Evening journal., 1891-03-24
PUBLIC PURPOSES.

PUBLIC PURPOSES.
OF course the majority of protectionism
writers are prompted by SELF interest
many are prompted by ignorance. many
by partisanshIp aud some, like the editor
OF the Odessa Herald, write from a sort
of innocent misapprehension, which
though distressing is not criminal
His argument, however. excepting the
dishonest argument, is the most difficult
argument to meet, because It is 80 abso-
lutely intangible, unfoundsd and unbuai
neaslilSe
Thus starting on the premise that "a
nation should be just to those citizsns on
whom its existence depends this jour
nal proceeds to Justify protection for
privileged citizens over foreign business
competitors. The argument is that
those privileged industries help to sup
port the government in the same manner
the government requires men and
money; that every citizen is forced to
pay taxes and otherwise bear his share Of
the burden, hence it is also a duty TO give
certain classes privileges over foreign
business competitors, Just as 1t 10 a duty
to pay pensions.
1t Is easy to perceive that the writer
confounded the universal duty Of paylna
taxes and serving in the army for public
purposes and for the public defence with
demand which private industries and
special buccaneers may make upon the
people for private gain and private con-
quests.
An argument that General Walker
should have been furnished with men
and money to prosecute the Nioaraugan
conquest because General Grant needed
men and money TO prosecute the Civil
War, is not any more Ridiculous than tine
argument that the tin plate industry.
should have bounty protective tax. be-
cause taxes. are imposed on other com
modities 20 supply the needs Of the
government for public purposes, It Is
just as sensible, just as nearly within
the limits Of constitutional authority to
furnish aid and comfort, men and money.
to General Ryan and his Cuban bucca-
neers for "public purposes" as to pay |
bounty to men who grow maple sugar for |
''prblie purposes" The one puts the |
money into the pockets Of the Vermont
sugar tree tappers and sap boilers; the
other would furnish booty for set of
sdventurers
The writer is a very fallacious reasoner
who compounds the private business Of
running steel rail min for personal
profit in which neither the people nor the
general government can have any inter
est whatever, and over which they can
not have any control, with serving on
jury, paying taxes to support the gov
eminent and enlisting as a soldier in de-
fence Of the country
Il may seem very plausible to a shall
low mind to protect the Industries Of
this country from a flood Of foreign
cheap goods BY the payment Of bounty
to citizens here to make similar goods
But It has proved a great hardship to re
quire a farmer TO exchange his produce
here In a closed ''home market" AZ an
average Of Az per cent higher rate than
he could have exchanged it under other
or normal conditions. The odessa
Herald says
From the standpoint Of equity, foreign
producers have no more right to FRI 4 sd
70 the markets Of this country
for their wares than they would have. II
here, to occupy the business houses Of
our merchants without first making
terms satisfactory to the owners.
That is silly. 1t is not question Of
what the foreigner has the right 20 do |
Il Is question whether this government
has a right to demand that the farmer
shall pay certain privileged industries
higher prices and obtain lower price for
bis wares than they are worth In the
markets Of the world; whether the far
ner and the wage Garner shall be- robbed
'f part Of their property to be in turn
on the owner Of a private mill
The Supreme Court says:
To lay with one hand the power Of the
Government on the property Of the citi
.ens, and with the other to bestow il
lpon favored individuals to aid private
and build up private fortunes
s none the less robbery because It is
lone under the forms Of law and is called
iaxation.
Goods are sent here in exchange for
produce or goods sent away from here.
Z is barter that is mutually profitable
mutually advantageous, mutually deslra
Die and It is altogether foreign to the
yenius Of our government to interfere
With such private transaction for the
benefit OF few private citizens at the
ost Of the entire people. 1t cannot mat.
er how meritorious a private business
nay be, the constitution prohibits the
eople's money being taken to support il. /
Protectionism has grown to such an
xtent that the party which cherishes