Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-06-03
DISADVANTAGES OF PROTECTION.


| MeEsnEeyfsm Is Toe slew for 9hs
People.
/ The protective system is subject "a
one peculiar disadvantage. Its benef-
cent effects are cut OF at both ends.
while by maIgn perTerSity of nature
| the damning results of free trade ex-
tend themselves fore and aft, miracu-
lousy antedating their cause and per
sisting long after that cause has dis
appeared
The Mckinley law was passed in Oc-
1 tober, 1890. The next month the peo-
pie rose up and smote IL under mis-
apprehension, as its friends explained.
caused by the fact that ii had not yet had
time 70 produce its intended effects
In 1891 these effects had stiIl failed to
arrive TO sufficient extent TO moI1ify
the popular resentment. and in 1899
the country was SO far from recogniz-
ing their presence that it elected the
celebrated Grover Cleveland, then q
statesman of much eminence as a tariff
smasher. TO clear the protective incum-
brance out of the way.
1t was about this time, according to
the theories of the high tariff school,
that the Mckinley law should have been
getting fairly to work. but the mere
threat of its repeal IN the future in
volved in the election of a hostile presi-
dent and congress, paralyzed its delictae
mechanism. For more than 81 months
after the presidential election the Nc
Kinley law remained in full force, but
its usefulness was gone. The people
continued to pay the mountainous
duties, but their magical power to
compel prosperity had disappeared.
The vague shadow of possible but un-
known low tariff in the distant future
was more potent than the actaGl work
ings of a high tariff in the present
Thus it resulted that, although the Nc
kinley law was in force for nearly four
years, it never once got 4 chance, ac-
cording to its friends, to show what il
could really do. 1t went to its grave, n
mute, inglorious Milton, with all it's
brilliant possibilities buried under the
clods of adverse circumstances.
The Wilson tariff experienced no
such delay in getting under way. 1t be-
gan its deadly work. as the Mckinley
professors of economies have frequently
explained, more than a year before il
was born, and it has continued its bale
full activity ever since.
And now there is to he a new and
more stringently protective tariff. but
it has none of the preliminary effects
that protectionists credited to the Will
son bill when it was still without form
and void. Mr.. Dingley explains that his
tariff cannot be expected to bring good
times before it is passed, or even i'm
mediately after. He thinks that it viii
take about year after its passage TO
get into good running order. And if
by that time we have a series of demo-
cratic victories, the melancholy his
tory of the Mckinley law may be re-
Peated. The advance agent of pros
perity works only by sample, and there
is no assurance that he can deliver his
goods in cloudy weather.
It really seems hardly worth while to
try to build up a protective system in
this country. The vicissitudes of poll
tics are so frequent here that policy
whose usefulness is killed by an adverse
verdict at the polls. and which can
never begin to produce its promised eff
fects until after the people have had
time to blast it at the next election, is a
fabric too delicate to be of any prac-
teal use. We might as well try to raise
palm trees out of doors in Canadian
winter.-N. Y. Journal.