The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1899-05-05
PROTECTION AND PROS
PERlTY.
philadelphia Press)

ume of trade and the INFUSION OF a
new spirit as well as new wealth in
to all the undertakings of the Amer
lean people. 1t ought not to be
forgotten that there has never been
a doubtful day in trade since the
passage of the Dingley Tariff bill.
The nation took on new air from
the day President Mckinley affixed
his signature to the law, and since
confidence has reigned and the
most sanguine expectations have
been realized by the merchant, the
manufacturer, the farmer and the
workingman.
1t would be too much to say that
the passage of rational American
Tariff law has brought about all the
benefits with which the country has
been favored, but the experience OF
the a years previous to its passage
taught clearly that the lack of such
Legislation meant penury and misery
for the nation. We have had besides
the new Tariff great crops, and a
shortage of wheat abroad undoub-
tedly helped, and the spirit which a
return to the old-established course,
so often the accompaniment of pros
perity, aroused among the masses
aided in turning the tide. But it
was not Republican luck. The pros
perity of the American people is
primarily due to laws which in a
measure protect their interests and
give them a chance to buy and sell
their products to their own people
on rather better than even terms
with the world and in foreign COM
petitive markets.
The Dingley law has helped do
nestle trade; it has helped the ex
port trade, as the magnificent totals
which have been printed so often
show; but it has done much more
than that. 1t has restricted imports
and not only saved the nation mil
lions of dollars, but has turned over
to the American producer and man
ufacturer the business which was
formerly done by the foreigners.
The lament of the good citizens of
halt dozen cities of England and
Europe over the loss of American
trade and the steadier hum of ma
chinery in New England and all
manufacturing centers tell the story.
One years business of Bradford,
England, with this country in the
days of the Wilson Tariff made that
community rich. Today those pro-
fits are going to Americans and are
an addition to the wealth of the coun-
try and benefit to the laboringman
of America.
There is a further and an absolu-
tely logical result of looking after
our own interests through the Ding
ley tariff bill. In three years it has
Sd increased our wealth as CONNER
cial nation by reason of an enor-
nous favorable balance of trade as
to make New York the financial cen
ter of the world. For a year and a
half we have been the creditor of
Europe on the current accout and
during most of that time Europe has
has been borrower of money in
New York, and is now. Even amid
the turmoil of speculative excite
ment in February New York loaned
81, 900, 900 at 2 u per cent. to Lon
don. The ultimate and unequivocal
sign of nations wealth is favor
able balance of trade, and since the
Dingley Tariff went into effect we
have sold to the world many hun
dreds of millions of dollars more
than the world has sold
us. In the day of activity and pros
perity the American people must
not forget the starting point which
has male possible the most rapid
progress in wealth that the world
has ever seen.