The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1897-03-27
The Ethics of Protection.

1t is conceded by every one lhaI
it is tho duty OF the Government to
prevent the invasion of the country
by Objectionable person and dis
eases from other countries. We OBJ
ject to such intrusion because it
would be hurtful to us. There is
nothing in common between the pur-
pose of our political and social esta-
blishments and whatever is at war
with their object, Therefore what
ever measures may be required to
protect them against their enemies
the Government is bound to adopt,
because the Government is the ex-
preston OF the will OF the people
collectively. That is to say, the
Government is the power and the
will of the people centralized, and
its authority may be diminished or
increased at the pleasure OF the peo-
pie. The purpose OF the Declaration
Of Independence OF July 4, 1776, was
to enable the people to better pro-
tect themselves against invaders OF
what they conceived to be their ma
tural rights, and Government was
formed that there might be union
OF effort under well-defined regula-
tions.
II it is tho duty Of people to do
wise ways and means to prevent the
invasion OF their homes by men whose
preseuce would be harmful to the
moral sense, and the invasion OF their
homes by diseases that would be
harmful in physical sense, how is
it that some will say that the right
to exclude those things which under
mine the home and destroy the pro-
duct OF labor does not obtain in the
law OF self-preservation, which per-
mits the erection OF barriers against
moral and physical disease2 II the
right obtains in the first instance, it
surely does in the second. All know
what protection against vicious char
acters aud diseases is for but it
appears there are some who cannot
see that there is an intimate relation
between tho consequence attending
intrusion OF hurtful social and ply
sical enemies and those intrusions
despoil the product of labor.
The expanding productiveness Of
the people Of the Orient is reaching
this way. When the sons of China
and Japan began to pour into the
country we thought little OF it. We
now know to our sorrow what mis-
take we made in allowing this inva-
sion in such droves. But we are be-
ing confronted by an invasion of all
our industrial markets by the pro-
duct of the labor OF a people who are
just emerging from primitive ways
but whose cunning is quick to see
the advantage to them which lies in
our improved machinery when CON.
bined with their theory that 5 to &c
cents for day OF twelve hours work
is munifcent compensation Already
China and Japan are counting upon
a market in foreign lands that shall
make them the industrial nations oI
the world, because no nation whose
operatives are not satisfied with q
cup of rice day for food and few
cents day for wages could compete
with them in an open market. Their
let us close our markets.
The people Of the United States
should not lose sight of the ethical
side OF the question of the invasion oI
our country by these antagonistic
trade and social influences. Protec.
tion to our mills and factories and
farms and labor is not all there is ol
protection. If our industries have
to yield to the attacks OF foreign
industrial enterprises and be placed
on party with them we may be sure
that our magnificent free-school sys
tenn, our church facilities and our
social and home life will have to yield
also that we may conform in all
things to a power that we have per
mitted to dominate us. There is nc