Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1894-01-13
nlsAsrRous Profession.
A Policy That Has Brought Hard Times
upon the Country,

/ DISASTROUS PROTECTION
A Policy That Has Brought Hard Times
Upon the Country
An esteemed correspondent and long
time subscriber of the Free Press
writes: Your story OF the BANKER who
made his cashier stand the shorts be-
cause he took the overs Is a good one
1t is probably q fair retort upon those
| advocates of high tariff who have
claimed that all our prosperity was the
result of carrying out their doctrine 10
say that the doctrine should be held re-
sponsible for the distress as well. nu'
do | understand you to contend thai
protection really is responsible for the
present condition Of things? II rec
ollect right-and l have read your pa
per pretty carefully-you have con-
tended always that protection was not
the cause of our prosperity. You are
not bound, If the protectionist IS, TO
admit that it Is the cause of adversely.
Do o really think 1t is?' In tho
article to which our correspondent re-
fers we did not express any opinion as
to the influence which the protective
policy and high tariffs had had In
bringing about the lamentable condi-
ton OF things from which the country
is suffering. We aimed to show merely
that the advocates OF protection were
precluded by their past claims as to the
controlling influence OF their policy
from denying its responsibility for pres
emit conditions That we made the
point clear is apparent from the con-
cession of our correspondent, who is, 1t
Is scarcely necessary to say, a protec-
ZIONIST, though not an ultra one.
We have, however. no hesitation in
declaring that the protective policy
which has been so long pursued In this
country is very largely responsible for
the present woeful condition OF u
business. We have never conceded
that this policy was the creator OF pros
perity, it Is true; but that fact surely
does not preclude us from claiming
that it Is responsible for adversely.
No intelligent person who will con-
slider the facts can fail 70 reach the
conclusion that 1t Is responsible. Not
only is our present condition very
largely the outcome Of the protective
policy, carried out in such enactments
as the Mckinley tariff, but it was
inevitable from the first that 1t should
be the outcome. 1t IS the purpose of
protective tariffs to stimulate produce
ton In manufactures, and that has al
ways been its primary effect, One Of
the first of the resulting consequences
has been the diversion of labor from
the country to the town with the Incl
dental effect of enhancing the farm la
borer's wages and the workingman's
wages as well, because these are prac-
tically fixed either high or low by the
prevailing rate of farm wages. For a
time there is apparent prosperity. All
the mills and factories are running at
high pressure to secure for each the
largest possible share of the profits
guaranteed by the exclusion OF foreign
competition through the tariff. 1t is
soon found, however, that the over
stimulus Of the tariff has resulted
in overproduction. Prices 60 down.
and the protectionist points to
this fact exultantly as one of
the benefits Of his policy, They
continue to go down, however, until
there is no profit for the manufacturer.
Wages are lowered. Mills stop. Work.
men are thrown out of employ, Men
who have paid for a small lot In the
city what would have bought them q
forty.ncre farm in the country find
themselves without the means OF sub
sistence; and after a brief struggle
with pride, suffering and imminent
starvation compel them to appeal for
help to their more fortunate neighbors
or to public charity. There are hun
dreds Of thousands OF men in the cities
of the land who but for the iniquitous
protection policy would be in the pos
session Of comfortable homes on farms
of their own. They would be poor,
perhapsi but they and their families
would be in no danger OF starvation or
pauperization. Other cases have I'M
q~uestionably contributed to the pres
ent depression; but the protective pol
icy and It's browning abomination, the
Mckinley tariff, have their full share
of responsibility. 1t was inevitable
that they should have. The results
which have followed were predicted
when the measure was pending and
after. it passed. The country was on
vinced before the Mckinley act had
been in force q year that its tendency
was toward disaster. The people rose
against it. Twice at the ballot box
they condemned it, and yet. notwith-
standing this condemnation and the
sad showing that it was merited, there
are those who insist that the doom de-
creed against M%cKinleyism shall not
be carried out-Detroit Free Press.