New-York tribune., 1886-02-25
PROTECTION AND COMMERCE
THE BEST TRADE is THAT AT HOME.
PROFESSOR THOMPsoN's SIXTH LECTURE AT YALE
CoLLEGE-How TO HAVE SHIPS.
s4Y TELEdR APH TO TIE TRIbuHE

NEw-HAvEN, Feb. 24.-Professor r. E.
Tbompsons topic for his sixth lecture Protection at
Yale tonight Protection and Commerce" Presi-
dent Porter presided. There large attendance
The speaker began saying that free traders held that
the tariff a wall about America. what
is commerce" !" he asked. In the broader
sense, It is not the interchange OF COM
modities between foreigners. but the exchange not
OF things only but of services and thought between our
own cities and homes Now protection promotes this
II diversihes functions lifts ont OF uniformity facilitates
association promotes interchange and makes commerce
rapid easy less burdened by the charges OF the
middleman, and hence more profitable to both pro
ducer and consumer The amounts country exports
or imports misleading as TO It's accumulatons oi
riches. The smallest amounts are the sources OF the
greatest wealth. hold il that the census taxes
no account of any business here of less than 900
year. Mr. Atkinson says that our largest
single source of wealth and unnoticed.
unmentoned, comes from eggs. and so Americas
commerce, while not extensive with foreign countries
s the protective policy the freest greatest ana
most profitable in the world. The dennitpn OF COM
rnerce as foreign trade misleading This trade Is no
test prosperity Take England and France after 1850
Up to that time England had been making the finest
brand silks which France makes The interchange
Of cottons and silver between England ana France after
being continued for short tme was denounced Dy the
French England was committed 10 tho policy. What
the result France is making the finest OF textile
the streets OF the old important English
sirk-making towns. Wealth docs not come by the
amount Of trading with Others Our amount in America
Is quite enough and Increase OF wealth rapid since
1850 Engands has been only $50 per cent TO
Americas 800 per cent.
But It IL said that protect manufactures alone.
This is not true. What is National policy toward
commerce Protective duties exist In more than one
form Whatever dIverts capital especially II II creates
channels capital where there were none before or
makes easier and more profitable or reduces
the risks OF embarNng IN them, Is
protection. Our Nation and our States
do all they can for We don't leave 1t to the
shift.for. ourself policy Of free-trade.
FIRST follow England's example OF harbor making
and river improving. True river ana harbor blls
have been loose and Objectionable but not excessive IL
was Jeersons idea after the public debt was paid to
devote 30 per OF the Of tho country to the
improvement Of waterways and harbors. II we
would appropriate larger and give the Govern
mental Board Engineers Discretionary powers as TO
expeudng tnem these river and harbor bills would be
stripped OF their og-roing element and much that Is
objectionable and dlscreditabe. We have blasted out
Hen Gate built breakwateGs and lighthouses and we do
levy lighthouse dues "A. England doee ana leyeed
the Mississippi All, III fact, take the pnhIo money
gathered by taxation and applied 10 the Io'tetng Gi
commerce But are asked why not leave THIS WORK
to private indiyduasl Because 1t would not pay thcm
Private interests not sufficient Collective action Is
secondly, it has ever been the policy Of
this country foster and hence protect roads ana rail
JefersOus
through countries revealed Indian trails only By the
bent grass, he saw the necessity Oh tno seey m
''iu u bont DO reduce tho taxcs Make US roads"
And Jefferson was persuaded Of the wisdom OF this
idea. The Cumberland ro'd plan was emood ed In me
began pouring into the West. Then came the railroad
era one - the first laws 10 encourage
railroad building was to give them The right Of eminent
domain Is there waterfall valuable for mnnuactur
ing purposes upon your land and would ts possession
MAKE the properly about you more valuable were IT
ut Zedi
made terms with you. But railroad may DO run
SonT.eu' rSrUS We have also helped railroads by en-
dOwing them with n land grants rorL Up r,oto 10
1Geen Sonnectlcu,s had been granted roads No
doubt these grant- nave been made elrecssy 10 some
wise ono there had been no grants there would have
gralnhclds In the Northwest IT'S the policy OF pioiee
tton 10 sacrifice to-day that may have
York is another instance Of the benefit. OF
protection commerce. Up 10 the time u was
moved there because there was lack OF commOdous
quarters New-YOrk. But New-Iork state was right
not trust 10 individuals Newl ork Cty's growth from
that tme the growth OF the West and as wealth
Again. protection benefits commerce, in tnis
iIagcr. nj. power i. greatest when he at dis.
tance from the consumer aud producer corners III PORK
ana grain become possible. This Is not so where the
products OF a country consumed within It's borders
Protection also benefits commerce by making II less
costly proportion 10 ya!ue% France 10 the best IN
OF this It has reduced IL manufacture OF textile
10 lucneSs that silks worth
are exported annually In only twenty-five ships We
trade moro evenly with Great Britain whose exports
ara LARGELY coarse and constantly growing cOarscr
Protection also benefits commerce by lowering the
prices OF imports 10 the country and by removing al
merely duties on articles which we cannot pro
dncc home.
Te reasou that we do not sell goods In natu
raj market America IL not because we do not sell
chehp enough because Of our want Of ships England
carries the goods Besides the rates Ot postage to
Chili for letter are 81 cents, while the
same can be sent the centre OF Russia for
only cents England controls our trade south.
even when abe must take cOtOns to Liverpool To e1
mort for the miserable cotons which She manufactures
In we choose 10 carry goods ourselves. We shall soon
have the trade Yes but here are met by the dlcu
Dus ire trade question: What but protection drove our
Tag from the ocean We have shipping ana hence
we have no cNport trade Free ships the cause Let
us buy where please Now, as a fact. our ships
are not protected at all We put pre-
MUM on foreign ship bnllding, placing
duties on raw materials. but none the ship The ad
vance In wages in consular fees and compulsory pi
otage caused the decline Of shipping from $685. not
1861 Other countries shipping Interests advanced
rapd s. not by fec trade however but by the subsidy
sysen England subsidized her ocean lines and II now
having 10 her mail lines through the sucz Canal cub
sldy OF GIOO 900 a ycDr AT per cent as minimum
Her protection to has bceu wrapped up In
mail pay.