The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-07-30
George Washington and Protection.


and its title declared it to be "for the
protection and encouragement of
manufactures" Since the passage of
that bill there has teen constant
clash between rival interests, and the
two great political parties have been
I separated in one particular by the diff
ference OF opinion as TO the advantages
OF protection and free trade. Free
trade has the advantage OF being econ
omlcally more correct in theory, if the
whole world is to be the scene of oper-
ations, but as the United States is a
separate and circumscribed autonomy
the question must be determined by
this country solely with view to its
own interests as nation.
The conditions which prevailed in
WashlngtOn's time are not the condi-
tlons of today, and it would not follow
as matter of course that what was
wisest then would be wisest now. The
only way to determine how far policy
OF his time is applicable now is to first
compare the conditions and see how
nearly they parallel. The next is to
take the reasons for taking any step,
and compare them with the results.
We can then defend the application
OF those tried principles to similar con-
dltions of the present time
Alexander Hamilton must be credit
ed with much of the praise due the
| first administration for its efforts to
build up an independent American in
dustrial power, but he had Washing
toms strong Endorsement, and the
president gallantly defended his secre-
tary's plans. Hamilton did not live
to see his plans put into operation,
but the principles he based them upon
and the arguments used by Washing
ton in support OF them have survived
them both. The defense of our COM
merce against foreign discriminat
was proximate cause of the move
| ment which resulted in the constitu-
tion of the United States, and closely
allied to it was. the anxious wish to
develop our industrial sources and our
domestic industry. Henry Cabot
Lodge tells most Interestingly how the
first sporadic attempts to start new in
dustries failed, partly through lack of
capital and experience, but chiefly to
foreign competition, which killed them
almost at their birth.
Contrasted with this view is that of
William Graham Summer, who, in his
life of Andrew Jackson, takes the free
trade view of the subject and. referring
to the tariff of 1928, says that the tax
on rolled iron, which was not then in
troduced into this country, "robbed
the American people of their share in
the advantage of new industrial
achievement. 1t is not possible to
say what the present condition OF the
iron industry would have been had It's
first efforts not been protected by a
high tariff, but it could hardly have
been better than it is today, when Am
erican rails are sold all over the world
and can be put into Japan at a lower
price than the Euro, ,oean product OF
equal quslity. The prize has steadily
decreased, either in spite Of or in con-
sequence of the duty.
It is fair then to refer to the predic-
tions of Washington made in ST. 'ppor
of policy whose purpose-whe. thei
wisely or nOt-was TO promote tn
home manufacture of articles which
could then only be obtained from
foreign countries. Although the first
tariff of 1889 was intended peremptor-
lily only to raise much needed rev.
enue, the protective idea was there In
germ. It had been strongly advocated
by Hamilton in his famous report on
manufactures, and it was supported
by the Pennsylvania members, al
though New England, which depend
ed so much more then than now it's
traffic with foreign countries, was op-
posed to any measure calculated to
lessen its trade
Washington's opinions are entitled
to more consideration because he had
lived all his life under system which
came as near as possible to the ideal
of the modern free trader. The people |
of Virginia depended upon tobacco
growing; they sold their product
abroad, and British merchants sup
piled all their wants and advanced |
them money on their crops. They |
sold in the dearest market and bought |
in the cheapest. As Lodge saws, cheap |
labor, a single staple affording wide
fluctuations of value, and absolute
free trade should have produced an
earthly paradise. AS matter of fact,
Virginia planters had lite ready
money and were deeply in debt.