The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-20
A Ruinous Policy.

Buinous Policy.
The Spanish-American trade delegates
who have been in this country for some
weeks returned to Philadelphia on Satur-
day from a forty-days' tour of the United
States, and the next day held meeting
at which there was a general interchange
Of views and opinions gathered from in
formation and observation. The consen-
sus Of opinion of the gentlemen from Cen
tral and South America seems to have
been that there could be no greatly in
creased trade between the United States
and their countries untl there should be
a considerable change Of policy and con-
ditions in this country. Our goods are
what they want they say, but our prices
are too high. and our laws are Inimical
to an extension of trade relations. We
make a great deal Of noise about reciproc-
ity, but we do not recprocate; we want
all of the advantage. The tariff law which
congress is about 20 pass is regarded as
a measure hostile to Spanish-American
commerce. What is needed, said Delegate
Hitchings Of Brazil is free trade, and
without free trade we can never achieve
the leading position in commerce and
manufacture which our natural advant-
ages entities us to- Instead Of opening the
way for extended trade relations we
grow older and stronger we build wall
Of tariff protection around our territory,
and announce to our neighbors that we
wish to have nothing to do with them.
Now Mexico, on the other hand, pursues
a policy of steadily lowering her tariff
81 CHI dc
stantly increasing her commerce and gen
eral prosperity.
The views of the delegates from the
Southern Americas is full of food for
thought. They have the advantage of be-
ing able to study our public policy from
a distance which. enables them to see
clearly our shortcomings. Their views it
viii be observed, coincide to a great de-
gree with those of the people Of the south
ern states. The people of the south have
been ridiculed by their northern neigh
bors for their persistency in advocating
a tariff for revenue only, and lately we
have seen a few southerners making con-
cessions to the high protection principle.
But as a whole the south is as firmly
intrenched in the tariff for revenue only
principle as ever. Being almost entirely
disinterested spectators of the workings
of protectionism, for the reason that the
south is cut Off from possible participation
under the tariff. the people of this section
of the country are able to take a dispas-
sionate view of the effect of the protec-
ton principle upon the country as a whole.
And what they see fIls them with appre-
hension. They see the congress of the
country perverted to the uses of rich
trusts and monopolies; they see the
masses throttled and robbed for the bene-
fit of few favortes of the republican
bosses; they see syndicates of wealth and
INSCRIPTIONS politicians enthroned in
power, and trampling under foot the
masses of the people who most need the
protecting care of the government. The
tariff bin now pending in congress is a
glaring example of the power of trusts
and monopoles in the peoples congress.
1t perverts the powers of government. and
in operation will deliberately rob the
masses to enrich the classes.
The south has cried out against this sort
of legislation for years. It has pointed
out the inevitable result of such public
poicy-ruin. beggary and bloodshed. The
great Homestead strike and the great
strike of coal miners now going on are
illustrations of what is meant They were
the fruit of republican sophistry and in
iquity. And yet, it is almost wonderful
to relate, the republican party is still able
to fool sensible people! The inevitable re-
suit of the republican policy of concentra-
ton. sectionaism and favoriteism is rev.
olution. 1t is to be hoped that it will be
a peaceable revolution, at the ballot box.
But there must, and WILL be a change.
The source of government is the consent
of the governed. The people of this coun-
try VIII not much longer consent to be
governed for plumber.