Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1890-11-29
HAMILTONS REASONS.
The First Protectionist, and Why He Gave
Us Protection-Arlstocra and Prot c.
ton Wages In I789-No Permanent Food
For the Infants,

Inc anu why Ahc Nttc
Us Protection-Arlstocracy and Prot, c.
ton Wages In l789-No Permanent Food
For the Infants.
In an address before the American
Social Science Association at Saratoga,
Hon Everett p. Wheeler, president Of
the New York Reform Club, gave some
interesting information on our tariff
history. A flood OF light is thrown
upon our early tariff history by quota
tions from Hamilton which show the
ideas at work In that statesman's mind
when he led US into our first tariff ex-
pertinent Those quotations show that
Hamilton was far from being a pro-
tectionist of the Mckinley school. On
the contrary, it is the height OF absurd
ity for the protectionists of 1890 to try
to set up Hamilton as their patron saint
in the temple Of high protection.
When the first Congress met the i'm
portant question Of taxation was neces-
sarily one OF tho first to be cons dered.
Alexander Hamilton was Secretary Of
tfN Treasury, and in his celebrated re.
port on manufactures, he sketched the
outlines of complete financial system.
He admitted that If other nations
were willing to trade freely with us,
free trade would be the most adyan-
tageous for all. He was certainly one
of the very first men in high public sta
tion to perceive the great truth that "a
free exchange, mutually beneficial, of the
commodities which each (nation) was
able to supply on the best terms, might
be carried on between them supporting
in full vigor the industry of each" But
he had to deal with very different con-
dition of tn .ngs. Adam Smith had, it is
true, published his Wealth of Nations,
but few were the public men who had
been influenced by his arguments, and
none of the principal countries ofEurope,
embodied any of them in practice. Will
liam Pitt whenChancellor of the Excheq-
uer, admitted that he had never read
the book. The tariff of England was
perhaps even more arbitrary and oppres-
sive than the existing American tariff
On the frontiers of the different States
which compose the German Empire Gus
toms houses existed, and each OF them
taxed the trade between itself and its
neigh Dor. All of them levied heavy
duties upon the products OF this country
and England, and had even discrimi-
mated against the productions of Ire
land, and had succeeded by prohibitory
enactments in practically destroying
Irish manufactures The most courage
Gus statesman might we'll hesitate in
such condition of things before decid-
ing to carry on a new Government with
out revenue whatever from duties on
imports
Moreover, Hamilton distinctly had in
mind the portance of encouraging the
establishment of new manufactures by
the i'm mposition Of a tax upon the manu-
featured goods of foreign countries. To
use his own expressions Duties Of this
nature evidently amount to virtual
bounty on the domestic fabrics, since
by enhancing the charges on foreign
articles they enable the National manu-
facturers to undcrsell all their foreign
petitors"
But he admitted freely that the "con.
tinuance of bounties on manufactures
long established must almost always be
OF questionable policy; because pre-
sumption would arise, in every such
case, that there were natural and in
aerent impediments to success"
In this same report he considered the
question of wages, He admits that
even then, in 17S9, wages were higher
in this country than in Europe, but
makes an elaborate argument to show
that all the conditions for the success
ful maintenance of manufac turers were
more favorable in this country, and
we're more than counterpoise for the
real difference in the price of labor"
But besides all these reasons for tariff
on imports there was another motive
strong in Ilamilton's mind, which is
we'll stated by Henry Cabot Lodge in
his biography of Hamilton: The re-
public of Hamilton was to be an aristo-
cratic, as distinguished from Demo-
cratic, republic He did not believe in
democracy as system of government
lie believed in class influence.
y = lIamilton's scheme las Secretary
of the Treasury, in which capacity he
made his reports on "Public Credit0
went further seeking to create a strong
and permanent class all over the coun-
try, bound to the Government as gov-
ernment by the strongest of all ties
immediate and personal pecuniary in
terest and thus as
sure to the property of the country the
control of tho Government From
ilamilton's report on Manufactures"
have sprung the protectionist policy
and so-called american" system OF
Clay"
Hamilton's views were embodied in
legislation, and guided the policy of the
country for many years. He did secure
for the Government the adherence of
mon of propprty.