Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-04-25

raw materials at free trade prices.
But, we cannot even drive this
sharp bargain without sacrificing our
dearly cherished protectionist prin-
ciples, and bringing our American
high priced, intelligent, educated labor
into direct competition lin the pro-
duction of many important articles)
with the priced, ignorant, super
stitious, half civilized labor of South
America.
The existence of some kind OF money,
serving as a medium to facilitate ex-
change, and lessen the time and trouble
involved in making direct exchanges:
amongst all societies, except the most
savage, where no division of labor has
occurred, and the continuous improve
ment of this medium of exchange
equally betrays recognition of this
general fact of the utility of exchange,
and the ever increasing realization of
its Importance. Even the very facts
which may be cited as objections to
the above interpretations: namely, that
mankind have, almost uniformly, i'm
posed some restrictions on trade; which
might be held to imply that such
restrictions were found beneficial,
yield additional confirmation, when
analysed. General progress is always
accompanied by a Iessening of these
restrictions. They ever undergo reduc-
tions in number, in severity and extent;
as governmental restraints on conduct
of other kinds diminishes, restrictions
on this kind of conduct, likewise, di-
minishes
And, what are these restrictions on
commerce, but means devised to raise
a revenue, either for government sup
port. or Individual benefit? And, if
commerce, through taxation can be
made to yield a revenue, it must be
profitable; otherwise, nothing could
be got out OF it. If international com
mcrce was not profitable to the parties
engaged in it, they would not pursue
it; much less, would they pay fine
for the privilege of doing SO. And
thus, these apparent contradictions,
when examined, prove to be apparent
only, and fall into harmony with. and
reinforce the conclusions derived from
all other facts; and it is an inexplicable
circumstance, that intelligent, ed
ucated men, unless dominated by preju
dice, or self interest, can be so short
sighted and inconsistent as to deny
the utility of principle, the truth of
which, nearly every act of their daily
lives is an involuntary confession of
For what reason have men girdled the
earth with eel-raiIs; driven tunnels
under rivers and through ranges of
mountains; spanned broad streams
with iron structures; dug ship-canals
through continents, from ocean to
ocean; covered every river, lake, sea
and ocean with steam propelled vessels;
and bound the nations of the earth
together with electric cables, for the
rapid diffusion of knowledge; estab-
lished worlds fairs, and assembled in
vast collections all the products of the
principal nations of the earth, for ex
hibition: and are, even now, engaged
in laying every art and science under
contribution, and exhausting all the
resources, and expanding all the ener-
gies of civilization to further perfect
the means of rapid transportation?
Why have men undertaken and accom-
plished all these gigantic enterprises
at such an immense cost of energy,
and sacrifice of life? Have they no
practical significance? Yes, they show
us that civilized man is now, ard ever
has been, striving, with all the powers
that nature has given him, to accom-
plish those very things which protec-
tionists regard as SO reprehensible:
overcoming or lessening the obstruc-
tons to commerce; making it easier
and freer, with a view to its more
profitable pursuance and enlargement.
If the nations of the earth would be
better off if they would stay at home
and mind their own business, and de
vote all their surplus energies to build
ing up and diversifying their own in
dustries, and rendering themselves
commercially and industrially indie
pendent of each other, and each pro-
tecting its own citizens against the
aggressions of the supposed more act |
i've and enterprising citizens of neigh
boring states then, what rational rea-
can be assigned for wasting their en-
ergieS in these useless, foolish and in
furious ways.
Men are frequently wiser in theory
than in practice; but this is one of
those cases in which the universally
of the practice serves, but the more
sharply to accentuate and condemn the
utter folly and mischievousness of
their irrational and discordant theories.
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