The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-26
JOY Among The ProtectIonist-.


raised by such a bill. but also because he
favors protectionism for Louisiana indus
Z tries causes rejoicing among the protec-
tionists.
In the course OF the interview in which
he made the announcement, Judge Nc
Emery said: Il believe a United States
/ senator should be for or against a meas
ure on the high grounds of its expediency
or its benefit to the country. We realize
in Louisiana the necessity for legislation
that will build up and not destroy the in
dustries by which we live. There is no
use Disgusting the fact. Louisiana favors
legislative protection for its industries,
and I will support a measure that will
! give Louisiana her share"
The inference from the foregoing is that
] the republicans can count on Judge Nc
Emery for any tariff bill which they may
undertake to pass. When he was elected
senator it was the general understanding
that he favored tariff for revenue only
If at that time he was a protectionist he
was careful not to give the fact wide
circulation.
1t is well understood of course. that a
purely protection bill would not contrib
ute anything to the revenue. The pur-
| pose of a protective tariff is to shut out
imports which come into competition with
our own products, and when imports are
cut down, there must, of a necessity, be
falling off in the amount of the revenue
There are some articles, however, which,
under a protective tariff. are good reve-
nue. producers. One of them is sugar.
tariff on sugar would be a revenue tariff
and it would at the same time benefit the
sugar growers. because it would bring
about an increase in the price of sugar
consumed in this country.
1t is not improbable that Judge Mem
cry had the sugar producing industry in
mind when he announced that he was in
favor ofprotection. II is by no means GER
tain. however, that the republican party
would consent to put a tariff tax on sugar
That party took the tariff off sugar and
instituted the bounty system, which was
abandoned when the Wilson tariff was
adopted
The fact that Judge McEnery has be-
come convert to the protective system
leads republican newspapers to say that
it will not be many years before the south
will be as eager for protective tariff as
any other section of the country. They
seem to think that Judge McEnerys dec
laration means a break in the ranks Of
the low tariff democrats of the south. and
that il. will be possible to get the votes of
several southern senators for the tariff
bin which the republicans are now pre-
pairing.
1t is evident that about every interest
that can find an excuse for protection is
going to ask for it in the new tariff bill
The ways and means committee, instead
of having a light task. will have a very
hard one. Unless it comedies about all
that is asked it will take a very long time
to complete tariff bill. It is possible to
make an argument in behalf of protection
for nearly every industry in the country.
For instance, the lumber interests have
decided to ask for a duty of 50 a thousand
feet on lumber. It is claimed that because
| of the tariff on steel rails sawmill ma
chinery. betting and various other things
used in the manufacture of lumber, the
cost of producing lumber is so great that
| successful competition with the lumber in
terests of Canada is practically impossl-
BILE.
What will be the result when we have
all our products, except those of the
farmer, protected? Will it not be high
| prices for all manufactured products and
low prices for all farm products? 1t looks
so. The manufacturers, in order to pre-
vent competition and get all they can out
of the home market will have to form
trusts. which will rob the people to as
great an extent as they can. But the
farmer, however stoutly he may protest,
will be forced into poverty He will be
unable to make both ends meet, even If he
lives on one meal a day, if he has to pay
trust prices for his supplies and sell his
products in the markets of the world.
There can be no legislation that will make
a home market for him that is greatly SUI
perior to the foreign market
We do not see any permanent prosper
ity in protective tariff. Under the pres
ent tariff we have sent to foreign markets
annually many millions of dollars worth
more of manufactured goods than at any
previous time u our history. 1t rs by man
ufacturing our raw material for the mar
kets Of the world that our prosperity is to
come, not by combining our manufactured
products 10 the home market.
We do not see. therefore. that the an
nouncement of a southern senator, that he
has become a protectionist, Is a cause for
rejoicing.
The Boston Post IS impelled TO declare
in behalftof the truth Of history. 276 years
after the event occurred. that the Pill
grims did not land ION a stern and rocK-
bound coast" as alleged by Mrs. Hemans
I a.. - 60.