Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1891-10-22
Protection and Business Sense
Home Marked Ilub.

A decision between the policies of
Protection and Free Trade should in 70
wise be influenced by considerations of
sentiment or theory The question pre-
sented must be determined in the light
of experience, facts. and the application
of these in accordance with the dictates
of plain business sense. The fact ex.
plains in great measure the attitude of
men on farms, in factories and count
lng-rooms on the one side, and men of
the cloisters, colleges and dreaming
galleries on the other. 1t was of the
latter that an eminent French statesman
said. "they have no experience. and
hence they cannot fail to take the wrong
roads" when arguing economical prop
ositions with respect to governmental
policy.
Theorists insist upon taking every
economic proposition into that cloud
land where they delight to dwell, and
there trimming it in conformity with
such notions as they have emblbed;
when all the while there is neither mag
ic nor mystery in this makeup-only the
plain facts of cost and conditions, such
as every good business man takes into
his calculations of every day affairs.
Gauged by this standard, and applied
to nation so marvelously endowed
with natural resources as is the United
States, what Is the outlook to the pracs-
zeal man of affairs? He finds there is
1 timber IN the forests, mineral il, the
mountains, plenty of fuel both above
and below the surface. He sees mil.
/ lions Of strong arms crossed over breasts
swelling with energy to carve out per-
sonal competency while adding 20 nat
ional wealth and power. Shall natures
gifts remain untouched. and sialwart
men be held back from channels in
which their unhampered ambition would
place them. and they be compelled to
remain dependents upon foreigners for
the necessaries of life? The question
! suggests the answer.
So long as working men in any other
! part of the world can be found content
| to take lower wages than will properly
| support an American citizen. the theo-
rist says let the product of such cheap
labor come, without fetter or barrier to
its ingress. His clam Is that the way
to make a people rich is to let them
buy where they can buy cheapest. "
This is the BEGINNING and the end of bis
philosophy. But the practical man OF
affairs knows that foreign products will
not be imported unless buyers are ready
to take them Off his hands and pay
something more than mere cost charg-
es. Experience has also taught him
that the only way in which a large ma.
jority Of people can become purchasers
is to first be supplied with work, and
| gwen wages something beyond what Is
required for buying food. He also re
calls the fact that when in times past
certain men have undertaken to utilize
domestic resources. combinations of in
terested foreigners heretofore supply
ing the desired products at once
dropped down prices ard kept them
down until all efforts of domestic com
petition had beer starved out. Ii is II
view of these facts that he announce,
willingness to Join with the enterpnzel
OF home industry the would be mine'
and mill owner, and the farmer who
stands ready to supply these with breaC
and meat-and conclude an arrange
ment by which every willing pair o
arms can be given Work, every needy
buyer can secure enough money 70 keel
himself and those dependent upon hi!