Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-04-19
PROTECTIONISr DELUSIONS.


PROTECTIONISr DELUSIONS.
There arc two classes of protec-
tionists-the deceived and the de-
ccivcrs. Tho former class is the more
numerous, the latter more fertile of
resource and more influential. These
arc the people who profit by protec-
ton; those IRE its dupes aud usually
also its victims. For tho entertain
ment Of the dcludcd adherents Of IL
vicious system the beneiiciarics of
tho same invent many pleasing fic-
tons, which arc duly put into circu.
lation and ditluscti over the country.
AS to the deccivers themselves their
attitude Is very much that of the
;tugurs of ancient Rome, QUO of
whom, it is said, could not look into
tbs face of another without laughing,
SO conscious were they of the base
less character of their own pruten.
sions. Among themselves, no doubt.
the protectionists for.reyenue only
grow hilarious whel mention is cnsu-
ally made of tho shallow inventions
hy the aid of which they hold their
followers III line. One manufacturer
could not possibly tell another, with
out smile. that he advocated pro
lection because he preferred to pay
high wages.
t is II favorite fiction of tho pro
tectionist that foreign producers pay
the tariff tax on imported goods. If
so, they must bo enabled to do so BIZ
dividing their profits with tho United
States Government, for they would
not be willing to do business without
realizing profit. What tremendous
profits then must foreign producers
realize when they pay no tariff tax,
if they can pay the United States an
average OF AZ per cent. on the selling
price of their goods abroad, pay the
freight over to this country, and still
realize IL profit for themselves If
manufacturers in FREQ trade England
can realize such profits us that, sure
~ our American manufacturers are
injuring themselves by demanding
protection. Tho bare statement OF
such IL position would seem to carry
witt: 1t demonstration of its nb.
surdity. Nevertheless, there are peo-
pie who stick to it so resonlely that
it is fair to suppose that they believe
it.
When it ia shown thai we are los
ing the bulk Of tho South American
trade because large number Of
South American products are shut
out of our market by the tariff, pro-
tectionists pretend to see i'll tins an
admission that the foreigners pay
the tax This is n somewhat singular
argument. Ii reminds one of plain
mans explanation of German trans
cendentalism Pointing to the Dor
der of II stream, whore the bank was
gradually wearing away under the
action OF the water which struck the
shore with some force at that point
he SAID do you SEQ those muskrnt
holes Well transcendentalism is the
abstract conception of these holes
after the banks shall have been wash.
cd away" 1t will strike the common
sense reader that paying the Tux on
/ goods that are not imported is rather
Iranscehdental proceeding. Ii the
south Americans were willing to pay
the tariff on the goods winch they
wish to sell us, they would have no
reason to complain that they are shut
out of our marketa Tho trouble is
they are not willing to pay the tax,
and our own citizens, to whom they
would sell under other circumstances
are not able to pay it.
No tariff reformer denies that on
many articles our rates are prolibi.
tory. On tho contrary, that is the
constant contention of the revenue
reforncrs. Many of the rates, it is
true, are not prohibitory Mt all times.
AS markets iluctuate, importations
may be possible ut one time and i'm
possible at another. But it is the
intention of the protcctionsts to
make the rates prohibiiory, in whole
or i'll part. 1t is their avowed policy
to save the home market for the
home manufactures. 70 do this, they
must shut out mportations-not ab
solulcly, perhaps, i'll all cases, but to
an extent sufficient to achieve the
purpose i'll view. In general, protec.
tive duties prohibit importations in
large. while hitting them in
small quantities. There is left n
small demand for the foreign article
with the tariff added, coming from
the comparatively small number of
consumers who are able to pay tho
enhanced price, while the bulk of the
consumers are driven out of the mar
ket and compelled to take cheaper
and less satisfactory article.
Before our South American friends
can send us their products they must
find customers for them in the United
$:tates. These customers do bust
ness for profit and not for fun, and
when they find the tariff 80 high that
| thew can realize no prOfit on imnOrfo