The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-20
Perniclous and scditious Doctrine.

The Mugwump EreninG Post makes this
further contribution OF fallacy and false
hood to the mass OF pcrni"ious and scdi-
tous doctrine put forth by dcmagogucs
since the Homestead riot:
"H II 10 justihaole 70. nm American man ufacturer
70 compel the farmer who sells his wheat In Liver.
Fool to pay . tax upon the clothing or the tools
that he receives In exchange. or else to pay
hkhsr price for the protected articles It IL jus.
Unable for the Homestead workmen to compel
thsir employers to pay them higher wages.
else allow their works tn lie idle. II It 10 right for
Amerosn manufacturers to fore, their fellow citizens
to buy their through the ueans OF protective
ta-ir. u cannot no wrong for American laooIers 20
foro, this Manufacturers to buy their services by
Guiding fellow lAborers from the Col NJ, tition."
The American manufacturers have no
power to force the farmer or any Their citi-
zen 10 pay a tax on anything. The people
OF the United States arc the only tax levy
Ing power. and OF them the manufacturers.
all told. are a comparatively small number.
The manufacturers cannot Impose q tariff
on anybody's goods. Tho law Is tho same
for them and every other citizen.
The policy OF protection may be sound or
unsound. but 1t is the policy established by
the people Of the United States and pur-
sued by them from the very foundation OF
this republic. 1t is n purely business
policy. based on tho theory that 1t is for tho
interest Of this vast popular corporation
and all concerned In 1t that American
labor and production should be protected
aEainst foreign competition. Within the
Union Itself trade is absolutely free. but
foreigners are not admitted to share In the
benefits Of that free interchange OF goods.
except so far as we allow them the privilege.
II the people did not believe That such o
restriction Is for their common advantage.
they would speedily destroy the system
VI projection root and branch. whatever
might he tho wishes OF tho manufacturers.
Hitherto. moreover. the strongest support
ere Of protection have been tho Northern
farmers. The system could not have been
established and maintained without their
consent. They believed that keeping up
the standard OF wages and dlversifying en-
pigments would 10 for their profit; that
higher wages meant q larger consumption
per head Of tho population than anywhere
else: and that diversity Of occupations
tended to increase the population and the
hou,e demand for farm products.
This may not be sound theory. but it Ia
held by the majority OF the people. and con-
scquently protection prevails here. The
manufacturers had nothing to do with
its establishment beyond the power
OF their individual votes and their indi-
viduna arguments and influence: and they
have no moro power to prevent It's over
throw. They could not compel the adop-
ton Of the policy. and thoy cannot compel
its continuance.
The Free trade theory is that everybody
should have the liberty to take advan.
tage OF the competition OF tho whole
world. and nobody should be restricted
by laws shutting out any foreign
competition whatever In any depart
mont OF labor. industry. or production
Protection Is opposed to 1t squarely. Il
proceeds on the theory that unrestricted
foreign competition would lessen the wages
OF labor and DESTROY Industries necessar!
for tho prosperity and safety OF this country
Accordingly there is no excuse for such
porversion Of facts as that which we hay,
quoted from the Evening Post 1t tends t.
inflame the spirit OF lawlessness. o
anarchy. which has already boon inclte,
and stimulated by psrniclous appeals 4
passion OF tho samo character. II tn,
greet American house OF Brother Jonathan
Yankee Doodle h Co. makes up its mind tt
change Its business methods. it will do 81
In an orderly and reasonable way. 1t will
decide tho matter uccordlD.: as il thinks iti