The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-06-06
The Hon. George l.. WellinptC

The Hon. George l.. Wellington
has the following contribution to
the tariff discussion in a recent
issue of the american Economist;
II would submit this propositions:
'ResOlvett, That an adequate pro-
lection to American industries is
indispensable to the prosperity of
the country and that an abandon.
ment of the policy would be atten-
ded with consequences ruinous to
the best interest of the nation
Never did seer of old utter prophecy
that had greater fulfillment. The
resolution above stated has about it
the ring that one would expect to
find in the Republican platform;
but strange to say, it is the first
plank in the first Democratic ma
tional platform ever adopted in the
United States-that of 1882.
1.-The idea of home industries,
which must be protectel by a tariff
system, gave birth to the American
nation, and in every period of our
national existence IN which we have
adhered to this doctrine we have
had advancement, progress, pros
perlty and contentment. In every
era of our national life in which we
departed from it the reverse was
true.
"The present generation, previ-
Gus to the advent of this Demo
cratic administration, had contin-
uously lived under the beneficient
influence of protective tariff,
which had been q law of the land
since 1861, and Notwithstanding
the disastrous effects of the great
civil war our population had more
than doubled, our wealth became
more than four times as great.
Civilization had covered the CONT
nent, the standard of wages and of
living had been raised under this
system. Yet being well, and hav-
ing been persuaded by theorists
that tariff for revenue only and
reaching out for the markets of the
world made us better, our people
departed from their well established
policy and in 1892 declared for the
British idea of Free Trade. On
the morning after the election
began the change, which continued
day by day, month by month,
gro wing worse as it went on, until
by the threat of this change, which
meant revolution in trade and
manufacturers, there was produced
in this country such want of con-
fdence that business was at stand
still, manufacturers ceased, credit
seemed lost. labor was unemployed,
financial panic was produced, and
one calamity followed another I'M
til within two years, notwithstand-
ing abundant harvests and great
natural wealth, a condition of
starvation confronted a great part
of the labor of the country, and it
is safe to say that in the whole
broad land there was not a single
man who did not lose either in
money or in work. Such a revul-
sion having been produced by the
threat and partial accomplishment
of this change, can we not to-day,
after sixty years have passed, point
to the declaration of the Democratic
party and remind them that truth
is everlasting and that the resolu-
ton of 1882 has been abundantly
verified in the years 1885, '94 and
'95?
GAS an American l believe in the
protection of American interests, IN
establishment of home manufact-
urers, in the industrial enfranchise-
ment of our people by system
which admits of prosperity to all
classes, because it gives higher
standard of wages to the working
class and affords the best market in
the world, at home, to the greatest
interest in our land-the agrlcultu-
raj lnterest-and, as consequence,
an impetus given to business and
transportation, and every branch of
human employment flourishes.
THE bitter experience of the
last two years has taught this les
son. May our people heed it we'll.
&c. L. WELLINGTON, NJ. G.
"Sixth District of Maryland.
Cumberland, Md, May s, 1896"