Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1893-10-27
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 PRO.
TECTION.

AHADE AND PRO.
TECTION.
Free trade and protection have
been tried in this country, and the
-tesalt we shall now briefly indicate.
The limits Of this article prevent the
extended quotation OF authorities,
sbut we shall make no statements that
our history will not verify.
From 1888 to 1889, under the
'eonfederacy, no restriction was
placed upon imports. No tariffs
faced the foreign trader. Our ports
were all open to him; and he could,
and did pour into them his goods OF
all sorts and descriptions. He
priced his own articles and the buyer
paid it. The result was skiold
disaster. Foreign goods glutted the
markets; our industries suspended;
prices fell; artisans were unem-
ployed; laborers were reduced to
poverty; merchants became insol-
vent, and the farmers suffered in the
general crash. Our markets were
full OF goods, but our people had no
money. Every state in the conted-
eracy suffered fearfully. Hundreds
OF farms were sold for arrears of
taxes. In 1884 and IS our i'm
ports were in excess of our exports
Sal, ,ooo, 900 which shows how we
We're drained Of our gold and silver.
A change came, new government
was formed: and, Daniel Webster
says, that protection of American
labor and industry was the leading
motive. The tariff of 1889 was
adopted. What now was the result?
Industries were established; business
revived; commerce increased and
the people were mere contented.
When, in 1872, war broke out with
England, the tariff was increased to
the still further benefit of the coun-
try. In those days there were tariff
feformers who succeeded in red
Ing the tariff in 1876. Horace
Greely states the result. Great
Britain poured her fabrics upon our
markets in perfect deluge. Our
manufacturers went down like grass
before the mower, and agriculture
and the wages of labor followed
Financial prostration was general.
and debt was universal. According
to Clay values deprecated not less
Than fifty per cent.
Getting enough of this the people
resolved to try protection again; and
and 50 in 1894 we had a new pro-
tective tariff. Once more business
revived. Later on, four years, the
duties were increased. President
Jackson declared the country to be
prosperous and happy everywhere.
Now note this that follows. Up
to this time the South had favored
domestic manufactures; but Old
England as well as New England
bought her cotton, and she conclud-
ed that if duties were removed, she
could buy goods cheaper in Liver
pool than in Boston; hence there
arose bitter and fierce free trade
agitation which was followed by Sec
:tional politics. As business flourish
cd in the North, and languished IN
the South, the cause was laid to the
tariff. To pacify the dissatisfied
factions measure was passed to re-
duce all duties in eight years to a
uniform rate of 90 per cent. except
the free list.
When, in 1S4o, the 20 per cent.
scale was reached, it became our
FIRST example of a tariff for revenue
only. In accordance with this,
with equal cost of material for
the produced article, tor labor alone,
%hs English manufacturer had over