Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-02-15
INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS.
Better Conditions Indicated by Improy
Legislative Policy.

Better Conditions Indicated by Improved
Legislative Policy.
The passage of the Wilson bill by the
house of representatives by decisive
majority marks the beginning of u new
industrial era for the United States.
For the past thirty years the face of
the nation has been turned backward
upon all questions affecting economic
and industrial conditions, and we have
been praising, preaching and prac-
tic:ng middle age customs in the
treatment of economic and indus
trial problems so far as they
can be affected by legislation. Had
other time than in the latter half of
the nineteenth century, when new in
ventions have caused tremendous adj
vances in mechanics and brought
about material improvements by &C
complishing the division of labor and
the substitution of machinery for the
work of the hands, it would have re-
tarded and thwarted the growth of
the nation, would have checked intel
lectual progress if it had not really and
actually produced retrogression. But
the impetus which was given to trade
and commerce by the invention of
steam motor power, and the subse-
quent production of mechanical agen-
cies, has carried the nation forward as
it were by force and with its back to
the future.
In short. Speaker Crisp was correct
| in his statement when he declared that
the protective policy which had been
| practiced in the past by the United
| States was similar to that which has
| kept China stationary and isolated for
the past thousands of years We have
| attempted nothing more nor less than
| the building up of Legislative Chinese
wall around the United States. block
ing and impeding commerce and pr E.
| venting the extension of American in.
fiuence in other parts of the world.
Had it been continued America would
stand a hundred years from to-day as
she does now, and republican politicians
would still be preaching the policy OF
protection to her 'infant industries"
With twenty years of untra,nmeled
| commerce, beginning with the passage
of the Wilson bill. America will be the
mistress of the worlds commerce. trade
and industry. Chairman Wilson cor
| rectly QeScrlDeu the Gay OF Tue VOJe
upon the passage of the Wilson bill as
one of the most glorious in our history,
and that the record Of the house of
that day would permanently record no
passing event, but a great epoch in
/ American history, and that in the
future it would be matter of pride to
every man who voted for that bill to
point to the record OF that day and the
part which he played in its proceed
ings.
In short, the work of congress,
| signalized by the passage Of the Will
son bill, is the result of the triumph of
natural law and human progress. Nc
kinleyism has retarded and thwarted
the operation of this law for a period,
| but the reaction will be all the more
| powerful and effective and the prog
ress of the nation henceforth will be
the more rapid for the temporary
check which resulted from the pro-
tective policy which, though admins
tered for half a century or more is
really but moment of time in the life
which this great nation is destined to
| complete kansas City Times.