Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1891-09-17
MAYvILLE. N. Y, August. 1891.

MAY lll4r. W. AuS5RObs lOOIs
The reasons why favor protective
tariff are very many. Some of them are
causes, some results. Some are moral,
and some material. In the last analysis
they all resolve themselves into one. 1t
is this: believe the American citizen
to be the highest average of intelligence,
morality, comfort, self-dependence, en-
terprise and manhood yet developed on
the earth. l believe this fact to be, in
the main, the result of self government.
l believe the ignorance, poverty and de-
pendency of the "laboring classes in
other countries to be, in the main, the
result of misgovernment-of vicious,
unhealthy and demoralizing social and
political conditions. | believe the stand
ard of American intelligence, independ-
ence and individual manhood can be
preserved and advanced, as it should be
preserved and advanced, only by the ex-
ercise of National power to prevent the
aggression of dependent and degraded
foreign labor on the domain which
American industry and American enter
prise have created and must in the main
possess and control in order to prevent
essential deterioration In the American
type.
am, therefore, in favor of protec-
tive tariff, and especially of the one now
on the statutebook, because it is an effort
on the part of the Government of the
United States to utilize the advantages
of soil and climate and the resultants of
American enterprise to promote the in
terests of the American people and
thereby prevent the deterioration of the
American citizen; because it is an en-
phatic assertion that the Government of
the United States exists solely to protect
the rights and promote the interests of
the American citizen.
A protective tariff, however. is not all
that there is of protection" The ex-
clusion of ignorant, impoverished and
vicious immigration is only another ap-.
plcaition of the same idea. While we
lacked population we might be willing
to take the risks of infection; but now
that we have enough and will soon have
more than enough, we have right and
it is a National duty to quarantine
against social, moral and economic dis
ease-to use the power of the nation to
protect the quality of her citizenship.
Reciprocity is an eXtention of the same
fundamental principle, the use of the
National power to secure valuable con-
cessions from other countries for the
benefit of the American citizen.
But all of these are not the whole nor
even the most important part of ''protec-
tion." If it is sound policy and patriotic
duty to protect the citizens opportunity
against enervating foreign competition
in order to secure his prosperity and self
dependence, what shall be said of the
duty to protect the citizens right to self
government against domestic violence,
fraud and usurpation? If the fruits of
liberty are worth protecting what shall
be said of the liberty itself? If mans
pocketbook is worth protecting what
shall be said Of his ballot-of free speech
of nArsonal sacrlItv in the e:-H---
political privilege and the performance
of public duty?
Tie most important phase of the
fundamental doctrine of the Republican
party-the use of National power to So
cure the rights and privileges of the citl-
zen from harlnful interference-is the
protection" OF free speech and free
ballot in every part of the country.
Just as long as we neglect to enlighten
domestic ignorance and refuse to protect
the National citizen against domestic
violence in the exercise of his political
duty, it is just as absurd to talk of pro-
tecting ourselves against foreign lgnor-
ance and foreign poverty as 1t was TO
boast of American freedom when the
National power was actively engaged
in protecting and perpetuating Amer1-
can slaveryl ALBION w. ToURGEE.