The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-22
THE FAMILIAR WARBLE.

we nave to wonder II life does not
sometimes become a burden to the Re-
publican, who is a protectionist Of
necessity, against his intelligence and
better judgment. when he is compelled
to deny one day the alleged facts and
contradict the painful arguments that
| he proclaimed the day before. 1t is
one of the penalties of protection that
the claims made in it's behalf do not fit
any other economic argument, being
fundamentally opposed to all sound
principles Of political economy as
science. Therefore, the prOtectionist
! has to be content to contradict himself
fatty and publicly whenever he ap-
proaches any other subject than the
tariff.
Thus, an esteemed contemporary of
ours, in discussing the effect Of foreign
war on American prices and American
industries, is dissatisfied with the view
that they act temporarily to our ad-
vantage. Not for it is so mean con-
sideration, or JOY over a benefit
wrought from the misfortunes Of
others. War abroad will make the mar
ket feverish and add, for the time be-
ing, to the prices of products in this
country. But, says our high moralist:
"On the other hand, it should not be
forgotten that high prices, though they
may stimulate the markets and indus
try, are somewhat costly. War would
increase the cost Of living here and
elsewhere, and even if industry and eV-
cry branch Of commerce should be bene-
flied thereby the effects would not only
be temporary, but would be had at no
little cost to every one who has to
pay for what he gets. Taken all in
all, even from the American CONNER
cial standpoint, it is doubtful If the
game is worth the candle" Now, adj
hitting the force of this as applied to
the movement of events over the
worlds field and in the long run, since
no thoughtful man has ever mag
ined that the financial advantages to
US of war elsewhere would be other
than temporary, or would be obtained
without a general sacrifice, consider
what a perfect answer it is to every
argument in behalf of a protective sys-
tenn Out of their own mouths are
they condemned.
This same contemporary, having
| been forced by party eXigencies to
TO
low tariffs, when free to exercise its
Judgment, is now an ardent supporter
of McKinleyism and Dingleyism. It
tells US that the protective system can
work wonders by raising prices, thus
giving employment to labor and build
ing up national prosperity. When it
| drops the subject on which it's mind
is not free to act and takes up the
question of the consequences of war,
it says: High prices, though they may
stimulate the markets and industry
are somewhat COSTLY" It says that
an artificial stimulation of trade might
benefit one individual, but would be
had at no little cost to every one who
has to pay for what he gets" In brief,
it announces the familiar, true and
only rational doctrine, that you cannot
create things by legislation. 1t admits
the doctrine Of conservation of energy
and Of the impossibility of creating a
new force by act of law, that is as
true in the world of economics as in
the world of physics. Nothing is OBJ
tanned without paying its price. High
prices ARE somewhat costly" They
are even more costly when we reach
them by taxation, bribing and bood-
ling than when we reach them by can
non shots and slaughter. So the incon-
testable argument against any gen
eral or lasting benefit to be derived
from the effect Of war upon demand,
supply and prices applies with double
force to the effect of tariffs upon
demand, supply and prices. Our con-
temporary is to be congratulated upon
it's complete and convincing REPUTATION
of it's own argument