Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-05-23
THE EFFECT OF PROTECTION.

stantly increasing population due to
rotection-implies that the quality or
quantity of the American article Of pro
lection is 80 much superior to that of
other countries that their desirable cit
liens flock to America in continually
augmented numbers. Increase of pop
ulation, either by internal growth or
external addition, involves the pre-
sumption that a large proportion of
this increase will engage in farming;
hence, for the increased demand for
farm products will 90 increased pro-
duction of them; causing increased
competition; and in order to show any
material gain to the farmers, it is
necessary to show that the number of
people engaged in other occupations
increase in greater ratio than the
farmers increase, and that this adjust
ment of population to pursuits is
caused by protection. The only proof
of the first of these propositions would
be the existence of a diminishing sur
plus of farm products, which would
soon become deficiency, i'll which
case they would have to be imported,
aud farmers could then realize ONE
thing from impost duties levied on
them. In this event, they would not
require the annual dissemination
amongst them of tons of meretTici Gus
pcotectiOnist literature, composed
largely Of lies, in words and figure s,
and false arguments based on such
data, and appeals to partisan and
race prejudice, and ignorance, to retain
their loyalty to Il system whose ad
yantagcs to others are So plainly APP
parent, and whose advantages to the m
selves are SO purely constructive. In
this contingency they would probably
discover. without eXtraneOus assist
ance, that protection was good thing
for them, and become us Jealous ad-
vocates of it as the manufacturers
now are.
But, although this condition OBJ
tanned in America to-day, there would
be no means of proving that protec
ton had anything to do with it; and
in any case, it could hardly be regarded
as an unmixed blessing that the pop
uiation had increased beyond the ca
pacity of the country to supply it with
food. But let us suppose that 1t Is
true that protection has caused an in
created demand for farm products,
and the demand increa SEES in greater
ratio than the supply increases, and
the prices therefore advance. And let
us inquire how this increased demand
can arise 1t must come from in
creased ability to buy, or increased
number of purchasers, or both. But
increased ability to buy must come
from increased wealth. Then the con
tention is, that the beneliciaries of the
system who have grown rich 10y the
tariff tax imposed on others for their
benefit, are thereby made better Gus
toners Of such others are enabled to
purchase more from them. That is to
say, the poor dupes are to be gracously
accorded an opportunity of getting
some Of their own money back by
giving an equivalent for it.
And this is the argument that is
addressed to their intelligence to Sc
cure their consent to continued rob
berry of themselves When Invested
of all vagueness and put in plain lam
guage il runs about rs follows:
Through this system of protection,
founded on your sentiments of patriot
ism, we have become rich at your ex-
pense, and you ought to be glad to
continue it because it makes MS better
customers because we can use your
own money to pay for the supplies
YOU furnish us; and our enjoyments,
and means of gratifying them are
much increased thereby. And they
might truthfully add: if the process is
continued long enough, we will get
all YOU have; but let not your hearts be
sad, there will still remain to you the
proud consciousness of having pro
tected your country's industries, and
advanced its prosperity, in our persons.
You will have suffered for your
country's cause, and the reward of
virtue and an approving conscience
shall be yours.
If it is claimed that the increased
demand arises principally from a
large increase in factory employ
ees, and others indirectly depend
ent on these enlarged industries, and
that the good wages they receive makes
them liberal purchasers and conSum-
ers Then the reply is, this enlarged
high priced population can only be
maintained through returns from man
ufactured articles; and when the farmer
buys these at artifcially enhanced
prices, he is thus supporting the in
creased population. Ii increased num-
bers of manufacturers and operatives
do not, through mutual competition,
reduce the prices of these products, he
is only so much worse OFF than before;
for the consumer must eventually foot
the bill The ultimate cost does not
fall on the manufacturer. In order to
continue business he must sell his
goods at sufficiently remunerative
prices to cover all expenses, and have
fair margin left for profit. And
even if we admit that prices of farm
products are advanced a trife in this
way, such increase is only possible
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