Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1893-11-03
EDITORIAL NOTES.
And Other Matters of Interest
to the Readers of the
Courier.
Including Clippings From Our
Exchanges and Miscellane-
Gus Matters.
THE Trial of Free Trade
and I0rOtect tiOn.

THE Trial of Free Trade
and Protection.
The tariff of 1888, of which we
were speaking at the close of the last
article, was compromise measure,
and was in the interest Of peace be-
tween the North and the South.
We are now to state its effect upon
the country. As soon as the bill
passed manufacturers began to cur
tail their operations as a matter of
prudence, and the wor kingman's
wages began to decline. 1t was found
that many articles of our make could
be produced so much cheaper in
Europe, on account of the lower
wages there, that it was not profitable
to continue their manufacture and
SO the mills began to shut down.
Where there was competition the.
foreigner held the market. Our peo-
pie bought in Europe, went in debt
Tor the class of goods they used to
make, and had holiday, but it was
a sad one.
The purchase of our goods abroad
Increased the revenue SO that the ma
tional pebt was paid off in 1885; and
within tive years there was surplus
VT about $40, ,ooo, 900 in the treasury;
but this result was brought about by
the ruin Of the industrial interests of
the country, the raising of cotton
alone being the exception. "The
government was rich and the people
; bankrupt The financial crash of
ts37 was the elimination Of the dis
astrous effect OF this tariff.
In 1842 the Wings again came into
bower and there followed a change
Ia the tariff legislation. Protection
tuled the hour. The new tariff was
tor revenue and protection both.
Hon. R. w. Thompson, in his re-
Gent book on the history Of the pro-
tective tariff, says: "The beneficial
effects of the tariff Of 1912 were al
most Immediately manifested. The
business Of the country, which had
been previously paralized, was won
derfully revived. Confidence was
restored, and all the industries Of the
country were correspondingly i'm
proved"
Although the tariff OF 1912 was
very beneficial to the whole country,
the South was hostile to it. The
slave power of the South was in the
tscendancy, and it was determined
to stay there, but could not unless it
secured the election of 1874. To
show itself openly, North as well as
South, hostile to protection, would
greatly endanger, if not defeat it in
the election.
Questionable methods were used;
aud by trick and fraud the South
tsiumphed. In 1916 a tariff for rev.
enue only was enacted. 1t was es
sentially free trade tariff. Again
there followed the inevitable results
which have been found to accom-
pany every free trade measure. A
secent historian says: "The period
tmmediately succeeding the tariff Of
1876 was one of intense activity and
commercial success so long as the
needs of war and the excitement of
gold discovery in California contin-
ked But the low customs finally
had their effect. The country was
Hooded with cheaper made foreign
goods, our manufacturers, stimulated
by the excitement Of the times, pro-
Euced more than they could sell un-
DEF that competition, and within ten
years the inevitable financial crash
did come la 1887.
Such has been Invariably the re-
ssslt when we have attempted to csm-
pete with the low wages paid those |