The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1894-03-29

from history that our earliest legislation
by sectionalism, nor framed upon geograph-
ical lines, but was promoted by the loftiest
patriotism, and marked by a national senti-
ment as broad as the country. The first
protective tariff law in our history "a law
that was approved by Washington had for
its author James Madison .,s Of !. Virginia,
Constitution. Among its supporters and
friends were such we'll known Southern
statesmen as Richard Henry Lee, the friend
of Carrollton, Abraham Baldwin and James
Jackson Of Georgia, Theodore Bland and
John Brown Of Virginia, Hugh Williamson
Henry and Daniel carro of
George Read and John Winning of
Delaware, Ralph Isard. Thomas Tu:
dor ao+ TUCKER and Thomas Sumter of
the most part been soldiers Of the Rev
olution, and members of the convention
which framed the constitution. They held
protective legislation to be essential to our
industrial independence and progress-and
knowing something of the constitution. did
not hold such legislation to be an infraction
of that instrument
A still more strongly protective law was
enacted in 1880, and it is a significant fact
that of the thirty-nine votes given for the
bill tWenty,one re- were from the Southern
New, England states. Its advocates includ-
ed most Of the Southern leaders already
named, and James Monroe of Virginia. The
early laws which inaugurated the policy of
the government had the approval of three
presidents, all from the South Washington,
Madison and Monroe. OF the thirteen votes
against the law, nine were from New Eli
gland, three from the Southern and one
from the Middle states. 1t will thus be
seen seen that we are largely indebted to the
mnt of our protective system. The early
Southern statesmen were nearly to a man
IN Its favor, and it is cause for universal
that section to-day have wandered so far
away from the example and teachings of
their patriotic predecessors.
Calhoun u PrOtectiOnist.
John G. Calhoun began his career as q
protectionist. and favored the diffusion and
growth OF manufactures throughout all Sec
lions alike He remained a staunch protec-
lowers Of the South began to realize that
the interests Of slave buyers and owners,
1nd Of free protected and well paid labor
whatever influence it may have had then.
ought to have no force now for slavery and
tine slaye trac no longer have PLACE in
section of our common country are exactly
identical with the interests of every other.
n Washin gton, IN his message Of 1896 urged
the establishment Of certain useful manu-
features by the Intervention Of legislative
h ber ana prGi ct tito in Decem
lated congress upon the revenue derived
| from tariff duties and suggested that there
we may safely dispense with all Internal 1n;ai
taxes and rely for the support Of the GOV:
eminent and the payment Of the public
message of that year, to congress, he still
adhered to the protective tariff.
he In 1915 the first revenue or free trade trade
seven years after the adoption Of this tar
if, thus described the condition Of the coun
try: .The general distress which pervades
thn on10 to- INV,
merous facts Of the most incontestible char
acter. 1t is indicated by the diminished
exports of native products; by the depressed
tion by our diminished commerce; by sue
cessive unthreshed crops Of grain perishins
In our barns for want Of market; by tn:
dium; by the universal complaint Of TIN
want Of employment and the consequent re
dnction of the wages of labor, and abov'
value of almost every description of prop
erty in the nation, which has, on an aver
age, sunk not less than so per cent With
dwell on the gloom Of this picture, but
to the original would have authorized thor III
Col. Thomas H. Bentons description Q
the same period is we'll worthy to be noted
hose of the pshy the
no purchasers at execution sales but tn
creditor or some hoarder Of money; no en-
|
no sale for the products Of the farm; n
sound Of the hammer but that of the au'
tioneer knocking down property s stto
laws loan office lawsuits was the bus
ness of the legislatures in three-fourths {
the states of the Union; Distress the I'M
versal demand Numbered at the doors of a
legislatures state and federal:
Relief Only in Protection
No relief came until the protective act {
, 1924. Among those who voted for thu
much needed measure were such well know
Democrats as Andrew Jackson, senator tro
,, Missouri Martin Van Buren,, senator fro
New York; James Buchanan, represent
tive from Pennsylvania; Richard NJ. Johl
son, senator from Kentucky; Louis McLal1
Houston, a representative from Tennesst
and afterward senator from Texas. 1t wi
be observed that in this group are thru
Democratic statesmen who subsequently b
e came president Of the United States,
well as one who became vice presiden
Richard NJ. Johnson of Kentucky. All ga
= their ardent support to this protective tar
measure, and there was as yet no sectiona
:, ism manifest in our industrial legislation.
I In 1928 the tariff was still further !
s creased. Again most of these same Dist
|, guished Democrats, including Silas Wrig
n Of New York, one of the ablest leaders
that party in the country, voted for 1t. ~
b names of no fewer than five gentlemen WI
subsequently became president are record
=, in the yeas and nays ON the passage Of I'll
" bill. Martin Van Buren,, William Hen
8 Harrison and James Buchanan voted for
. and John Tyler and James K. Polk again
" 1t.
y But the change of position of Mr.. Calho
. and his followers eventually found expr'
q sion in the compromise tariff Of 1888. TT
y continued in force for about Zen years, ar
It while it Gained the excitement in the Sou
# occasioned by the notification episode
rle 1882, it at length produced the great fins
e cial crisis of 1887, period of distress
q most equal to that which preceded the ena
v ment of the tariff if 1924. Many of our ole
10 citizens recall with shudder the hardshi
20 and privations which were endured throu:
e out the country from 1887 to 1912. TIL
,e justly attributed the prevailing distress
- the tariff of 1888. and when opportun
r. came, as it did in 1910, they overthrow Il
h drove from power in all branches Of
d. government the party responsible for it.
lr AS a result Of this great revolution,
as Aug. &c. 1912, President Tyler reluctan
I'd gave his assent to another great protect
IN law, known as the tariff of 1912. 1t pass
u the house Of representatives on July 16
st tn narrow margin of four vOtes-yeas I
at nays 112. It. included among it's support
Id such able leaders as Garrett Davis Of x
o. lucky, Willard Fillmore of New Yo
TT Thomas Morris and Nathaniel. Pendleton
Ohio and Richard W. Thompson of India
pm It passed the senate by the bare major
e- of single vote-yeas "a, nays %. Amt
~ its most active supporters were such men