The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-12-26
DR.. BAsC0M ON PROTECTION.
Pack of Hounds Unleashed by ne.
publican Policy.

DIR. John Bascom, ex-president of the
University of Wisconsin and greatly
beloved by all his old students for his
lofty views and fearlessness in express
ing them, is of course earnestly opposed
to the class favorism embodied in pro.
tective tariff. 1t could not be otherwise
with man of his fundamental fairness.
riting on this subject, he says:
"The fullest, tirmest expression of
national strength is patriotism. AL
other gains include themselves in this
one magnificent product. Free institu.
tons. if developed along their true lines
of growth, especially favor patriotism; if
turned aside from the public welfare,
they are perfectly inimical to it. The
sense of justice, of civic conditions
essentially the same for all under the
public veal, is the foundation of love of
country. Inequality Of opportunities,
the grasping temper of the strong, are
most unfavorable to that good will
which should incite men in pursuing
| tI16lI W6lldTG.
"Protectionism, as developed in the
United States, is profoundly opposed to
patriotism. 1t begets temper forgetful
of the public welfare, exacting in private
claims and full of personal strife. This
is its own inner disposition; and once
established as public policy, it carries
this disposition with it everywhere in
all forms of civic action. The little
kernel OF sound theory that may in the
beginning haye lain at the bottom of
protection was shortly lost sight of in a
greedy struggle between ever.increasing
claimants to retain old and win new
advantages. The common aims for
which legislation is ordained, were more
ana more brushed aside, and every man
busily occupied with his own interests,
was taught to antagonize them to the
interests Of others in public affairs. Our
civic life became game of hurly-burly,
in which each man sought place for
himself. How natural was it that the
steel combine bred and built up on this
pabulum of protection, should, in the
recent strike, make no vindication of
policy, no appeal to the public, show
none.of that decent respect for the
opinions of mankind which our fore
fathers thought fitting, but should rely
simply on the hard fact of force to
maintain and extend the power the
public had conceded to it! The temper
was, Let those workmen whine and pro.
pound and propitiate. We know our
own business and propose to pursue it
in our own way. We will not kick the
less because we haye grown fat at the
public crib. We will not resist COM
bination the less because we are the
largest combination IN the world.
"One Of the surprises in the develop
ment of our national life has been the
spirit of private appropriation as oppos.
ed to the welfare which has taken
possession Of us. We have set no limits
to individual enterprise. If a franchise
could be secured no scruples have stood
in the way. Legislation which aimed
at an equal division of advantages, as
in the restricted sale of public lands,
has been baffled in every variety of
method. Lands which were devoted to
public education became the prey of the
land -grabber. The policy OF private
thrift, which gained such foothold in
protection, has spread everywhere Our
railroads have been left in the hands of
corporations for narrow and personal
uses. Private property has grown up
in our streets and highways, and the
commercial opportunities which have
been the fruit of our common enterprise,
have been converted into personal pos
sessions. The indirect evils OF protec.
ton have far exceeded its direct evils.
A temper has been engendered which
has respected no public claim, and
spared no common privilege.
eff there has been war. we have had
shoddy clothing, embalmei beef, and a
rush of the incompetent into prominent
positions. We have made of Office an.
other kind of spoil. No interest of
peace or Of war has been of too grave
moment to be exploited by those near
est at hand. In protection we unleashed
the eager pack of hounds that now rush
shifting and baying in all directions till
not cat or kitten can escape The
doctrine Of the equality of rights simply
furnishes the distractions to be ,leaped
in this hurdle race.
"This temper has already gone far to
endanger the public safety. Our. chief
misrule is the corruption of our cities,
and their corruption is primarily the
product of the political contributions of
corporations which buy the good will
of political parties in absolute difance
to the public welfare. They remain idle