Morning journal and courier., 1883-08-03
5prrnal sltS Gdnritr.
Friday, August 3, 1888.
THE PRoTEoTIoN1sF.

JEFFERsON THE PROTECTIONIST.
 Thomas Jefferson was, according to the Democrats of our day, the exponent Of all that is good in Democracy, and it is proud thing in these degenerate times to be gen. uine Jefersonian Democrat And yet Thomas Jefferson was not believer in .ta tariff for revenue only"
 A writer in the National Republican has been doing thase who want to make their Democracy like that of the noble Jefferson service. He has carefully examined the record of Jefferson for evidence as to his ideas concerning protection and free trade, and he has found much that is interesting Jefferson's earliest public expression of opin- ion, under the constitution, respecting the policy of imposts for the protection of our domestic manufactures, is found in his re- port (Dec. 16, 1793), to the House of Rep resentatives, on commerce and navigation. Mr. Jefferson manifestly had no doubt of the constitutionality of the power. Indeed, at that date. the power had never been ques- toned, and in this report he advocates it's exercise. He earnestly urges: Where na- tion imposes high duties on our productions, or prohibits them altogether. it may be proper for us to do the same by theirs; first burthening or excluding those productions which they bring here in competition with our own of the same kind; selecting next such manufactures as we take from them in greatest quantity, and which at the same dime we could the soonest furnish to ourselves, or obtain from other countries; imposing on them duties, lighter at first, but more heavy af- forwards, as other channels of supply open. Such duties having the effect of indirect en- cou ragemsnt to domestic manufactures o the same kind, may induce the manufacturer to come himself into these States, where cheaper subsistence. equal laws, and vent of his wares, free of duty, may insure him the highest profits from his skill and in dustry.''
 This is certainly 8 strong stand in favor of the protective policy by one who has always been regarded as ia strict constructionist. Few, even of those called tsprotection sx- ttemists, ''haye ever made stronger declara- ton in favor of protection. Another inter esting utterance of Jefferson upon this mat ter is found in 8 letter of his to Jean Baptiste Say, dated March 2, 1915. enerson, after referring to the inherent difficulties of the situation in maintaining peace with foreign powers animated by spirit of injustice to- ward us, to the necessity of our supporting
 'interchanges across wide ocean, with the 'interception of those. exchanges" in case of war, to fsthe powerful weapons'' thus placed in the hands of an enemy domineering the seas, and ths consequent iiskreas so oar industrial interests" says: ''This fact, therefore, solves the question by re- ducing it to it's ultimate form, whether pro fit or preservation is the first interest of a State. We are consequently become manu- lecturers to 8 degree incredible to those who do not see it, and who only cousider the short period of time during which we have been driven to them by the suicidal policy of England. The prohibiting duties we lay on all articles of foreign manufacture, which prudence requires us to establish at home, with the patriotic determination of every good citizen to use no foreign article which can ba made within ourselves, without regard to difference of price, secures us against re- lapse into foreign dependency.
 Jefferson was thus an advocate not merely of political, but of industrial, independence of all foreign powers. He would not only employ protective duties and prohibitions of foreign articles in consummating that grand end, but he would stimulate every good citi- zen to determination to use no foreign article which we could manufacture our selves, and that without regard to differ ence of price," We commend his opinions to the careful consideration of those of our readers whe aspre to be good old Jefer- sonian Democrats'