Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1890-02-08
THE TROJAN HORSE.

New England manufacturers in large num-
bers have petitioned the Ways and Means
Committee for free wool, free iron and free
coal They say that if these concessions
are made they will be able to enter upon
manufacturing on larger scale than ever,
and not only supply the home market, but
compete with all nations in the markets Of
world. New England business men have
never been slow in demanding from Congress
anything they think will help them along or
in gliding the privileges which they seek.
In the First Congress they insisted on free
molasses, ostensibly because it was excellent
food for the masses, about which they were,
as now, very much concerned, but really to
take the duty of the material out Of which
they were manufacturing that article of New
England rum, in competition with the rum
of Santa Cruz and Jamaica, which afterward
became SO famous.
Nothing more is now asked than that Ohio,
Texas, California, Oregon and several other
States should be rendered tributary TO New
England in the matter OF wool; and Penn
sylvania, West Virginia, old Virginia, Ala
bama and Missouri in the matter of coal and
iron. 1t will be readily admitted that this
is very broad claim, and that something
very peculiar in the relations of the States TO
each other must be disclosed before it is con-
coded. II it is proper and just there must
be certain classes of States which are Of
necessity subordinate TO other groups. But
why this should be, no one can tell. There
is an indication in the course of the New
England manufacturers in question that they
are aiming to gain the same position in rela-
ton to the West that the English manufac-
turers are ever scheming to occupy toward
the country at large. The growing indus
tries of the South and West are properly re-
garded by the former as the greatest existing
menace to their business.
1t is utterly preposterous and nonsensical
to suppose that any system'of Protection can
be devised in which some interests shall be
fostered at the expense of all the others.
There is no known method by which line
can be satisfactorily drawn between the pro-
tected and the non-protected. The growers
Of wool are as much entitled to Protection as
the spinners Of wool-the miners of coal and
iron as much as the manufacturers who use
these minerals. The exemption of raw ma
terials produced in this country can be re-
garded as nothing but the Trojan Horse Of
the Free Traders. Its belly is filled with
armed men who will rush out when the in
terror Of the citadel is gained.
The Cleveland Administration staked its
fortunes on wool, with the object above stat
ed in view. The New England manufactur-
ers are trying to enlarge the attack by add
ing iron and coal. 1t is the general opinion
that all these questions were finally and def
nitely settled at the last election. The vote
of the country was for the general protection
of American industry. The understanding
was that if there is insufficient protection at
any point the breaches in the system there
found are to be stopped up. There is no
freedom left for any action on the part of the
Republicans in Congress, but leadjastment
where readjustment is clearly needed. Pro-
lection for New England manufacturers and
Free Trade for the remainder of the country
is programme that will not elicit much en-
thusiasm outside of very narrow circle.
Only one effort at argument has been made
in that behalf that is deserving of consider
alton and that relates to wool. 1t is said an
immense quantity Of wool is imported into
the United States every year in the manufac-
tured state, and that this would be stopped
il the New England manufacturers had free
raw materials. But these woolens only come
in because of the superior quality of the
fabric. When as good domestic article is
turned out there will be no room for the for
eign production. 1t was to enable home
manufacturers to this that Protection is main
tanned. Protection must be upheld as a
whole or not at all. 1t is folly to suppose
that the system can lie detected so as TO fos-
ter the interests Of single group of States
at the expense Of all the others.-San Fran
DISCO Bulletin.