The Portland daily press., 1888-09-04
AN APPEAL TO HISTORY.
Protection Leads to Prosperity, and
Free Trade to Disaster.
m az E,,7;to,. ~ me prese.

Protection Leads to Prosperity. and
Free Trade to Disaster.
To the Editor of the Press:
1t can be stated without fear of successful
contradiction, that in every period of the
history of our country, when we have had
sufficient protection to industry we have had
prosperity as nation, and as we have ap-
preached free trade it has been the reverse.
Industry must result in prosperity in all we'll
governed nations, and it is seldom that ma
ton prospers without it, Our country is a
remarkable example Of the truth of this. In
comparing the Northern States with the
Southern before the rebellion we see it. In
labor was dishonorable. The result was
evident the moment you crossed the dividing
line.
The first period of our history, when the
effect of free trade was seen, was that of
the Confederacy from 1888 to $780, During
that.period we had free trade; from the fact
that we had established our independence
it was a period of great hope; but prosperity
did not smile on the country. We had no
manufactures, no great industries except
farming; our importations were large, money
had to be sent to pay for them, consequently
we were poor. The cause was well under
stood by the people, consequently, on the es-
adjustment of the constitution in 1889, the
first important act of Congress signed by
Washington was an act for the protection of
American industry. This legislation proved
successful 1t was improved in 1892, and
again soon after, and continued until 1876
In 1872 duties on imports were largely in
creased to support the war against England
The success and prosperity of that period Is
known to all The administrations Of Wash
ington, Adams and jefferson were so pros
porous as to establish the success of republi-
can institutions. We made great progress in
manufactures and wealth, and the second
war with England found us amply able to
convince the world that we were not to be
trampled on.
By the act of 1916, under the rallying cry
of free trade and sailors rights" we made
a long step in the direction of free trade
From 1916 to 1924, while this policy lasted
we suffered severely; the prosperity of the
previous periods was broken down, many of
our industries were abandoned, and it has
been claimed by good authority that the
value OF property in the country was reduced
fifty per cent.
In 1924 the protection policy was adopted
again, and so well did it work that the du-
ties were much increased by the act of 1928.
This continued until 1888, and probably in no
period of the history of our country have we
enjoyed greater prosperity. Our national
debt was all paid, and in 1888 we had forty
millions in the treasury, which was divided
among the States. All this was the result of
the tariff of 1924
In 1886 the slavery power again demanded
the free trade policy. The compromise act
was passed, which was very great reduc
ton OF duties. 80 great was the change that
In 1887 great calamity followed. Our facto-
ries were idle. our business men nearly all
failed, and general depression settled upon
the country. The people. understanding the
cause, in the election of 1910 made protec-
tion the rallying cry, and Gen. Harrison was
elected on that platform. In 1912 an act pro-
tecting our industries was passed; prosperi-
ty resulted almost Immediately, which con-
tinued for several years. In 1874 Henry
Clay Was defeated, on account of his COM
promise measure of 1882, and Polk and Dali
las were elected. with the rallying cry of
Polk, Dallas and the tariff of 1912.
In 1886 slavery again made its demands,
and the free trade tariff of 1916 was passed.
This policy continued until 1861, a period of
fifteen years. In no period of the history of
the country have we had more reason to ex-
pect prosperity than in that. The Mexican
war, holiday affair, was fought. The gold
discoveries in California were made, which
gave us 81, 200, 000, 900 Of the precious metals
in few years, and the Crimean war gave us
an immense market for our grain. But dur
ing that period we imported a billion and a
half dollars worth of foreign goods; in con-
sequence our home industry was not promot-
ed, and with all the advantages adyerSity
overlook us in 1856, and lasted until the pol
icy was changed in 1861. Our merchants
were ruined, our banking institutions failed
In 1859 the government, needing loan, paid
u per cent interest and sold It's funds at IS
cents on the dollar
The act of 1861 gaveius protection again.
Since then we have crushed the most gigan-
tic rebellion ever known and the great debt
resulting from 1t has ceased to be burden,
The industries of the country have increased
four-fold. Our government can get all the
money 1t needs at three per cent; under its
influence we have become the mightieSt ma
tlon on the face of the earth. Our people are
all laborers and are better paid, better fed,
better clothed and more intelligent than any
other people. The necessaries and luxuries
Of life are cheaper than ever before; we are
Independent of any other nation, so much so
that Without any expenditure for defence we
have DO fear of attack from any quarter.
Twenty-seven years have elapsed since pro-
lection has been the policy of the govern
ment, and with this wonderful coincidence
of invariable calamity following free trade
and prosperity following protection, we find
party among us mot very large, we trust,)
who wish to try the free trade experiment
again. 1t is confined, we hope, mostly to the
men who inaugurated the rebellion and have
Mexicanized the Southern States, and are
now, by intimidation, ruling and misrepre-
senting them in Congress. Shall we permit
them to pass the Mills bill and bring sure
disaster on the country? Shall we permit
them to inaugurate another conspiracy
against northern industry? The retention
of the duty on rice and sugar, southern in
dustries, and refusing protection to northern
industries, makes it look like conspiracy
against northern labor Shall we permit it?
Will the War Democrats who in 1860 voted
for Stephen A. Douglas and poured out
their blood and treasure so freely for four
years in defence of the Union, now vote for
a conspiracy more dangerous than that of
1860? The State of Maine must answer this
question on the 10th of September. Let us
give it such crushing answer that the at
tempt will never be made again. III.