New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-28
THE WAYS OF THE BOURBONS.

Presumably there will never be end of the
Democratic predispositOn to favor foreign
rather than American industries. To the aver
age Democrat. even 10 Senator Jones, Of Ar
kansas. who perhaps, knows about as much as
Senator Mills. of Texas, regarding American
industries. il seems always a good thing TO sl,-
gest that Americans should purchase in foreign
markets rather than at home. il they can save
a cent by the operation. The country might
run along after that fashion for century. as II
did for many years under Democratic rule,
without stimulating its own industry TO the
least endeavOr to overcome foreign competition,
and at the end the country would he as de-
pendent as Arkansas and Texas are upon out
side enterprise and capital
That is not the idea which controls the large
majority of American voters. 1t may be suS-
gcsed 10 Senator Jones that the policy of en-
couraging foreign instead of American indus
tries. did not prevail. as he prophesied il would,
AT the last Presidential election. 1t is strictly
fair 10 say that Mr.. Jones and his friends rep
resent the discarded back number in National
policy and have no more right TO pretend that
they speak for the people than had the ridicu-
lous army of CoXey. Any insignificant caDal'
however small and pOwerless. can pretend 10
speak for the people, and Senator Jones. OF Ar
kansas. and senator Mills. of Texas. have IN"
true backwoods faculty of ignoring all public
opinion except that of their own surroundings
If these gentlemen could be persuaded TO
open their minds to nineteenth century ldea
they would discover that their notions or inter-
national trade have been tried and abandoned
by almost every civilized nation except Great
Britain and by the colonies Of Great Britain.
These fatuous worshippers of British theories
represent half century ago, and not the brill
liant closing of the nineteenth century. Ihey
belong TO the era fast fading from the MIND.
when men imagined that the only way to in
duce other countries To buy American products
was to break down American industries, and
to purchase from foreigners AT their own prices
The experience of this country for more than
thirty years past has shown that the people
cannot buy largely from other countries. or
from producers of their own country, who have
not ample defence for their industry. securing
TO them sufficient employment and wages 10
support liberal expenditures.
II is not with any intent to be ill-natured
that the Senators from Arkansas and Texas
are invited 10 consider whether their constitu-
ents purchase and consume as literally as the
Deople of some other States. Probably they are
by this time somewhat familiar with the STA
tlstical comparison The people of Texas and
Arkansas purchase per head very much less
than the peoIse of New-York or Massachusetts
or Ohio and it is not because energy or enter
prise or thrift is lacking in the Southwest. Dui
in great measure because there has never been
established in that region the diversity of in
dustries which enables the farmer TO get the
largest return for his labor. Messrs. Jones and
Mills are perpetually fighting against that di-
vcrsfcaton of industry. and against the Ma
tional policy which Systematically favorS il,
and which has made many other States pros
porous. The time is coming when consttl-
ents in Texas and Arkansas viii pitch over
board such Democratic statesmen and their
ideas. not in bad temper not without apprecia-
ton Of such ability they possess, but because
they have not the slightest conception how +"
develop 4 thrifty vigorous and progressive civili-
cation in their own States or anywhere else.