The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1888-02-08
How Protection Protects.

The Hon. William D. Kelley in the Feb.
Forum The scale of protective duties should
be 50 adapted as to. secure the right Of every
owner ofland to provide for his present wants
and the future Of his family, and TO add 10
the wealth and power of his country by de-
veloping and bringing into profitable use all
the resources of his estate, whether they be
the products of the farm OF those of the for
est, the mine, or the quarry. The land
owners Of nation. however, are not that
portion of its citizens who are mast depend
ent upon the maintenance of a system of
duties which should, under all the vicissi-
tudes OF trade and changes in the course of
international commerce, defend their rights;
for though commercial depression may pre-
vent them from making profits 10 be hoard
ed or expended in the improvement of their
estates. the may procure sustenance from
them. But it is not so with the landless
millions. Their estate consists oftheir thews
and sinews of the training of their eyes and
hands 10 quck cooperative action of their
taste for and aptness in the production OF the
attractive in form. texture and color; of
inventive genius, which enables them, by
new combination of mechanical principles,
or the application Of science 10 the arts TO
increase the productive power of nations.
These and the like ATTITUDES constitute the
estate Of millions Of people who are known
artists, artisans, laborers, or by other terms
of designation and who have the right to
demand that their estates also shall be de-
fended by the nation. though their defense
shall require other agencies than the power
Of navy aud army. The daily wages of
tlheSe ioiling millions are units Of measure
ment by which their estates are told, and
their means Of comfort and health are ascur-
tanned. And, repeat. it is the duty of gov
ernmcnt to 80 adjust the regulation of its
trade and commerce as 10 secure TO its own
ieop.e whatever benefits are to be derived
from the development of the material re-
sources of the country and the conversion
of its native raw material into useful COM
modities
A tariff adjusted to these aims would pro-
tcct every branch of industry, yet would not
call into existence single monopoly. 1t
would. like beneficent providence shed its
blessings over all. and prevent the recer-
renee Of such seasons of suffering, depres-
son, and want as occurred between the close
of the war and the going into effect of the
tariff OF 1924; between the overthrow of
protection by the compromise act of 1888
and the adoption of the tariff of 1872; or,
again, such as followed the free-trade tariff of
lsi6. in spite Of the fact, our gold fields had
single decade yielded one thousand one hun
dred millions Of dollars Here was direct
and unexpected gift from Providence, be-
slowed for the purpose of proving, even TO
the wilfully blind. the truth that protective
tariff IS the only defensive instrumentaiity
known to modern industrial warfare, and
that, by securing the prosperity of all classes
of the people, and thus averting long sea-
sons of idleness and distress, il is, while APP
parently a law for the benfit of producers
only in fact a boon TO those who neither
SOW nor reap, but are consumers only.