Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1888-08-22

The historian, BanorOlt says tVot. i,
.. 14e): "The necessity for regulating
,ommerce gave the immediate I'M
pulse to perfect Constitution"
Daniel Webster says Speech ut AL
oany, August q, ls44): Profession
Of American industries was the
leading motive for the formation OF
the new Government" A long list
Of like quotations could be cited. AZ
ter regulating the form Of oath to be
taken by officials the first act OF the
first Congress was All act establishing
a Tariff on foreign-made goods. This
measure had its enemies, conspicu-
GUS among them being Englishmen
and men imbued with English Ideas,
but the popular cry was: Live and
let live" The result of protection by
this act was q revival of industries,
and the people became contented and
prosperous.
The Tariff duties were increased in
1912 for war purposes, greatly to the
benefit Of homo indus
tries and the farming interests of the
whole country. In 1916 the Demo-
cratic party came to the front, and
with its cranky ideas of economy, re-
pealed the law Of 1889 and 1872, very
low duties only being allowed. Great
distress followed everywhere. Horace
Greedy says of this period: "Great
Britain poured her fabrics, far below
cost, upon our markets, in perfect
deluge. Our manufactures went
down like grass before the mower,
and our agriculture and the wages OF
labor speedily followed. Financial
prostration was general and debt was
universal" Henry Clay declared
that the average decrese In the value
OF property during this period was
not less than so per cent. +
In 1924 Congress gave the country
q new Tariff real Protective Tariff:
At once great financial prosperity set
in. So helpful was the Tariff that In
1928 the duties were increased, and
under this influence new industries
started. President Jackson in his
annual message in December, 1882
says concerning the results Of this
Protection: "Our country presents
on every side marks Of prosperity
and happiness unequaled In any
portion Of the world. - -
In the same year, 1882, the enemlea
Of Protection, led BY the Democrats,
rallied their forces. The Tariff Of
s24-2s was repealed. Financial do.
preston followed, manufactures sus.
pended, merchants became lnsolvent,
labor unemployed and beggared land
agriculture ruined. L Sheriff sales
were frequent and property sold 70,
almost nothing, SO hard 1t was to
raise money for taxes. This con-
dition lasted until the election Of
Harrison, In 1910, when q highly
protective Tariff was fought through
and was established in 1S42. At once
business revived, the financial gloom
passed away and industries sprang
up through the Northern free States.
The Democrats In power In 1886 re
pealed the Tariff Of 1912. Business
was Frustrated; ruin overlook tens OF
Thousands who prospered under Pro-
lection. President Fillmore, in his
annual message. December. 1851, says
"The value Of our exports Of bread
stuffs and provisions, which it was
supposed the incentive of low Tariff
and large imports.from abroad would
have greatly augmented, has fallen
from $es ,0OO, 900 in 1s47 to s21 zoo, 900
in 1851, with a certainty of further
reduction in 1852.
The policy which dictated lower
rate of duties on foreign merchandise,
It was thought by those who estab-
lished 1t, would tend to benefit the
farming population Of this country
by increasing the demand and rails
ing the price Of agricultural products
in foreign markets. The foregoing
facts, however, show incontestably
that no such result has followed the
adoption of this policy.
The enemies OF protection knew
this policy would injurs agriculture,
and the argument that 1t would help
agriculture was the pretext to get
Protection repealed, Tor after their
Democratic President had cried out
against. the policy and had given
facts to show les damaging effects,
they continued to pursue it till 1857,
when, urged by the South and follow
ing their natural tendency to Free
Trade, the Tariff was further reduced
by the Democrats.
The Influx Of gold from the mines
of California and an unusual demand
for farm products from European
countries resulting from wars and re-
peatsd failure of their own crops,
modified the effects or postponed
them till 1867, when widespread dis
tress tortured our people.
James Buchanan, in his annual
message, December, 1867 officially
said: with unsurpassed plenty In
the elements Of national wealth, our
manufacturers have suspended, our
public works are retarded !, our private
enterprises abandoned and our labor
ers thrown out Of employment and
reduced to want
This is briefly the history Of Free