Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-12-12
OVER CONFIDENCE.

With everv consideration for the con-
sciOus believer in the ACCESSIBILITY of a
free-trade policy for this country in its
present development, we are firmly
convinced that much of this reasoning
is due to an Over-confdence in the ma
ton. This feeling is often result of
an overabundance of patriotic fervor.
They see our magnificent development,
which for speed has never been liken-
ed before and seems never to see its
equal again, and at once make the reso-
luton that we, as a nation, are strong
to maturity and invulnerable to attack
from nations more highly developed.
Our high standard of wages is allowed;
still it is maintained that it is the nat
ural sequence of a country lately Opeli-
ed up and has not in any wise been
brought about by the protective policy
which the nation has followed. "We
are strong, they say, land are thor
oughly able to compete in the markets
of the world"
In the first place are we strong. COM
paratively with nations of Europe who
have counted their development for
centuries? Has this nation a complete
armor of development, with no weak
places in it? Is there nothing which
we can produce, but which we have
been as yet prohibited from pro ducing
by foreign monopoly? This question
is not difficult to answer. BY the his
tory of the nation every industry which
has ever risen into utility in the face of
foreign competition, has been foste red
by protection. "Curtail the protective
duty them. say the free traders. So
say we, as soon as they are on foot
ing of competition. But those other
branches of industry, of which the
country is capable, why not develOpe
them? Let capital look after its own
investment, say these. But it never
has and never Will invest successfully
in branch of industry which places it
under the thumb of a powerful monop-
oily. There are numerous industries
which are not established in this coun-
try but which we should have. There
fore the country is not strong for
there are weak places in our industrial
armor. 1t can not engage in an open
conflict with England, whose industries
are at their climax of development
Considering the point settled then
that we can not as yet compete success
fully in "the markets of the world. let
Ws ask what are these markets? And
do we lose by Ourinability 80 compete
in the markets of the world? The fact
stands that with one worthy exception
1T would mean to compete over a barri-
er of protection. This exception is
Great Britain. Now the foolishness Of
throwing away our immense dome ic
trade, which is much greater than re
foreign trade of any nation, for wit
trade we could possibly secure ovec a |
protective tariff with France, Germany. |
Russia. Austria, Italy. Spain, Portugal
Belgium. Canada, scandinavia and |
Australia, must be evident to any one |
with even the least political acumen. |
We surely could not hope for great |
sales In manufactured goods in Eng |
land under the very shadow of her |
great factories; nor of agricultural pro-
duce, since she produces within the
limits of her own Empire, in India,
nearly us much wheat as is produced |
in all the United States, and at far
less cost by means Of her coolie-labOr.
This market of the world" argument |
is phantom without substance. 1t |
will not be by any means wise policy
for this nation to hazard u domestic |
commerce larger by many millions
than all of Great Britain's commerce |
aggregated, for a shadowy foreign |
commerce in we know not what |
markets. while we already enjoy large
share of the commerce in the smaller
markets that are open.