The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-06-13
"REAL PROTECTION"

The Philadelphia Record asked the
| question: rs protection played out?''
and the Public Ledger undertook to an
swer it, the answer being no" The
answer is so ingenious, so apologize for
the grand principle of protection. that
! it is given at length:
Protection is not played out; it is
only the abuse of the SagaciOuS and
provident principle of protection-which
abuse has been made by Representative
Dingley's supporters TO masquerade as
the use of the principle-that is played
ont, or rapidly playing out. That prin-
ciple is that duties upon imported pro-
ducts which come into this country TO
compete with our domestic manufac-
lures shall be so imposed as to discrim-
mate in favor of our own goods to the
extent of offsetting the lesser cost of
producing the foreign competing goods.
The just wise principle of protection is
that duties shall be as high as, and no
higher than is necessary to secure to
American capital and labor, protection
against the cheaply produced alien
goods which compete with native pro-
auctions.
The mistake which is so commonly
made is that of ticketing and labelling
Dingleyism as protection. AS a matter
Of fact, Dingleyism is often as differ
ent from genuine protection as is free
trade.
Dingleyism barbarously imposes op-
pressive. restraining duties upon art,
literature, science; consequently upon
education, enlightenment and refine
ment. 1t even puts tax on religion,
so far as religion is represented by al
tars baptismal fonts and stained glass
windows for churches. Dingleyism
places prohibitory or excessive duties
on some foreign manufactures for the
sole benefit and behoof of capital, labor
not only receiving no advantage from
their imposition, in the form of higher
wages, but it is put al a disadvantage
by being made to pay more dearly for
the necessaries Of life because of the
onerous imposts. Dingleyism imposes
duties on products which are not made
at all in this country for the sole profit
of the few and to the loss and injury of
the many. For instance, Dingleyism
places high duties on Canton mattingS,
the most sanitary, cheap and comfort
able of all floor coverings, especially
during the summer and autumn. This
is done. and frankly declared to be
done, in order to compel the public, par
ticularly the poor wage and salary
earners, to buy the unsanitary, dear
and uncomfortable ingram carpets of
the lowest grades The Dingley duties
on mattings, never made here. do not
increase to the amount Of 1 cent in a
year the ingram carpet weavers'
wages; they do, however, compel them
to buy an undesirable floor covering, at
a higher price, instead Of a desirable,
because d better one, at lower price.
The principle of real protection, which
Dingleyism abuses, misrepresents and
perverts, is wise, good and provident,
and &c not now, and will not be played
out so long as the American people
consider what is best for themselves.
Dingleyism, which provides neither suf
ficient revenue for the government nor
affords protection to labor, while in
many cases coddling capital and beget-
ting predatory trusts, should be played
out md, in respect to the prosperity of
the country it cannot be too soon or too
thoroughly played out. Dingleyism is,
in fact, the most dangerous enemy of
protection.
A fine defense that of protection.
From it we conclude that Dingleyism
is a curse, protection a blessing; and
we should be glad to think the differ
enee between the two pointed out is
a real one, but we cannot. The author
of Dingleyism and all who voted for it,
and the president who made it finally
lawful, are all protectionists, and did
this deed of Dingleyism in the name of
protection. No one can deny this.
Dingleyism is but the logical result of
the blessed doctrine Of protection. Could
this same Dingleyism, with its high
taxes on the necessaries of life; its
coddling of capital; its begetting of
predatory trusts; all of It's sins of omis-
sion and commission, have grown on
any other tree than protection? All
these things are among its finest fruits;
and protection, as well as other things,
is known by its fruits. Cut down the
tree protection and there will be no
fruit Dingleyism.