Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-09-20
Word With Mr.. Blaine.

Mr.. Blaine's defense Of his so called
South American policy. given to the
world in the columns of an obscure
Western. magazine, is characteristic of
that daring politician. The most inter
esting point made in this alleged defense
is the assumed benefit that would have
accrued to this country and South
America from the proposed Peace Con-
gress. He assumes that the cultivation
of friendly relations with the peoples OF
that region would necessarily have re-
bounded to our advantage in the way of
trade.
That the Peace Congress might have
paved the way to better understanding
between the United States and the coun-
tries in question is quite likely; but that
these friendly relations would Of them
selves have added to our commerce to
any appreciate extent is exceedingly
dubious. People the world over ought
to know enough of barter and sale to
buy where they can buy the cheapest,
and sell where they can sell the dearest.
If the Peace Congress then had
have had for its deliberation the
subject of a series of reciprocity
treaties between our people and the
other nations represented, its sittings
might have taught the protectIonists Of
this country a modicum of wisdom, and
thus have paved the way for reciprocal
advantages to the nations in question.
But that the Congress would have
troubled itself to any great extent with
such matters, is extremely doubtful. 1t
is far more than likely that Mr.. Blaine's
delegates would have set forth the virtues
of subsidized steamship lines-that regu-
lation Radical panacea for declining
American commerce.
With the rest of Mr.. Blaine's defense
we have nothing to do, but in the por-
ton referred to he has Internationally
furnished fruitful text for the oppo-
nents of the crazy system of economic
legislation known as protection. That
system restricts our manufacturers to
the home market by overtaxing or
virtually prohibiting imports both
from the countries for whose welfare Mr.
Blaine appears to have been so solicit
tOus, as well as from other lands.
While we have Numbered in supporting
monopolists, other peoples have been at
work and have secured control of the
South American markets, and the high
est wisdom and the boldest enterprise
are now called for on the part of our
statesmen and business men to dislodge
those who have displayed such superior
wisdom to ourselves.
There are two ways to which states
manship can act to this end. One is to
give us a tariff for revenue, and if not
that, then carefully framed and mutually
liberal treaties with the various countries
of South America. Side by side with
either of these measures should come
a repeal of our silly navigation
laws. Free trade in raw materials and
free ships are the great needs of our
commerce, and tariff for revenue the
need of our people. We have but few
ships in which to transport our goods,
and few markets to which to carry them.
The bulk of our exports is breadstuffs
and provisions, and is carried in foreign
ships. When Mr.. Blaine, then, is pre-
pared as Peel was, to admit the injustice
of protection, he may lay claim to the
titles of statesman and patriot. Regard
ed from his present standpoint, he ap-
pears only as political iuggler.