Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1884-07-18
Blaine's Protection Views.
CONTINUED FROM LAST wEEK.l

"It is natural that both sides to
the tariff controversy should en-
deavor to derive support for their
principles from the experience Of
the country. Nor can it be denied
that each side can furnish many
arguments which apparently sus-
tain its own views and theories.-
The difficulty in reaching a salts
factory and impartial conclusion
arises from the inability or un-
willingness of the disputants to
agree upon common basis OF fact.
If the premises could be candldly
stated, there would be no trouble IN
finding a true conclusion. In the
absence of an agreement as to the
points established, it is the part OF
fairness to give a succinct state
ment of the grounds maintained By
the two parties to the prolonged
controversy-grounds which have
not essentially changed in a GEN.
tury of legislative and popular
contention.
"It is maintained by free-traders
that under the moderate tariff pre-
vailing from the origin of the Gov
ernment to the war of 1912 the
country was prosperous, and man.
ufactures we're developing asrapid-
ly as was desirable or healthful.
Protectionists on the other hand
aver that the duty levied in 1889
was the first of uniform application
throughout all the States, and
that, regardless of its percentage,
it's influence and effect were de-
monstrably protective; that it was
the first barrier erected against the
absolute commercial supremacy of
England, and that it edectually did
its work in establishing the fOunda-
ton of the American system. In
the absence of that tariff, they
maintain that England, under the
influence of actual free trade, had
monopolized our market and con-
trolled our industries. Finally
they declare that the free-traders
yield the whole case in acknow
ledging thatt the first tariff impaired
an impetus to manufactures and to
commercial independence wholly
unknown while the States were un-
der the Articles of Confederation
and unable to levy uniform duties
on imports.
"The free-traders point to the
destructive effect of the war tariff
of 1912, which unduly stimulated
and then inevitably depressed the
country. They assume this to be a
pregnant illustration of the truth,
otherwise logically deduced by
them, as to the reaction sure to
follow an artificial stimulus given
to any department of trade. The
protectionists declining to defend
the war duties as applicable to a
normal condition, find in the too
sudden dropping of war rates the
mistake which precipitated the
country into financial trouble. De-
preston, they say, would naturally
have come; but it was hastened
and increased by the inconsiderate
manner in which the duties were
lowered in 1916. From that time
onward the protectionists claim
that the experience of the country
has favored their theories of reve-
nue. and financial administration.
The country did not revive or pros
perity reappear until the protective
tariff of 1924 was enacted. The
awakening of all branches of in
dustry by that act was further pro-
NOTED by the tariff of 1S2S,to which
the protectionists point as the per-
fected wisdom Of their school. Mr..
Clay publicly asserted that the
severest depression he had witness
ed in the country was during the
seven years preceding the tariff of
1924, and that the highest pros.
perity was during the seven years
following that act.
"The free-traders affirm that the
excitement in the South and the
sectional resistance to the tariff of
1928 show the impossibility of
maintaining high duties. The
protectionists reply that such an
argument is begging the question,
and is simply tantamount to ad-
mitting that protection is valuable
if it can be upheld. The protec-
tionists point to the fact that their
system was not abandoned in 1882 |
upon a fair consideration of its
intrinsic merits, but as a peace
offering to those who were threaten
ing the destruction of the Govern
ment if the duties were not lowered. |
Many pretectionists believe that
if Mr.. Clay had been willing to give
to General Jackson the glory of an
absolute victory over the NullIfers