the products of his toll to 9TH
er men tor products Of their industry,
80 that the wants of all may be pro
vided for? How long before the walls
of ignorance and avarice, behind
which the cormorants are intrenched,
will fall before the batteries of truth
aud common sensef How long before
even demagOgueSwill be compelled
to admit that the best conditions of
prosperity will be attained when eve-
ry man on earth is permitted to barter
with any other man, in any land, with
no tax9atherer to modest or make him
afraid?
There is no candid man, who has
thoroughly studied thisgT I eat question,
and IS able to free himself from the
bias of interest or prejudice, who will
not admit that free trade is right in
theory. We do not expect that absO-
lutte freedom of trade will come for
many generations. 1t is easy to raiae
money by taxing imports. Such tax
is paid unconsciOusly. Its Victims pay
it as they cat or drink, work or play,
waking or sleeping, in every act and
hour of lite, and millions of them do
not even suspect that they are taxed
at all.
We must have immense revenues.
and the greater portion of our income
will be produced by tariff. The Tree
irders, therefore, can only hope to free
trade from its most injurious reslric-
tions, TO make the tariff bear with the
least possible oppression on tho poor.
TO keep the fangs OF the cormOrants
blunted. AS civilization advances, and
the world becomes more and more
one common neghborhoOd, its people
q common brotherhood, all the barri-
ers to human progress will be battered
down. Among the very last TO fall
will be the heresy that a tax on com
merce helps a nation. This is sup
ported by such an array Of govern
mental and corporate interests that it
will hold its place for many years.
But the revenue reformers will have
for many victories be-
fore the final triumph. In contendiDg
for tariff for revenue, as opposed to
a tariff for protection, they will be
moving towards the ultimate object.
They must begin the work in the true
spirit, preaching the sim
pie gospel OF reform, aud showing as
int bat tho
selling our products to other nations
for cash, is monstrous absurdlty.
True, the balance OF trade has been
largely in our favor for many months.
1t is becoming smaller, and will soon
disappear. We happened, by special
good fortune, to have an immense
surplus of food at a time when gene
raj scarcity in Europe compelled the
nations whose supply was short to
buy of US. We would not take our
pay in goods, and they were compelled
to pay IN cash.
But there is not specie enough in the
world to keep the balance of trade
largely in favor of one nation for many
years. Ii we were to 60
on selling for cash, instead of taking
products in exchange, we should soon
have no customers able to trade with
US. We would have abundance Of
money i'm the country, but we should
feel the effects of very hard times, for
we could not sell the surplus products
Of our soil or our factories. There
would be no demand Tor labor, and
when muscle fails to find employment,
then the pinch Of poverty and the
grip OF want are felt.
1t seems like teaching familiar truths
to revive these fundamental principles
of trade. But these are the truths that
must be proclaimed, il the friends OF
reform woald Danish the So
phistries with which their opponents
haye deluded millions of honest men