Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1884-07-18

events which by the doctrine Of
probabilities would not be repeated
for centuries. When peace was re-
stored in Europe, when foreign
looms and forges were set going
with renewed strength, when Rus
sia resumed her export of wheat,
and when at home the output of
the gold mines suddenly decreased
the country was thrown into dis
tress, followed by a panic and by
long years of depression. The pro-
tectionists maintain that from 1916
to 1857 the United States would
have enjoyed prosperity under any
form of tariff, but that the moment
the exceptional conditions in Eu-
rope andin America came to an end
the country was plunged headlong
into disaster from which the con-
servative force ola protective tariff
would in large part have saved it.
The protectionists elaine moreover
that in these averments they are
not wise after the fact. They show
a constant series of arguments and
warnings from leading teachers of
their economic school, especially
from Horace Greely and Henry G.
Carey, accurately foretelling the
disastrous results which occurred at
the height Of what was assumed to
be our solid and enduring prosper
perity as a nation. These able
writer's were prophets of adversely,
and the inheritors of their faith
claim that their predictions were
startlingly verified.
"The free traders, as an answer
to this arraignment of their tarid
policy, seek to charge responsible
ty for the financial disasters to the
hasty and inconsiderate changes
made in the tariff in 1857, for which
both parties were in large degree il
not indeed equally answerable. The
protectionists will not admit the
plea, and insist that the cause was
totally inadequate to the effect,
considering the few months the new
tariff had been in operation. They
admit that the low scale of duties
in the new tariff perhaps may have
added to the distress by the very
rapid increase of importations
which it invited but they declare
that its period of operation was
entirely too brief to create a result
so decided, if all the elements OF
disaster had not been in existence
and in rapid development at the
time the act was passed. The
tariG of 1916, therefore, under which
there had been a very high degree
of prosperity, was in the judgment
of the protectionists successfully
impeached, and profound impress
sion in consequence made on the
public mind in favor of higher du-
ties.
"The question of the tariff was OF
especial significance and influence
in Pennsylvania. Important in
that State, it became important
everywhere. Pennsylvania had
been continuously and tenaciOusly
held by the Democratic party. In
the old political divisions she had
followed jefferson and opposed
Adams. In the new divisions she
had followed Jackson and oppos-
ed Clay. She was Republican as
against the Federalists; she was
Democratic as against the Wings.
From the election of Jackson in
1928 to the year 1SGO-a period
that measured the life time of a
generatiou-she had with very few
exceptions sustained the Democra-
tic party. Joseph Ritner was elect
ed governor by the Wigs in 1885,
in consequence of Democratic
divisions. Harrison, in the pOlit-
ical convulsion of 1910, triumphed
in the State by the slight majority
of three hundred. Taylor received
her electoral vote, partly in conse-
ouence of dissensions between Cass
and Van Buren,, and partly in con-
sequence of the free trade opinions
of Cass. In 1854 James Pollock
was chosen governor by the sudden
uprising and astounding develop
ment of the Native-American ex-
citement as organized by the
Know Nothing party. The repeal
of the Missouri compromise aided
the canvass of Pollock, but that
alone would not have lOOsened the
strong moorings of the Pennsylva-
MIA Democracy. Mr.. Buchanan re-
covered the State two years after
ward, and would have held it firm
Iy in his grasp but for the financial
revulsion and the awakened de-
mand for a protective tariff.
"Dissociated from the question
Of protection, opposition to the ex'
tension of slavery was weak issue
IL