Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-07-28
STATs EReE Trace

No argau-eI.t Is more frequently ad-
vaneed IA favor Of free trade than the
one drawn from the condition Of the
states OF the American Union, seemingly
analogous 70 different nations, yet having
absolute free trade between themselves.
If" says the tariff reforner, the aboh-
tion Of our protective system would b
injurious, how does il come that our
country prospers without state tariffs.
Does not this show that free trade IL
beneficialT' This argument. though APP
parently sound, is in reality founded on
fallaeious reasoning. Because our coun-
try 10 prosperous. although the different
states have no tariffs to guard against
the admission Of one another's products,
1t does not in any way follow that free
trade would be beneficial to the United
States as whole. The conditions that
exist in competition between this and
other countries are entirely absent in the
competition between the several states.
Whatever may be the peculiar char
scteristics of our people in different Sec
tons, no matter how much hey may
differ on account Of tho different nature
of their occupations or professions, they
are yet one people, living under tho
same form of government, earning the
same general wages, and having the
same general mode of life. The United
States, though almost IS large a. the
continent CT Europe. presents no such
picture as that continent, separated into
different countries, many Of them no
larger than our individual states, yet
the people Of each differing from tho
people Of the other in language, race
characteristics and standard of living.
We see therefore that in competition
between the different states there is no
element Of danger such as there would
be If we were not one people, or as there
Is in competition between the United
States and other countries. Wages can
not be lowered as they would in foreign
competition, because whatever may be
local differences on account Of tempo
rary changes in the demand for and
supply Of labor, the general rates of
wages differ comparatively little in diff
ferent states. That being the case, the
prosperity existing in spite Of unrestrict-
ed competition between the several states
cannot be advanced as an argument il
favor Of the adoption Of free trade.
While all this is true and while there
is no doubt that free trade between the
different parts Of our country has not
ON the whole been injurious, yet we
firmly believe that, considering only the
individual interests of particular statee
and not the nation as . whole, protec-
ton would in many cases be far more
advantageous. Who can doubt for in.
stance that New England's iron indus
try, now being forced to the wall under
the fierce stress of the competition Of
other and more favored localities, such
as Pennsylvania and Alabama, would
be greatly benefited by a protective
duty imposed on Pennsylvania and
Alabama iron? Or that the south.
now trying her best to diversity her in
dustries and establish cotton and wooden
mills, would succeed much more quickly
if she did not have to contend, unaided.
with the older and more experienced
cotton and wooden manufacturers of the
north.
There can be no question at all that
protection would be beneficial in these
cases. Now why, then, it may be
asked, if protection would be q good
policy for the different states, did they
not adopt it? Why did the trainers Of
the constitution incorporate provision
absolutely forbidding the levying of i'm
port duties by the states upon one an
others products? It is because we are
one country, one people, with the
identical interests that should belong to
one nation; because one locality should
not endeavor to profit regardless Of or at
the expense Of another; because, fgur-
stively speaking, our industries should
''all live and die together"
Free trade between the different states
h thus, in truth, . part of our protective
system, the object of protection being
to develop the interests of the nation as
. whole, and the absence Of state tariffs
being adapted to preserve those interests
Identical 1t was precisely because free
trade between the states as part Of IT,
protective system meant the creation
. more homogeneous nation that the
treme states rights and slavery sta
men of the Calhoun school opposed &
system. And we should not be at
surprised to know that one great reas
why free traders today attempt to na
our state free trade system an argun,
In favor Of their policy is because II
recognize that the total abolition
state tariffs Is rhe safeguard Of nation
protecti9