Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1892-06-02
Still Yearning for Cheap Labor and
Free Trade.

Still Yearning for Cheap Labor and
Free Trade.
Republicans who earnestly desire the
prosperity of the Southern States, and
therefore hope to see them abandon
their old free trade doctrine and en-
brace the advantages of protection,
have frequent occasion for discourage
ment Notwithstanding the advantages
within easy reach of the Southern
States if they would only avail them
selves of protection and proceed to de-
velop their natural resources, they per-
sist in the belief that the benefits of
the tariff are for the North alone, and
can be nothing but an injury and a
burden to the people south of Mason
and Dixon line. 1t would seem that
this dogma ought to be as dead as Ju'
Illus Cesar, and long ago entombed with
slavery and secession. Unfortunately
however, it is cherished living doc
trine, and is held in the South as firmly
today as it was half century ago.
Nor is the traditional OF inherited doc
trine of free trade believed merely by
those who follow in the footsteps of the
fathers in the belief that all wisdom is
embodied in the historic dogmas and
tro Il Of fhn
who are regarded as representatives of
the "New South" and in alignment
with progressive modern doctrines, are
found opposing protection in the old
Bourbon way, and for the old Bourbon
reasons. A painful exhibit of this ma
ture was made by Editor Hemphill, of
South Carolina, in his recent interview
in New York. A man of fine training
and ability, Mr.. Hemphill is a repre-
sentative Southern journalist of the
most progressive class. He was too
young to take part in the rebellion, and
belongs with the men who have grown
up since the war and who claim that
they face the rising and not the setting
sun. Yet when it comes to the tariff
here is the way Mr.. Hemphill talks in
replying to comment of the New York
Press:
'The Press suggests that by apply
ing the civilizing influences and en-.
couraging immigration to and invest
ment in the enterprises of the South
with its genial climate and millions OF
acres Of cheap land, ETC., and contin.
uing the infamous protective system,
a tide of immigration will turn into
the South, outnumber the old Bourbon
nigger hater element, and bring civil
zation to the neighborhood of every ne.
gro's cabin. 1t appears, after all, that
the Press cares more for protection
than it does for the negro. have nc
doubt that if the South would agree
that the masses should be robbed fol
the benefit of special classes in o par.
ticular section, if the South would con
sent to be taxed in the interest of the
manufacturing industries of the North
and East, it would not care button
what became of the negro as voter. }
The South taxed in the interest oi
the North" That was the dogma oi
the labor owning old free traders OF
ante bellum times, and remains the in
heritance Of the cheap labor advocates
of the South today. Because they in
tended to keep labor cheap and servile
they had no use for protective tariff
and could gain nothing from it. Tha
was the doctrine of the Calhouns ant
McDuffies, and Mr.. Hemphill echoes i
thus:
II would not restore the negro tt
slavery if l could, but would, if pos
sible, prevent him from voting until h,
is qualified to vote intelligently upol
questions which affect his own interest
not less than the interests of his whit
neighbors.
In other words, the negro is to b
prevented from voting" so long as h
: tries to vote as the free white laborer
of the North have done, and in the in
terest of the protective system whicl
they have so long maintained and de
Tended. The black workingman in tn
South is to vote only when he accept
the doctrine of the labor owning, FIRE
trade shareholders, and casts his ballo
to the same end for which they so des
perately struggled, viz: to keep blac
labor cheap and servile.