The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-10-09
NATIONAL, NOT SELFISH.
In tn, slow growth of a nation. all


parts and all industries cannot advance
with equal step, Some must unavoid-
ably pluck the first fruits of any be-
nefcent policy. The Eastern States
were in position to get the lions share
of benefit from protection at the out
set, but now Western and Southern
producers begin to share the bountiful
results, and there are found some East
ern men who deplore that state of
things. Here is an Eastern furnace,
built by protection, but now abandoned
by reason of the cheaper production of
Alabama. "If that is protection" say
some, "let us have less of it," But it
is pretty time to object, after peck
citing the largest share of the advan-
tages for twenty years. Here Is an
Eastern textile mill, which Western or
Southern competition renders no longer
profitable. "Lower the tariff SO that
no more mills shall be erected?" Hard
ly; protection was never intended for
tho exclusive benefit of any man or set
of men, but for the benefit of the whole
country.
There is something which does not
appeal strongly to the American love
of fair dealing and common honesty in
the proposal to kick away the ladder
by which some have climbed, lest 9TH
ers should rise TO the same opportuni-
ties and the same prosperity. The
nation, for national purposes only,
offered its incentive to manufacturing
and mining development in every part
of the country. The section which
hoynana1 10 no raoJioot 20 ,,1,,a1- Al a
fruit has plucked the most of 1t for
twenty years. Would it be less than
indecent to reverse the policy now, in
order to deny TO other sections their
turn? Il need protection no longer,
says one. Yes, the long experience,
established business, and large capital
which protection has given you enables
you to stand alone, but what business
have YOU to say that the work of de-
veloping great nation shall stop with
you?
1t is one of the grandest things in the
whole history of human government
that so few Eastern men, whose indus
tries have been built up by the protect
i've tariff, now show any disposition to
deprive others of its advantages. In
spite of many selfish temptations, few
Eastern men indeed consent to such q
course Massachusetts, and Pennsyl-
vania still stand by the Republican
policy as firmly as they did when the
cream of all the benefits came to them.
The popular majorities are rather larger
in Pennsylvania, as time passes, and
rather smaller in Massachusetts, be-
cause in the latter State immigration
of foreigners and migration of Ameri-
cans to the West have changed the pop
ulation considerably. Bat the over
whelming preponderance of public SEN
timent in both States is just where it
was. So of other Eastern States; Con
necticut Is not more close and uncer-
tain than it was many years ago; New
York was carried for Harrison, but
twenty years ago voted against Grant.
But the weight of the Empire State in
national councils has at decisive mo-
ments been cast for the policy which
built up and still sustains its manu-
featuring industries. The people are
not ingrates. They do not want to deny
to their sons and brothers in Western
and Southern States sle benefits they
have so long enjoyed To the majority
in Eastern States, the appeal of free
traders is simply temptation to sell
their nations growth and greatness for
possible selfish gain. They do not
believe in the gain, but if they did
would nevertheless vote for the nations
greatness York Tribune.