The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1892-05-05
..rn.r.rArAp..xn IA.

Washington on July 4, Of the same
year. 1t furnished ample revenue
for The government, protected and
encouraged home manufacturing.
For about twenty year, thereafter
the dutiabls list was enlarged and
the rates increased. During this
time Thomas Jefferson was presi-
dent, and he was about the strongest
specimen Of proteetionist this coun.
try ever produced. Is 1t to be sup
posed for an instant that this was
"merely . fad" Of the great Jeffer-
son? II 90 its beneficent effect
showed that IL was . mighty good
"fsd" to practice.
After war was declsred 10 1912
against England the duties were in
creased 100 per cent. The effect Of
this was to stimulate all departments
Of industry to such an extent that
the needs Of the people were nearly
all supplied right here al home. But
this " S1 hCIcby ibu.
In the year 1916 certain shipping
interests in New England became
hostile to 80 high a tariff, as there
was nothing much for them to do
when the people consumed home
made articles, and so the effect was
reversed by act Of congress. The
record shows that IN coming from .
high to q Low tariff the business in
terests OF the nation suffered very
much and q severe depression In all
departments Of trade succeeded.
This was not "merely fad" II was
something far worse, for bankruptcy
prevailed among business men to an
extent never before known since the
government was founded. This
state Of affairs lasted until 1924,
when another tariff act was passed
and the distress was checked forth
with. Henry Clay was the cham
pion Of this act, but Of course, 1t was
with Henry "merely q fad" Henry
was q great man for fads, which
accounts for him being the ladder
Of this act.
The great result Of this fad Of 1924
was prosperity, noticeable all over
the country. The influence OF this
era Of prosperity, all owing to mere
fad, resulted In an increase Of the
duties In 1923. Along about this
time callow, narrow minded, and
vicious young pettifogger, q mere
political accident, as It were, became
so enamour.d of the idea, after 1t
was tested that he adopted IL as his
fad. This fellows name was Daniel
Webster, the man fabled by certain
Democrats Of New England as hav-
ing writ q dictionary under q
bridge" The higher duties OF 1873
operated to increase the industries
Of the nation to an astonishing de-
gree, but this reminds us of another
man, John G. Calhoun by name.
Mr.. Calhoun was q protectionist
before this time and Was In favor OF
protecting home manufactures to
the end that they might be built up"
South Carolina was his home, and
at that time the state he lived in had
q system, of labor that could compete
with any other labor on earth, be-
cause the men who had work to do
owned their laborers. Slave owners
viewed with alarm the rise and In
fiueuce Of the labor OF the north and
their representative, Mr.. Calhoun,
carried his opposition to protection
SO far that he resigned his Office Of
vice president, and led a movement
to secede from the Union. Old
Andy jackson, of blessed memory,
combed his long locks for him,
though, and nullified the "nullifiers."
N. B.-Pity Jackson was not presi-
dent in iS57-1S61.
In order to pacify the South and
to give everybody a show Mr.. Clay,
who in all probability had become
cured Of his fad, introduced his
celebrated compromise act, after the
tariff had been given . couple Of
prunings in 1928. This act was .
sort OF q toboggan slide, only 1t
wasn't necessary to go up hill. It
provided that all duties over
20 per cent should be reduced to
q free trade basis In about 10 years,
but IL didn't live that long. In 1887,
owing To that act the most terrible
panic that ever visited this country
occurred. The distress fell with the
most crashing weight upon the
northern states, because here the
most money aud men were employed
in manufacturing. This state OF
affairs resulted In the people again
longing for the fad, and SO, In 1910
they elected Grandfather Harrison
rs president, aud q whig congress to
boot, which gave the country the
famous tariff act OF 1912, with its
attendant revival of industries and
general prosperity. Even the DEM
"crsiic party took the infection, and
In 1914 shouted for "Polk and Dallas
and the tariff Of 1872"
Then did the Democratic party
show its true loyalty to principle. II
recollected its antipathy for fsds
after its president was elected and
enacted the free trade
act OF 1916. Mr.. Polk used his posi-
tion as president for free trade and
Mr.. Dallas as vice president voted
for the free trade act because the
senate was . tie. The average re-
was 24Is per cent, and cor.
tinued until 1857 when the duties
were still further reduced and James
Buchanan was elected president.
We Lad another panic then and Mr..
Buchanan In his message to congress
said the people had become SO poor
that they could import nothing. The
credit OF the government was bad,
and the several states had TO 90 its
bail before IL could borrow money at
n hiOh raia of intereet IN nav tie nv.