Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1889-01-26
The South and Protection.
THE SENATOR FROM GEORGIA TAKES
NORTHERN PROSPERITY AS TEXT.

NORTHERN PROSPERITY AS A TEXT.
A United States Senator, in let
ter to the editor, calls the attention
of the readers of The Press to the
following speech in the Senate last
Friday by Senator Brown, of Geor-
gia, as evidence of the progress Pro-
lection is making in the South
Mr.. PRESIDENT: In providing rev.
enue for this Government would
not collect q dollar not needed by
the Government by any character or
form of taxation for the purpose of
protecting any American interest,
either of capital or labor.
In other words, / would never
collect dollar not needed by the
Government to protect any industry
or or anybody. / am not, therefore,
protectionist per Sc. But, in the
proper adjustment of the tariff, / am
a strong Protectionist. Say the Gov
eminent must raise $3.50, 100000 a
year for its economical support and
to meet its obligations, which is
about what will be necessary, 1
suppose,for the ensuing year. Now,
| would raise this sum and all other
sums necessary to the economical
support of the Government by tariff
taxation at the custom-house, and |
would repeal absolutely the internal
revenue laws, with all their abomina-
tons, iniqUities, opressions and
domiciliary vexations.
In raising the money by tariff tax
alton for the economical support of
the Government | would so adjust it
as to give all the reasonable Protec.
ton in my power to American capt.
tai and foreign labor. / would gen.
orally admit such articles as are
raised in foreign countries and are
not raised in this country duty free,
because the tariff assessed upon arti-
cles of this character could protect
nobody in this country, as nobody
here either raises or manufactures
such articles.
PROTECTION FOR WOOL AND COTTON
1t follows, therefore, that / would
impose the tax upon such articles
imported from abroad as are produc-
ed in this country, SO as to give to
American capital invested and
American labor employed in produc-
ing such articles, whatever Protec-
ton may result from the result from
the tariff imposed upon such articles.
While / would put coffee and tea on
the free list, would put manufac-
tured fabric, both of wool and cot
ton, and other like commodities up
on the dutiable list, because, while
wool and cotton are manufactured
| abroad and the product introduced
into this country, wool and cotton
are also manufactured in this country,
and there is at least an Incidental
protection to the manufacturer of
wool or cotton when tariff is i'm.
posed upon those commodities i'm.
ported from abroad and this Incl
dental Protection is advantageous to
the American manufacturers until
the encouragement afforded them by
tariff taxation has built up enough
of establishments in our country to
produce all the commodities of that
character which are needed by our
people. In other words, til the home
competition has regulated the price
independently of the tariff law or the
foreign importation or til our fac
tories have reached a point where
competition among themselves regu-
lates prices.
1t has been said in ridiculs that
our infant industries in this country
are now hoary with old age, that the
New England factories are almost as
old as the English factories, and that
it is deception when it is claimed
that they must be aided by the Gov
eminent as infant industries.
SOUTHERN INDUSTRIES ARE YOUNG AND
NEED PROTECTION.
1t is not my purpose at present to
discuss the question as to the age or
maturity of New England factories.
1t is enough for me to know that
they are much further advanced
than the manufacturing industries of
the South. In other words, if the
manufacturing interests ofNew Eng
land have passed the stage of infancy
and reached mature manhood it can
not be denied that in the main the
industries ,of the South are still in
their infancy and need Prnfanfinn