The Portland daily press., 1894-09-03
MR.. DEERING,s VIEWS,

The Hon. John W. Deering, 10 his
speech on Friday night, said he fully be-
lieved the principle of protection was
wrong. When this conviction forced it.
SELF upon his mind he did not tell us,
but it mustshave beensaG comparative
ly recent date, for he did tell us that he
voted for Garfield. Mr.. Deering must
remember that the platform of the
Democratic party that year declared for
tariff for revenue only, and that the
most prominent question in that cam
paign was the question of protection.
Apparently at that time Mr.. Deering
had not discovered that the principle of
protection was wrong, else he would
hardly have voted in it's support. But of
course it is perfectly proper for men TO
change their minds if they arc convinced
that.the views which they have enter
tanned are erroneous. Mr.. Deering hav-
ing changed his.mind, then it is reason
able to assume that fuller investiga-
tion convinced him of the error of his
first views. 1t by no means follows,
however, that Mr.. Deering' s present opin-
ion is nearer the truth than his former
one. Now what is the principle of pro-
lection, or what is the policy for the
word principle is wrongly used in this
connection, a principle being funda-
mental truth concerning the correctness
of which there can be no doubt. The
protectionist lays it down as sound bus
mess policy that the people of country
should. as far as possible, provide for
their own wants. That lies at the basis
OF. the protection policy. A protective
tariff is simply a device to stimulate
and encourage the people to do this. 1t
is obvious that the more of their own
wants people are able to supply the
more opportunities there will be for re-
munerative labor for the individuals
who make up that people. Surprising the
people of the United States were able 20
supply today nothing but the food the
people eat. Suppose they had not learned
the art of manufacturing hats, and
coats, and boots, and shoes, and the
thousand and one articles that mans
necessities or his comfort demand. 1t
is clear enough that the opportunities of
the people for remunerative labor would
be greatly restricted. Now the policy
of protection simply seeks to create a
great diversity of occupations in order
primarily to furnis h the people abund
ant chances for employment. Is this
wrong policyP Mr.. Deering thinks it
is, for he does not stop with the condem
nation Of the means that are used to
promote this policy, he condemns the
policy, or principle as be calls it, itse If.
Deeming the policy all wrong, OF course
it is perfectly logical for him to con-
denim everything that tends to advance
that policy. Thus his condemnation of
protective tariff does not rest on the as
sumption that it does not protect, it
must be just as obnoxious to him if it
does protect.
He is believer in the laissez faire
theory, that the government should not
use the taxing power. or any other pow
er which it possesses, to promote the
welfare OF the people, that the foreigner,
who pays nothing for it's support, should
have just the same advantage in this
country, just the same access to it's mar
kets, as the taxpayer who contributes to
carry it on. His idea is that the govern
ment should confine itself to keeping
the people informed that their industri-
al and business welfare is none of its