The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1890-12-05

| The first reoeeetioniss. ana Why Ne Oavs
| 10 frotecttoa- Arlseocrney and Pros~c'
| tloa Wages In i7so-N No fsrmansns Food
| for the lafsntA
| In On address before the American
! Social Science Assoc alton e Saratoga,
Hon. Everett r. 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 AZ work in that statesman's mind
when he led Us into our drst tariff ex-
pertinent Those quotations show that
Hamilton was far from being . pro-
tectionist Of tho Mckinley school On
the contrary. il Is the height of absurd
ity for the protectionists OF 1890 10 try
70 set up Hamilton as their patron saint
In the temple OF high protection.
When the first Congress met the inn
portant question Of taxation was neces-
sarily one OF the first to be cons dered
the Treasury. ard in his cele brated re-
port on manufactures. he skctched the
outlines OF a complete financial system.
He admitted that II other nations
were wiling 70 trade freely with us
free trade would be the most advan-
tagcous for all. lie was certainly one
OF tho very first men in high public sta
ton to perceive the great truth that "a
free exchange, mutually beneficial. OF the
commodities which each (nation) was
able 70 supply. on the best terms. might
ll An I.nf
in full vigor the industry OF EACH But
he had 70 deal with very different con-
dition Of things. Adam Smith had. it is
true, published his Wcalth OF Nations
but few were the public men who had
been influenced by his arguments. and
none ofthe principal countr es ofEurope.
embodied any of them in practice. Will
liam Pitt when Chancellor OF the Exchcu-
uer, admitted tina: he hal 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
ne gh Dor. All OF them LEVIED heavy
duties upon the products of this country
and England. and had even discrimi-
mated against tho productions OF Irr-
land. and had succeeded by prohibtory
in practically destroying
Irish manufactures The most courage
Gus statesman might we'll hesitate in
such condition Of things before iecid-
ing TO carry on a new Government with I
out revenue whatever from duties on
Imports.
Moreover, Hamilton distinctly had in
mind the Importance Of encouraging the
establishment Of new nanufac lures By
he imposition OF tax upon the manu-
acturcd goods OF foreign countries. To
Use his own expression: Duties or this
nature evidently amount 10 a virtual
bounty on the domestic fabrics, since
~ enhancing the charges on foreign
'rticlcs they enable the National manu-
acturers TO undersell all their foreign
But he admitted freely that the ''con.
Of bounties on manufactures
ong established must almost always be
u questionable policy; because a pre-
umption would arise. in every such
ase. that there were natural and in
'erent impediments to success" IA
In this same report he considered the
uestion OF wages lie admits that
ven then. in 17sS, wages were higher
this country than in Europe. but |
lakes an elaborate argument TO show
hat all the conditions for the success
q maintenance OF manufacturers were !
lore favorable in this country. and I
ere more than counterpoise for the Z
sal difference in the price OF labor"
But besides all these reasons for tariff 9
n imports there was another motive
'rong in Hamilton's mind. which is 9
ell stated by Henry Cabot Lodge in
is biography Of Hamilton: The re-
ubiic OF Hamilton was to be an aristo- 1
ATTIC. as distinguished from Demo- 4
attic. republic He did not believe in .
emocracy as system Of government :
g believed in class influence. &
Hamilton's scheme las Secretary il
the Treasury, in which capacity he
ade his reports on Public Credit') 7
ent further. seeking to create strong 9
nd permanent class all over the coun. q
y, bound 70 the Government as gov r
BY the strongest OF all ties B
IMMEDIATE and personal pecuniary in
rest, and thus a. 4
ire to the property OF the country the
'ntroi OF the Government From
amilton's report on Manufactures" Il
ave sprung the protectionist policy I
I'd socalled American system OF
ay." a
Hamilton's views werc embodied in 4
gislation. and guided the policy Of the \
'untry for many years Hc did secure b
= the Government the adherence Of :
en- OF property