Western appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1885-18??, 1888-08-18

There is an aspect of the present de-
mand for free trade which seems to have
been too generally overlooked by those
voters inclined to lend their voices and
ballots to its promotion. This is the
studied, persistent effort to prejudice
the public mind against the very idea of
protection. Not only is the policy as
commonly understood subjected to mis-
representation, but the word itself is
heldup to derision. Protection is fire.
quently used as synonymous.with extor-
ton, and in many instances protective
legislation is denounced as robbery.
The result of this must be that when, if
ever, protection to manufactures is bro
ken down, it's assailants, if consistent,
will next attack some other of the sew
eral forms Of projection. >-.... .,..-, -. ~.
The exclusive right extended by pat
ent laws to the inventor who has devised
the machinery for manufacturing is a
more radical protection than is accorded
by any schedule of existing tariff laws
The inventor isabsolutely shielded from
competition during the life of his patent
and even beyond, that period provision
is made for its extention. This protec-
ton is not even confined to American
citizens, but is extended to aliens as
we'll. The writer of a book, the com
poser of q song, the proprietor ola trade
mark, the designer of a picture, are &C.
corded monopoly of use and sale in
which they are protected by all the
power of law enforced by the machinery
of the federal courts. Not only is pro-
lection thus extended to the inventor.
designer and author. but to whomsoever
he may choose to invest with his prerog-
atiye; the protection is transferable,
and can be made d matter Of merchan-
disc. These are forms of protection that
no advocate of "unfettered trade" can
consistently support. .-~~.....
Thsre is another aspect Of protection
which appeals dinectly to large and
Influential class of our citizens. Scarce
~ q village in the country permits
peddler or, other sitinerant trader to
prosecute business within it's limits with
out first paying for such privilege. Any
other policy would be injustice to resi-
dent tradesmen whose property is taxed
for the.support oftmunicipal government
Tae free trader, who demands that for
eigners shall be permitted to bring their
wares into the markets of the United
States without tariff, will be forced to
clam for his fellow countrymen the
privilege to sell without tax wherever
he can find customers. - " II
The theorists who now so loudly in
Weigh against what they term the ''priv-
LEGGED classes" ardso roundly denounce
the policy of protection, will be forced
by the inevitable logic of consistency to
attack the existinglprotection of invent
ors, authors, designers, and eventually
all municipal regulations imposing taxes
for privileges of trade. With them con-
sistency now waitsien expediency, in the
hope of finding present allies among the
future victims of their unpatriotic poll
cy. No sooner will they have secured
the surrender Of one tenet o. the pro-
tectiye policy under which our country
has made its phenomenal progress, than
their attacks may be looked for at some
other point. To stop short Of this will
be to incur the ignominy of demanding
in tile interest Of foreigners privileges
of trade they are unwilling to accord to
their own fellow-citizens.