The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-01-24
Protection and Balance of Trade.

Our esteemed contemporary, the I'd
zette, elevates itself to higher quarters
and it is not unnatural to think that
before very long the free winds OF our
prairies will have lifted and dissipated
the cobweb of protection which has set
tied upon the brain of the patriarch OF
Abilene editors. So far, however, the
result of his exposed position is not per-
ceptible, and the column editorial when
anneared in his last weeks issue was
taken almost bodily from the Chicago
Journal. But before we utterly con-
denim the Gazette's position, we viii
give the winds which pass over our I'M
approachable farms further opportunl-
ty to fulfill their manifest purpose.
The Gazette, in the article which 1t
copies from the Chicago Journal, as
sumes that protection gave to this coun-
try all the blessings and prosperity
which it enjoys, or has enjoyed in the
past. The argument is good to all
those who will accept the assumption.
But in practical politics, the voter wants
whatever question may be handled
based on fact and not on assumption.
For instance, the Journal or Gazette, says:
among all our readers there is not a
single one that does not find that when
money is coming IN faster than 1t is go
ing out. he is becoming daily more IN
dependent, and better able to hold the
produce of his own labor until those who
reuire them shall be ready to pay the
price to which he thinks he is entitled,
and the faster the money comes in, the
more independent and the more secure
he feels himself to be. Neither is there
one of our readers who does not find that
when the demands for money are greater
than the supply for it, the reverse effect
is produced, and that from day to day he
is compelled to sell his labor or his prop
erty more cheaply, with constant IN
crease in his dependence upon circum-
stances.
Now, nations are but collections of in
dividuals, and what is true OF each one
considered separately, must be equally
so of all considered together; and nations
should be stronger and more independ-
emit whenever money is coming in than
when it is flowing out.
\ Thus far protection has been
the genius of mighty achievement-the
goddess of our industrial independence.
She has performed all her promises. "
1t is to be assumed, therefore, that
protection has thrown the balance OF
trade in favor of this country. If pro-
lection has done this we have nothing
to say, but we want figures to prove
the statement. Protection is i'll DC
way responsible for the prosperity which
has come purely and solely from our ag-
ricultural industries industries which
are afforded no protection whatever.
For three years, France and Germany
have prohibited the importation OF
American pork, bacon and lard, and our
exports of those three articles to the
two countries named have fallen OFF
since 1881 fully as per cent. This pro-
hibition directly Injuries the farmer, but
it is the logical outgrowth of our own
protective system. Congress is trying
to retaliate, when an excessively high
tariff already practically prohibits the
importation of German andFrench made
goods. Our Government is not consist
emit, and can never be under its present
tariff system. Nevertheless, this pro
hibition of one of our most important
export articles, will mjure the unpro-
tected farmer and greatly help TO throw
the balance of trade against us.
Take the value of exports of wheat,
corn, oats, rye, flour, beef, tallow, live
stock, dairy products, pork, bacon, ham.
lard, &C., which are unprotected take
the yearly export value of these articles,
certainly not less than $500, zoo, 900,
from the total volume of our exp Jrts,
and it will be found that the balance of
trade is largely against us. If this
proves to be the fact, and we believe
that it can be proven. it is then demon
strated beyond doubt that our wes-
tern farmers not only create balance
of trade in favor of their country, but
also support the protective and monop-
olistic policy of the republican party,
which takes from the West and gives to
the East. In other words, the great
agricultural West supports the country
and gives a high premium to the East
for consenting to supply it with manu-
featured goods of uncertain grade. This
is point of the tariff discussion which
the REFLECTOR hopes to elaborate in
the near future.
Wool Growers Association.
ba