The herald., 1898-01-18
Madcap Protection
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that five thousand dollars worth OF such
produce was brought from the east ana
sold to consumers here monthly. This
was claimed to be an evil. The remedy
suggested was a combination OF merchants
consumers and producers In Los Angeles
to protect California dairy producers by
refusing to buy or sell or oon-
sumo such products The five thou
sand dollars would thus be kept
at home 1t was claimed that Ave thou
sand dollars In money was exported 10
pay for eastern dairy products. to the
great disadvantage Of California The
dairy district to be thus protected was
not confined to Los Angeles county, or to
counties trading with It, but extended 10
and included San Luis Obispo, trading
with San Francisco.
This proposed butter protection was to
depend not upon law, but upon oombina-
tion supported by common consent. Com
mon consent Is the foundation Of law. The
American constitution is the law of the
land, and provides for absolute free trade
between states. Consequently, the pro-
posal of the Express to protect California
dairies against the eastern states Is the
proposal of a conspiracy to nullify the con-
stitution, which is the supreme law.
The article in the federal constitution
which provides for free trade between the
states was due to the deplorable condition
fallen because Of endless tariffs, tools and
licenses at every colonial border The
words used In describing the condition by
one of the constitution trainers In advo-
eating this part of our foundation law We're
the oppressed and degraded condition of
commerce." 1t was, in fact, the condition
of commerce more than any other thing
that brought about the adoption of the
constitution of the United States and per-
petuated the union.
The policy of the federal government has
been ever since to maintain interstate free
trade and to minimize natural tariffs, such
as freight tariffs. This has been done by
the construction of wagon roads and ca
nails and the encouragement of state and
private enterprises for such purposes.
Thus 1t subsidized several of the Pacific
roads to reduce the tariff in time and
| money between the Pacifie and Atlantic
states. These subsidies to aid commerce
and intercourse were distinctly based on
| the fact that close commercial relations
were necessary for close and reliable po-
ltical relation These railroads, together
with steamboats, and improved and WON
derfully cheapened freight carriage, have
bound the country together, and have been
benefit to all. Let the Express think of
the danger, time and cost required to cross
from the Atlantic to California fifty years
ago, and compare that with the safety,
quickness and eheapness of such trip
now. Any sensible person must admit
that the reduction of tariffs due to i'm
proved transportation has been an un-
qualified benefit to California. CONNER
cially, no one wants passenger tarins
raised. no one wants freight tariffs to or
from the east raised. 1t is only In the
blindness of half-baked political theory,
egged on by selfish, would-be beneficiaries
that any sane person would advocate neu-
tralizing the benefits of good roads, i'm
proved transportation by sea or land. and
improved and enlarged facilities by credit
and exchange for trade by the imposition
of high and prohibitive political traits.
Humanity has been benefited by improve
ments for commerce and nowhere more
so than in the United States.
This proposed local conspiracy against
| trade and to nullify the federal const titu-
| tion Is the logical outcome of the theoretic
| follies of protection.
! Protection is a theory. 1t has no princi-
pie to stand on. 1t has no principle in it.
| Protection in politics is a misnomer. II
| may be politely called prostitution-the
prostitution of public power to private
ends.
1t is by no possibility for humanity.
1t is not on Christian lines.
1t is against every principle to political
economy.
1t is against natural law. 1t Is impossi-
BILE under protection to give equal justice
to all.
1t is without a moral principle. Pro-
lection pretends to favor unjustly and
unnaturally the poor and pretends to give
wages above what would be natural, fair
and in conformity with returns by law.
What 1t does do Is to give the privileges
and favors of a partial government to the
powerful, to the rich, to the best lobbyist
or the best practical politician. No others
| have ever swayed congress. All protective
| taxes and bounties are fixed lex parte"
| on the demand and showing of the rich
| beneficiary. The beneficiary is never OBJ
| ligatsd to turn over any part of his bounty
or tariff to the wage Garner.
The Express, in advocating protective
combine to protect California butter by
nullifying the federal constitution, is quite
| logical
Protection grows out of self-interest in
| the beneficiary. 1t is excused on the ex
| traordinary theory that public bounties
and favors to a few will result in genera
| gain.
The ultimate ideal of protection is tha
| community should produce all 1t con
sumes. There would then be no trade, free
or handicapped,
Following out the Express plan to imi
| tate South Carolina In an attempt to null
| lify the constitution for the sake of ille-
gally favoring San Luis butter against the
butter of other American counties, we
must admit that, If butter Is worthy of such
favor, in defiance of our fundamental Law
and of fair play. SO is every other industry
| in California. If 1t Is right to conspirt
| against eastern products in one thing sc
| is 1t in other things. If it is beneficial tt
| California to shut out or prohibit the entry
or use of eastern products by combine
| or boycott it must be admitted that II
would be beneficial, and surely would bt
more regular to protect home industry
by law. BY a modification of our consti
| tuition the states could levy and enforce
protective tariffs against each other. Cali
fornia could then legally follow the Ex-
press suggestion and shut out eastern
butter first, and all other eastern products
| afterward.
While Jackson Is not president to stoI
with courageous patriotism any nullifica.
tion of the constitution, we may have an
other Jackson at any time. 1t would
therefore be we'll for constitution nulli
fiers to advance protective theories to To-
cal application while they have protec
tive administration. Protective tariffs be
| tween the states, 1t is true, would inevta.
bly, destroy our union, but If 1t is admit
| ted that the real interests of our differen
| communities would be benefited by trade
restriction or trade prohibition between
| the states, then of course we ought tc
have local tariffs, even though 1t led te
| secession.
The growth of the protection theory
| along strictly logical lines has been ap-
parent in local business for quarter of q
century. Everywhere we see appeals local.
ly made to support home producers, to use