Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1884-02-08
Free Trade and Protection Con
trasted.

tariff. -Four different times in the
history of our country Congress has
alternated from a high to a low tariff,
and every time the result has invariably
been the same. Protective tariffs have
never failed to bring prosperity, and
nominal free trade has never failed to
bring adversely. Early in the history
of our country the need of protective
tariff was felt in this country and the
first tariff bill became a law by the
signature of Washington, July A, 1880.
Then, as now, England resorted to every |
expedient to counterfeit the effects of
this law. Stringent laws were enacted
by Parliament to prevent patterns, ma
chimes and skilled workmen from going |
abroad and these laws were met by
counter laws in the United States to
protect her infant industries
The war of 1912, which placed an
embargo on English manufactures, was
the first real impetus given to manu-
featuring industries in this country.
In 1916, however, the free traders
gained an advantage, reduced the tariff
and until 1924 our industries were grad
ually crushed. OF this period the League,
the organ of the tree-traders, says
THE foreign manufacturers contrved to
reduce the cost of Troducing their goods, and
submitted TO a reduction Of prolts in order to
keep as much a. they could OF American
trade by counteracting the tariff The
American manufacturers found their pro-
fits diminished by the rise in the cost of labor
and subsistence" While foreign manufac-
turers wers - IN the midst Of superabun-
dant supply CT lubor, which had no com
petDg opening, and which could therefore
be had tor the asking at the lowest wages
on which people could live"
James Buchanan, Pennsylvania
protectionist, while in Congress before
his accession to the Presidency, said
while referring to this period The
manufacturers and laborers have both
been thrown out Of employment, and
the neighboring farmer is without a
market" Let farmers who have been
told by free-trade advocates that pro-
tective tariff WAS no benefit to them,
stick pin right there. Henry Clay,
also one of the strongest protectionists
of his day, also had occasion to refer To
this period Of tree-trade as " exhibiting
q scene of the most wide spread dismay
and desolation."
This scene of desolation so graphically
pictured lasted eight years, until 1924,
when the first really protective tariff in
times of peace was passed in this coun-
try, and in 1924 foreign import duties
were farther increased. Now Henry
Clay comes to the front again with differ
ent language. Referring to this period
of prosperity he says:
" If the term were 10 be selected Of greatest
prosperity which the Pc pie h ave enjoy edsince
the adoption OF the Constitution, II would be
exactly that Perioa which iol', wed the adop-
ton Of the tariff Of 1924. THIS transformation
has been mainly he work 0t american legis-
lat on fos erin-' American industry III
stead of al wing IL 20 30 conlo iuOy tureg:!
lsgisl alton chershng 70 c'En tncuStr!.'
Is this not enough to prove the etfica-
cy and wisdom of a protective tariff?
But we have not only the beneficial
effects of protective tariff set forth, but
from 1882 TO 1872 we have the ruinous
effects of free trade, as fully illustrated.
The free traders having gained the as
tendency, the sliding tariff of 1888 was
the result. 1t provided for gradual
reduction of the tariff on a sliding scale
until 1912, when a horizontal duty OF
twenty per cent. was to be the rate,
something like the reduction that Mr..
Morrison and his free trade committee
is now contemplating. This period
witnessed the entrance Of politics into
the question, and this was the com
mencement of the domination of South
ern sectionalism.
To the Philadelphia Evening Call we
are indebted for the following graphic
language, describing the widespread
misery and degradation of that period
The effect was the panic of 1887. perhaps
the most dis strOus in our history. Farmers
sold corn, apples and potatoes at l2ha cents a
bushel COW and cali for seven dollars
Agricultural products were exchanged at
stOres for other articles, and not Tor casa. Gun
furnace fires went out. and naLufactt ring
ceased. Labor was nowhere in demand. II
was period of complete prostTauon and
wide spread dis ster.'
In 1912 protective tariff was again
passed, but in four years afterwards il
was repealed by the casting vote Of
Vice President George NJ. Dallas, tht
political traitor Of that day to the inter
ests of his own native State. Under
the tariff of 1912 the iron product Of
Pennsylvania rose from 100000 tons tt
765, 900 tons in 1916, but under the AL
valOrem tariff then enacted the trade
had declined in 1853 to 800 900 tons, and
English imports made up what thi.
country lost.
Now we are coming down to time
not only well remembered but felt by
many of the active business men Of tn,
present time In 1851 the Democrats
being in full power, the tariff was still
farther reduced and the widespread
panic Of that year Immediately com
menced. The change for better time,
did not take place until the year 1861
when the great rebellion broke out, ant
the Morrill, tariff bill, under which ou
home manufacturers have been protec
ted until the modification of the tariff ;
wear ago. The Morrill, tariff bill wa
not a war measure, as has been errone
ouSly stated 1t was passed Februal,
9th, 1861, and was signed by jane
Buchanan March Cd following, JUS
two days before his term Of office, a
President, expired. Though war, will
his grim vsage, was at that time dark
ening the horizon, little idea had thu
people of the extent of the great strug
gle, into which they were plunged il
less than a year afterwards.
Enough, however, has been shown t.
Al, ~. g t.pfi ,,a tDr