The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1891-08-20


below his reason for favoring the protec-
tive policy. They are strong, as well as
instructive and constitute good reading
for all classes of citizens:
"a protective tariff was the first measure pro-
y1ded by the first Congress of the United States
No nation can be independent without diver
Slty or industries. A single occupation NAV an
swer for an individual. but nation must be
composed OF many men Of many employments
Every nation ought to be independent Of other
nations III respect TO all productions necessary
for life aud comfort that can be made at ONE
THESE are axfoms of political economy :.tstni-
testify true that they need demons. Uion
Inc measure of protection is 8 proper su ct OF
dispute, but there should be no dispute as to
the pftncapte OF protection in a country ours
possessing almost every raw mate,i;r. Vi nature
and almost every variety of productions.
we nave prqspered n ost when our industries
have been best protected. The vast variety OF
our manufactures, riyaliug in quantity
those of countries much older than ours, is the
washington to Jackson, inclusive, declared in
FAVOR OF the principle of protection Every en-
Calhoun, favored this policy the owners OF
slaves engaged chiefly in the production of cot
ton, became hostile to protection, and, with
those engaged IN foreign commerce, We're the
representative free traders of the United States.
Now that slavery is abolished and the South has
entered upon the development of her vast nat
ural resources, and it has been proven that our
foreign commerce is greater under protective
laws, there should be no opposition in any po,--
ton of our country to the protection OF Ameri-
.ean indnstry by-wisa discriminating duties.
The principle Of protection should be applied
impartially and fairly to ali productions wheth-
OF OF the workshop or the farm. The object is
to diversity employment and to protect labor,
and this protection should be impartially APP
pi1ed without respect to the nature OF the pro-
duction. All experience has established the in
variable fact that domestic production by in
duc1ng competition, lii a brief period lowers the
price OF all protected articles. In the whole
range OF productions this result has been uni
verSai Whenever it is apparent that new in
dustry can be established, as is the case now
with the manufacture of Tin plate, 1t is good pol
icy to give to the industry a liberal degree of
protection, with the certain assurance that, If
we have the raw material on equal conditions,
we can after time compete with the imported
article.
The policy of Nation upon economic ques-
tions should be fixed and stable. The Mckinley
law as now framed though 1t may be open to
criticism as to details, is a strictly protective
measure, fair ana just as applied TO all Indus
tries, with ample provisions to secure reciprOc1-
ty in the exchange of domestic productions for
articles we can not produce. 1T ought to be
thoroughly tested by the experience of several
years. 1t is not good policy to disturb it or keep
the public mind in suspense about it. 1t viii, as
| think, demonstrate it's wisdom, but ii not,with
the light Of experience, il can be modified. The
highest policy and the greatest good to our peo-
pie live in the full trial Of this effort to establish
upon a firm foundation the domestic production
Of every article essential to American life and
in6aOnudancar holm SHERMAN