The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-11-27

G ~ 10 poHCJ III aCCOru Win the con
mercial spirit of the age, and the prir
ciples embraced i'm it are the only one
which, in their maintenance, promis
the stability of the nation and the flu
4 accomplishment of our national destin,
: Mere theorists and unprogressive poll
. t.cians may rid:cule The commcrcialisr
of the age, but these linger i'm tn
shades of the past, and have not seel
the pillar of cloud by day and the pilla
of fire by night which are bockonin.
: us onward.
No nation ever has, or ever will
reach its destined goal by STANDING
still and adhering to old theories m
suited to changed conditions. Th,
events and policies of the past arc onl,
useful To The extent they unfold others
demanded by and adapted to the ever
changing future.
With an accomplished increase OF
our products and the natural develop.
ment OF our natural resources, an cX.
Pansion of our trade WAS an imperative
necessity. One of the means for this
was the announcement that we would
no longer confine our political and
commercial activities to the American
continent, hut proposed to extend
our territory and sphere of political in.
fiuencc. The acquisition of the
Philippine islands afforded a splendid
opportunity for a practical illustration
OF our new propaganda. 1t was an
expansion of territory in a region of
the world which promised not only
rich rewards in the way Of commerce,
but political consequences of great
moment to the United States.
Another feature of this policy is a
merchant marine and an isthmian ca
nal. Our weakness upon the sea is
the one great danger confronting the
nation. Without merchant ships and
trained seamen our navy lacks an in
dispcnsablc resource IN time of ma
tlonal danger. American products
must be carried abroad in American
ships, manned by American seameu.
Our products should, be at the mercy
of our competitors. If they subsidize
their ships, then we must adopt pro-
tective measures for the encourage
mcnt of ours, or suffer tho sure dis
grace and loss which. comes to any ma
tion when deprived of its marine de-
fense and power. For my part
would rather voluntarily pay a small
tribute to American shipowncrs than
to be at the mercy of foreign busi-
ness rival, and compelled TO pay him
such tribute as he may exact.
Reciprocity treaties constitute an
other feature of this "Twentleth Cen
tury Monroe Doctrine" Reciprocity
is nothing but carrying out of tho con-
stiiutional mandate, "that Congress
shall have power to regulate commerce
with foreign nations" IL was first
done by Andrew Jackson with relation
to discriminating duties upon foreign
ships, and brought into active trade
under Franklin Pierce. The principle
of the regulation under this clause was
to be that of reciprocity-that is, trade
was not 10 be free OH one side and
fettered on the other, that goods were
not to be taken from foreign country
free of duty or at low rate. This was
Democratic doctrine, acted upon by
all tho leaders of the party in tho early
days of the republic. This doctrine OF
reciprocity was carried out in connect
ion with the American system of pro-
tective tariff, which began in 1880.
The second act which stands on tie
statute books bearing the signature of
Washington laid the cornerstone of the
whole system. In the earlier days of
the government, the tariff was not
sectional question. Protection was
first advocated in q bill introduced by
Lowndes, of South Carolina, and sup
rn ial hxt (NalhN,,Y, (yhnxoo
Daniel Webster and other New Eng
land Senators opposing it. Owing TO
the blight of slavery the South devoted
itself to agriculture, and the North to
manufacturing. Hence, one section
received all the benefits, and the other
bore all the burdens of protective
tarlE. This condition is now impossi-
BILE. Manufacturing is developing
more in the South than in the North.
What we need in this country today
is non.partisan patriotism and states
manship more devoted to the building
up of our common country than to
party success. Great national issues,
involving the glory Of our republic and
It's triumphant success, as free con
stitutiOnal government, should not be
dwarfed into sectional and partisan
questions. Let us hold to all that is
best in our past, but ever looking for-
ward and upward to where Columbia's
sun is already dazzling the eyes of the
world by It's glories in war and it's
triumphs in peace, let us stand shoul-
der TO shoulder, good Americans, no
matter what our politics or what our
section.
All signs indicate that our modern
civilization is approaching one of those
momentous crises that occur periodi-
cally in the history of the human race.
The American republic is the pioneer
nation of human freedom, the hope of
the world. 1t is here that The pIob.
lem OF ages must be solved--how to
| give each man his rights and still
maintain organized society. Antago-
nostic elements of fearful force at
work. The miscreant who laid our
President low, aimed not al William
Mckinley. it seems as il all prophecy
pointed TO America as the final battle
between error and truth, and il may
be that we are near the field of Ar.
mageddon, dimly seen by poet ant
painter, where tho brute nature of mar
and his immortal soul join in the grea
Il