The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-02-11
Tho "Reeisterr on Protection.

Ahc AtCsistCE oh AEolCCtiohs
The alert Register has shrewdly de-
tected Mr.. G. w. Atkinson in tho dis
honorable and dangerous act OF revising,
enlarging and permitting to go out from
the INTELLlGENcER's press his excellent
production entitled "a B c of the Tar
iff." Naturally the Register resents tho
dissemination Of SO much wholesome
instruction on question Of SO much
public interest and Of which its party
stubbornly takes the wrong side.
The Register finds Mr.. Atkinson's
work illogical and amusing, yet dcvotes
q column and half of its valuable space
to showing how very insignificant a
thing Mr.. Atkinson has allowed to 60
out over his name. Having consumed
nearly third OF its available space to
get a good ready on, the commentator
remarks:
Mr. Atkirson's article Is too voluminous and
entirely too full OF falsites and absurditIcs to
warrant nm attempt on the part OF the Redister to
l.show 1t upn in detail, with the limited space
NJ our command. and We can only give few
illustrations OF It's general character. For In
stance, at the outset Mr.. Atkinson says:
1.-THE principle OF protection to American In.
dustries and American labor was Incorporated in
the acts OF our first national Congress by fixing
tariifupon. foreign manufactured articles"
4 man of'Mr. Atkinson's knowledge must GER
tAlnly know that this is misstatcncnt of fact
and that these taxes were levied by our first Con.
gress, not for protection to American industry
or for the benefit of American labor, but to raise
much needed revenue by indirect taxation.
"a man of Mr.. Atkinson's knowledge"
has probably informed himself on the
history OF the subject he is writing
about, a method OF inquiry which
might be commended to tho Register if
that were worth while. The First Con-
gress Of the United States organized
April 6, l779. The first act OF that body
provided form OF oath to be taken by
officers OF the government. The second
act OF the First Congress, in fact the
first relating to n matter OF national pol
icy, is thus described in its concise and
lucid preamble:
WHEREAS 1t is necessary for the support Of tho
government. forlhc discharge OF the debt OF the
+ United States, and the encouragement and protcc
ttcI0ln ofmnnpfcc:Rrcs, that duties be levied on
goods. wares and merchandise imported,
President Washington signed this act
appropriately on July 4, l779, and it was
hailed with general rejoicing us being
another Declaration OF Independence.
The Union had taken the place OF the
abortive Confederation. Political in
dependence had been gained by the
valor and the blood OF the colonists.
Congress determined to declare for in
dustrial independence. ;. 1t declared
that this first OF its acts was, among
other things, for "thc encouragement
and protection OF manufactures.
The Register, coming along more than
hundred years later, says the act was
not for protection, and finds fault with
Mr.. Atkinson for agreeing with the men
who passed the act. If there DO "fal.
sity and absurdity" here the Register is
entitled to the full credit Of the inven-
ton. it would be idle to engage in a
discussion OF question with disput-
ant who begins by trying to cut away
its historic foundations. The Registers
arguments and its history are OF equal
quality, and are entitled to equal re-
spect.
Our free trade friends should not
allow these things to set them mad so
early in the campaign. Pro;ectionists
intend to force the fighting all along
the line and to make things uncom-
monty lively on the tariff issue. The
Democratic party is thoroughly identi-
fed with free trade, and protectionists
do not intend that the people shall lose
sight OF the Identification
The better the people OF West Vir.
ginia understand the question the
heavier the vote they will poll for the
defense Of the industries they have and
the establishing OF more. 1t is this