Telegram-herald., 1890-03-10
TO sUBsCKIBERS
OFFICIAL PAPER or The CITY.
GRAND RAPIDS. MONDAY MARcam
ruF TWO THEoEIrs

The free trader makes commerce his
objective point Hence ne maintains
that each country can produce some
kinds OF goods more chcaply than other
countries, and should devote It's
energies 70 the industries which II can
carry on 20 the best advantage, ex-
changing rs surplus products Of these
lndustries with other nations for the
goods which these can produce to the
hcst advantage. tie believes in the
great Brotherhood Of mankind, and
bases his national policy upon it.
On the other hand, the objective
point OF the protectionist is national
independence. lie recognizes tnat,
practically, the interests OF no two
cations are IndenhclI and that every
, nation VIII naturally seek 10 subserye
lts own interests frst. He secs that
there = not a family relation among
nations, which leafs each one to work
and make sacrifices for the common
good. Hence he maintains that each
should be independent so far as pos
sble. What nation can not possibly
produce must, perforce, be bought
abroad, but whatever things. can be
produced here, nc maintains should
be. Hence arises the protective
policy, to foster the production Of those
things. which would otherwise be
driven out by foreign competition. The
principle Of home protection and pat
rona-e is exactly the same principle
that prompts one family IN a commu-
nifty TO take care OF It's own interests
before considering the interests of an
other It's tho true home principle.
Either theory may be abused by be-
ing carried 20 the extreme. The free
trade theory carried too far would re-
duce THIS nation u the production of
a comparatively few things. Instead
OF paying our own cOuntrymen for
what we need. we should send large
Suns Of money away for foreign pro-
ducEons and become. to a great extent,
dependent upon other countries for
what We could make for ourselves. II
absolute peace and friendship always
existed among nations. the disadvan-
tsge would not be so great, but such
never has been the case and probably
never Will be.
If tho protective theory is carried too
far. then. IN case Of those articles which
We can not produce at all, or not sufi-
GENTLY 90 ensure competition, We shall
bc taxed by the tarH. In the case of
articles which are actually necessaries,
or have become 50 ~ our style Of lv-
ing, there would b, q hardship, greater
or less IN proportion to the weight OF
the tariff and the 'ack Of competition.
Hence 70 Is that neither free trade nor
pr otecuou, pure aud simple, IS advo-
Gated. by the substantial men Of either
party. Fros traders advocate a tariff
tor revenue only. while prolectionis,s
ask only incidental protection, that "a
protection for those things which need
protection. Al parties agree that the
present tariff Avs need revision. but
the question Of the standard Of revision
j. what makes al the difference between
she parties. IA allOpsthic and a homeo-
psthic physician may together diagnose
the case Of a SICK mau and may agree
"a Cd the nature of his affection; but
when the question Of treatment arises
one OF Che other must stand ASIDE. The
sick man or his friends must decide
which treatment shall be adopted. That
IS about she condition Of Affairs n the
country now. and this year the people
of the United states vii choose their
physician.