Mexico weekly ledger., 1890-01-23
Wiitlen for the Ledger.
THE TARIFF.

From the Democrat standpoint
the tariff question in the United
States is rather matter OF govern
ment than of craftsmanship. The
Republican party claims the gen.
erul COVE, nment has the right to
protect national industries from
foreign competition. as a consiit-
uent Of national sovereignty. The
Democratic party denies this
right, consequently as long as these
parties antagonize each other,
tariff discussion must involve that
OF the powers of Congress. The
Republicans are protectionists
theoretically and practically. The
Democracy also favors protection
Incidentally. The Republican
party would exclude from con-
sumption every foreign article
made or raised in this country,
and the Democracy in levying
necessary duties on imports would
scale them so as to furnish the
greatest possible aid to domestic
industries. But, besides Demo-
Gratis and Republicans, who both
hold that protection in some form
or other ia desirable and advan-
tageous, there are free traders who
would have everybody believe
with them, that unrestricted COM
mercial intercourse between this
and other countries would most
advance the general interest. With
perfect international reciprocity
there might be something in their
arguments, but SO far free trade has
been rather theory than prac-
tice. 1t has been industriously ad-
vocated of late years by the manu-
factories and emlssaries of Great
Britain and certain in our midst
claiming to be political economists
of high order, have endeavored 10
create popular sentiment favor
able TO giving it trial. Thus far
no nation has attained permanent
prosperity except through protec-
ton of its industries. While 1t
was necessary to British interests.
no nation went further in excluding
foreign competition. 1t was only
when. by means of protection, her
industries became strong enough to
take care of themselves and COM
pete successfully with those of
other nations that the policy OF
that country was modified and
nther countries invited and urged
to adopt tree trade. Even at pres
ent Great Britain relies more on
free trade as a theory than as an
Established policy, since she has
not yet accorded perfect reciproc-
ity to other nations, but holds her
self ready to Withdraw even what
has been granted whenever her in
terests demand it. This may take
place at any moment, as the uni
versal experience of mankind has
demonstrated that protection is
necessary TO lmpart to productive
ness its highest measure of pros
perity even where steam and labor.
saving machines CO operate with il,
and the fact cannot be denied that
with an almost exclusive tariff the
United States has made advances
IN the QUESTION of wealth that
astonish the economists of our own
and other countries. The labor
and thrift of this country has en-.
ljnyed under this tariff a steadier
and more substantial encourage
ment tan any foreign commerce
could have given. A home market
where one such as ours exists sci.
dom fails. The foreign market Is
always more or less precarious.
American agricultural products
never find a market of any sor,
abroad, except after paying the i'm,
port duties levied upon them they
are offered cheap enough to com,
pete with those of other nations.
American cotton is not sought for
until it has surpassed IN cheapness
and quality that produced in India
and Egypt and were it not so ex.
tensively manufactured at home
,he remunerativeness of that crop
could not be maintained. There
must always be development ol
nome industries to give the highest
attalnable values to domestic pro.
iucts; secure the greatest increase
fof wealth and comfort, and furnish
the most reliable and remunerative
mployment to labor. Protection
also tends to increase competition
cheaper and perfect produc
ion, while free trade, it it accom-
plishes anything, must sfnecessity
destroy production and make both
consumers and producers depend.
ent upon foreign nations, which
gene ally raise and make articles
inferior to those of this country,
especially OF cotton, wheat, corn,
tobacco cotton, woollen and iron
goods and machinery. On the one
hand protection stimulates progress
and individual ADVANCEMENT and,
on the other, free trade, if adopted
and continued, would destroy pro
duction and prevent its resuscita.
ton. 1t would paralyze the loom, the
forge. and the engine aud furnish q