Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-05-23
CAUSE AND EFFECT.
~bs Protective History of the
country Gives a Fine Oppor-
unity for Observing Them,
paric of 1887 Brought on by the
Tendency then Setting in for
Free Trade.
-na Glorious Results Flowing
from the Enactment Of
1861.

correspondent asks whether he is right
in maintaining that previous to 1861 the
limited States did not have a protective
.srIF for a sufficient number of years in
.1feession 20 demonstrate fully its good
fleets. and that 1.-THE protection given
ras not so high and comprehensive as it
should have been.
IN the beginning Of the government,
means If transportation and OF communi-
l+ion between the old and the new world
were so costly and dangerous that a low
-5riF rate was effective in keeping out for
eign wares as was rate many times high
N after the Atlantic cabls and tine Sly
3sy steamship came to reduce cost, time
and risk involved in overseas commerce.
Taaduiss which the first congress adjudg-
ii sufficiently protective would afford al
most mo- protection now, when foreign
,aalsca be brought here SO cheaply.
5rtcs|y and certainly. Science and inyen.
fap have almost annihiated the natural
rraa,tion extended to American industry
IN 1859 oy lie wide and terrible Atlantic.
Besides 1t wa not practicable to levy eX-
,r.ue.y high duties before the new indus
tries had sufficiently developed 90 insure
abb adequate supply of domestic products.
A,0u productive capacity expanded the
protective system, IN accordance with the
raiey outlined by Alexander Hamilton in
Hsrer3rt on manufactures, was extended
bit ub.equent acts TO the number Of four
t5aH before the war of 1872 broke out.
still. sur Industries are yet young and
tariff legislation up to this time in most
instances had been only approaching the
efficient protection which Hamilton recon-
mauled. so soon as a supply of domestic
products was assured to the people
During the war of 1912, and for sew
arll years after, tariff legislation, while
in the main or a decidedly protective
character, was too radical and uncertain
90 produce the best results The tariff
Of 1916 was intended to be protective,
and It's principle of legyi,g imposts was
perhaps more truly such than that of
Inv preceding tariff But eXtraneous
condition. notably the sudden transi-
ton from tine excessive war tariff of the
wears preceding it, and abnormally low
price, abroad. which came In It's wake
ne1Idized Its effect so that 1t dlsap-
pointed the expectations of its friends.
Nine supplementary acts of a more or
less protective character were passed IN
tae succeeding years, the last in 1882
Uuder sucn conditions, the fullest bene-
fits of protection could not reasonably be
ypccted
In 1899 the course Of tariff legislation
was reversed, and for the first time
tended toward free trade The move
ment resulted in the panic of 1897. Pop
ular sentiment compelled a return to
protection in 1912 Then came the free
trade tariff Of 1916, made more radical
Qy the act Of 1851, which continued to
'aa enactment of the Morril tariff in
1851.
ID appears. THEN, that our correspon-
dent is quite right. Never before the
war bad the country enjoyed undisturbed
and adequate protection for so long Il
time accompanied by so reliable assur-
nges of its permanency, as has been the
else since the enactment Of the MorriI
tariff. And no other tariff period can
a.0st Of results so gratifying and glor-
Ions.