Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-04-18
A DISGUISED SUPERSTITION

superstition: when stripped of all the
alluring investment of sophistry, and
exaggerated pretension, that its authors
and advocates have woven about it, to
conceal its naked deformity, it amounts
TO this: that something can be taken
from one man and given to another,
and the total belongings Of both be
increased by the act Of transfer; and
what is this but belief in the ere
alton of matter? 1t is probably true
that prOtectionists will repudiate the
belief when reduced to this definite
form, and will, also, further deny, that
in ultimate analysis, it assumes any
such form. TO meet these objections,
let us put it in a formula, less open to
criticism. II is belief that a portion
of the productive energy of profitable
industry, can be transferred to a less
profitable one, and the aggregate pro
ductiye energy Of both be increased
by the operation: and this idea is no
whit less absurd than the other, for it
PoS'ul"CeS tho creation oil force; ana
the creation Of force is just as incon-
celVaDie as the creation OF matter. 1t
- 1he ioea th"t inspires tle "perPeC-
ual motion enthusiast, who hopes to
a.
get power out OF nothing: the same
oid ldea, porn III ignorance, exploded,
ana FOR The most part, abandoned, with
respect TO inorganic combinations; re
appearing under a new form, reasserted
WIN respect To organic combinations,
with all the confidence attending a new
discovery. The essential identity of the
respective belleiS OF protectlonlstS and
PeIPet"ai-ilotioilStS' IS eNhipited, not
"hly III theif general features. but
"iSo' III minor characters; IN details;
IN 'ile mental attitude Of thelr respect
'Fo "ul'''h'S' III conduct ana IN re
sullS' li'elf aohefelltS, both, nave the
SAINT "iii"l'efiilS ialtil III me trulh OF
'neil t"eor'eS; ana success mas re.
ilSed, III eqlal degrees, 10 crown their
respective Efforts. Alike perSiStcntly
adlhohIShed OF the iallloIlIty OF their
minor Judgment by The uniform fan
"'e u '''c'F ii'ceiailicil IN" legislative
'"i'''i'"''ceS 70 tf'hSiofill ller theories
'ii'o uo'i'oi'S'i'te'' iac'S' tiey equally
Ian 10 perceive tile ieSl'lmaIe lhier-
o'ice' '"aI 'heir Seherd theories may
"e 'l""iiy eiIoi'eo"S' PERSISTENT PROOF
u '''' erroneous character OF thelr
'''''''' '''"'' '''''' '4"'i'S' - 'N'l1e
- '''e'' MINUS any Suspicion ol 'he
Observation-Disclosures q ''loF general views,
i''eS 40 iiol re'i'ze the l"ct: 'liat error
~ Bohei"i opinions Is 'he necessary
'ofrelatlNe OF error IN particular
opinions ' lSiohary enthusiasts are
pe'Pe'"allS pursuing phah'oh'S' Whlch
'h'y mistake lor feai''ieS' 'hat contm-
""ily el'oe ulelr grasp. those OF the
phySlcal order are always on the dizzy
brink OF realizing the fruition of
thelr hopes. But always, some trilllng
accessory has nterpoSed between them
ana the realization OF their dreams.
only a new generator or conden-
ser, or some wheel or weight or lever
Is lacking, to insure success; but,
somehow or other, after the fancicd /
defect had been remedied, the antic
ipated results failed to materialize. I
\ uniform history Of failure in the
past leaves them still victims to the I
same S"perS'ltio"S deluslon: that force
can be got out of combinations; /. e, 4
That force can be created out of moth I
ing. SIMILARLY the protecuonist finds
That his Artificial Legislative eontrivan-
ceS are faulty; they too, never yield F.
the results expected from them: never /
">N''t 'N' INV N""S ''' ""''" 'I''H /
were designed. Protective laws are /
never Periert never have oeen--neYer
VIII be.
Ihere never has been and probably .
never VIII De- tlme when protection /
lists VIII not agree that protection needs .
revision: I. e., that Ii is imperfect; and T
their agreement on this point is no less
general and complete than their dis
agreement on what is needed To make .
It perfect; as it cannot improve the
material condition Of all who are pro
tectloniStS, short Of the creation of
matter or force, il must inevitably.