Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-12-10
Mistakes of the Protectionists.

Mistakes of the ProtectlonlSts.
The high tariff papers of the North viii
not advance their cause by misleading
their readers, whether Intentionally or
unintenuOnally, respecting Southern SEN
timent relative to the tariff. The Phila-
delphia Press, in an article entitled some
Encouraging Signs" makes statements
that are calculated TO create false I'M
preston. The Press says there are TWO as
poets Of the late confession the Speakership
which ought not to be allowed to escape
the attention they deserve. One OF these,
according to the Press, is ''the growth OF
protective principles in the South" and
the other is that the advocacy of protec-
tive principles by so many influential
organs Of public opinion in the South
shows how rapidly the ground is being
made ready there for the reception or Re
publican seed" The Press says
Mr.. Randall was defeated solely
because he was the exponent
Of the protective principle, and
argues that the newspaper support which
be received in the South indicates how
great the growth OF Southern sentiment
in favor Of protection has been. Inc
Press mentions the New Orleans Times
Democrat and the Piedguue, the Memphis
Arqianche, the Nashville american, the
Atlanta Constitution, the Mobile Register,
the Birmingham Age, the Nashville Ban
per. the Chattanooga Times, the Augusta
Chronicle. the Macon Telegraph and the
Richmond Dispatch as having warmly
advocated his election. 1t is rather hard
on these journals to say that they are en-
gagged in preparing the ground for Re
publican seed. If they are so en-
gagged they Will hardly admit it.
1t is. perhaps, only just to them to as
sumo that they are unconscious of per-
forming the work FOR which the Press
gives them credit. The New Orleans pa
pers supported Mr.. Randall not because a
majority OF the people of louisiana favor
protective principles, but because the SUI
gar interests favor such principles. If it
hadn't been for sugar the New Or
leans papers would, doubtless,
have supported Mr.. Carlisle,
They are not protectionists from principle,
but from interest, and only to the extent
Of protecting sugar. Their position now
is about what it has always been, and
cannot he classed among the Press sen
cOuraging signs" They make a grave
mistake, however, in Offering to ally
themselves with the prOtectiOnists be-
cause the prOtectiOnists, as indicated by
the report of the Secretary Of the
Treasury. intended to slaughter sugar on
the first opportunity that presents itself.
We do not clearly understand why the
Atlanta Consultation abandoned Mr.. Car
Isle and supported Mr.. Randall, but we
feel certain it was not because it does not
sympathize with Mr.. Carlisle's tariff
views. With respect to the other journals
mentioned they favor protective princi-
pies because there are manufacturing in
terests in their territory which they think
require protection, and, perhaps, because
they believe in such principles. Their
position with regard to the tariff, however,
is not new, and is not, therefore,
what the Press calls encouraging signs"
Ii the testimony Of the Presidents Of the
| leading cotton mills Of this State is worth
anything. the protection journals DO not
represent the manufacturing interests of
Georgia. Lately, before the Blair Senate
| Committee, the Presidents Of mills in
| Columbus and Augusta testified that they
did not want any protection. The Press
is mistaken in saying that the Southern
! Congressman who supported Mr.. Car
| Iise did not represent Southern sentiment,
but that the papers which supported Mr..
| Randall did. In this State, for instance,
nine out Of the ten Representatives sup
ported Mr.. Carlisle, and we venture to
| say that nine-tenths Of the people of GeOr-
| gia favor Mr.. Carlisle's tariff views.
The Press is deceiving itself and its
/ readers when it assumes that because the
papers it mentions supported Mr.. Randall
/ a foundation is being laid in the South for
a "strong and vigorous" Republican par
| ty. If the Press hopes to see a Republic
can party built up in the South on pro-
tective principles it will hope in vain.
The South is shrewd enough to see that
its road to wealth, and to agricultural and
manufacturing greatness, is by way of
| low tariff.