Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-05-02


the theory Every protectionist will
admit that. as a rule, exchanges
effected between citizens Of the same
country are mutually beneficial; they
trade for mutual profit; and trade when
they Can profit the most. Then, it fol-
lows that when a citizen of this
country exchanges something with
foreigner, he does 50, because he can
get more than by exchanging at
home; and if this is SO, he is ben
Gifted 10y the transaction, and the state
is that much wealthier; for nobody
else in the country is any poorer; they
all have as much as they had before;
and he, the trader, has more. If it be
said that one Of his own countrymen
has been injured, by denial of the
privilege of exchanging with him;
then, on the same principle, all trade
ought to be forbidden: for every trade
Il man makes, with one person, de
priyes some one else, equally deserving,
Of the privilege. The remedy of the
man who conceives himself injured
by trade preferences shown to foreign
ers, is, to find some other customer
either home or foreign or else, become
more capable and industrious, devise
more economical and cheaper modes Of
production, or go into some other
business.
If he can do none of these things,
and there are no other profitable occu-
pations that he can go into, then, the
conclusion is, that the country is over
populated; and it is about time to re-
strict immigration. Let us adopt this
course, and let every man stand or
fall in business, on his own merits;
or else, adopt the other alternative,
and plant ourselves squarely and hon
estly, on the principle that underlies
it. Let Us boldly announce the doc
triuc, with all its collateral responsible
tiles, and pursue it to its logical con
illusions Let us declare, that it is the
duty and advantage of the men en-
gagged in profitable occupations, to
share to share their profits with those
not SO fayOrabIy situated; that it is
the duty of the strong to help support
the weak, the fortunate the unfort-
innate; the successful the unsuccessful;
let the shrewd and sagacious be taxed
for the benefit of the Shiftless and in
competent; let the Industrious help to
support the lazy, for the poor unfort-
unatcs are the victims of an inherited
or acquired disability. In short, let
all those who possess any advantage
whatsoever, in the race for wealth and
happiness, share it with their less fort |
innate brethren. Let us make it as
well for man to be weak as strong; |
a. well to be lazy rs dilligent; as well
to be ignorant as learned; as well to
be fool as philosopher. Let us
abatt all the evils of society by elm
mating all its virtues; let us abolish |
all distinctions by debasing all men
to the same dead level Of mediocritv, |
and then establish laws that will for
ever debar them from rising above it, |
for fear some less deserving or com
petcnt mortal may feel aggrieved at
their superiority; and when we have
done all this, we shall have reached |
the ideal Of the socialist pure and un-
detiled, and shall have made decided |
progress towards barbarism.
Any argument in defense or sup
port of protection, based on its neces-
sity or utility, in charging and
strengthening the weaker industries
of the country, by shielding them
from competition with foreign rivals,
is just as good an argument for home
protection, to shield weak and imma-
lure industries in one part of the
country against the disastrous effects
Of competition With more favorably
placed and stronger ones. in other
parts, and just as good an argument
for protecting the individual from
with his more capable or
stronger rival in the same locality.
Or, as applied to individuals, to pro
tect the weak and naturally incapable
against the disadvantages of compe-
tition with the strong and capable.
The principle IS the same. If it is
right and eNpedient to tax one class
Of men to help sustain another class,
because less favorably situated, with
respect to facilities of advancement
IN the world, and to reimburse them
for their natural or acquired disadvan-
tages. Then, the principle must be
right, us applied to individuals, and
must cover not one class of disadyant-
ages, only, but all classes; for they all
detract in different ways and degrees,
from mems ability to pursue their sew
eral callings with equal success. They
are all attended with the same general
and thus, in another
way. the development of this principle
Of protection conducts us to socialism. /
The Great Spring Tonic.
". II. Gilbert, Druggist, Albany, |
Ga, writes: I'VE are selling large
quantities of Swift's Specific for
spring Alternative and general health