The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1894-03-31
a NEW INDUSTRIAL lGA.
h ette~ Conditions Indicated Ivy Improved
Legislative Policy.

II etter Conditions Indicated Ivy Ir,>sr on &
Legislative Policy.
The passage of the Wilson bill hr the
house of representatives Ivy a decisive
majority marks the beginning of n new
industrial era for tho EnitSd States.
For the past thirty years the face OF
the nation has been turned backward
upon all questions affecting economic
and Industrial conditions, and VIC have
been praising, preaching and Prac-
tic;ng middle age customs in tho
treatment of economic and indus
trial problems SO far as they
can be affected by legislation. Had
such Legislative policy prevailed at any
other time than in the latter half OF
the nineteenth century, when new in
ventions have caused tremendous ad-
vances in mechanics and brought
about material improvements by ac-
complishing the division of labor and
the substitution of machinery for tho
work of the hands. it would have re-
tarded and thwarted tho growth of
lectual progress if it had not really and
actually produced retrogression. hut
the impetus which was given to trade
and commerce by the invention of
steam motor power. and the subse-
qucnt production Of mechanical agen-
cies, has carried the ation 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 a Legislative Chinese
wall around the United States. block
ing and impeding commerce and p, e
venting the extension Of American in
huencc in other parts of the world.
Had it been continued America would
stand a hundred years from to-day as
she does now, and repu blican politicians
would still be preaching the policy OF
protection to her ''infant industrics."
With twenty years of untra mneled
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 described the day OF the vote
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 n great epoch in
American history, and that in tho
future it would DC a 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 it's proceed
ings.
In short, the work of congress,
signal;zed by the passage Of the Will
son bill. is the result Of the triumph of
natural law and human progress Me-
Kinleyisn has retarded and thwarted
the operation of this law for period,
but the reuction will be all the moro
powerful and effective and the prog
ress of the nation hencefo:-th will be
the more rapid for the temporary
check which resulted from the pro-
tective policy which. though admins
tered for half Il century more. is
really bat moment Of time III the life
which this great nation is destined to
complete. City Times.