Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1901-04-12
BAD FOR PROTECTION.


alton for Tarinites.
It begins to look as if the advocates
of protective tariff were to divide
into opposing camps. The infant
Industries" are now full grown, and
are disposed to devour one another.
They were happy family as long as
there was enough of the sshome mar
ket" to go around, and they waxed
fat, if not cherubic, under the PAM
pering. The American people in
dorsed the brand of food and it's
wholesale administration, although
certain unpatriotic, impracticable and
Objectionable people called atten-
ton to the dangers Of letting infants
have their own way. In obedience to
the warning, the brand of food was
changed time or two, but the petted
darlings raised such an outcry that
they not only compelled the foster
parents to yield, but also to grant
them an increase of diet to compen-
safe for the temporary deprivation.
Is it not an ironical outcome that
projections civil war should break
out during the administration of
man who has been looked upon as its
high priest? It was really a great
day for the benefciaries of protection
when Mckinley stepped into power.
His selection was taken as an indorse-
ment of the protection principle and
as a final disposition of the contro-
versy whether individual enterprises
should have the support of the gov
eminent. But if the advocates of pro-
lection would learn nothing from
| maxims at home, they were com
Ill Ill
went abroad. Their first lesson came
when they discovered that alien peo-
| pies would only trade on fair terms,
and in no event would they yield all
the profits. Our manufacturers then
began to understand that it takes two
| to make bargain, and, what was
| more singular, trade could actually
result with benefit to both sides!
But in compliance with a long
formed habit, our tariff beneficiaries
were disposed to hold on to good
thing when they had it, and they
adopted another plan in lieu of deal
| ing with nations on fair terms. They
| would use the tariffs protecting the
home market as so much bounty, and,
with the advantage thus gained, they
| would undersell by a good figure,
| very result is defended by tariff adj
| vocates, and is pointed to as a vim
dication of their policyi If the con-
sumner here, at the very doors of the
| factory, protests that he has to pay
more for his goods than people across
the sea for the same products after
the cost of export has been added,
| he is pronounced unpatriotic and a
| md Of h nd
| beautiful expansion policy.
| Up to the war with Spain the pro-
| lection advocates stood together, but
that conflict brought about change
in conditions. AS it happened; the
soils of our new possessions were
especially adapted to the raising of
| sugar cane and tobacco, two articles
of production which promised to
form two new industries here, to the
glorifcation of the country and the
protection of American labor" The
first shock to the protection theory
was given by the Porto Rican tariff
bill. The sugar trust, the sugar and
tobacco growers, after a fierce con-
test, won their point in the principle
that the bill embodied. Certain "pro-
| tectionists," who voted against the
|
| Rican goods, reconci1ed their action
with their old-tlme principle by well
coming the suggestion that Porto
Rico was not, after all, foreign ter
ritory. Their consistency was there
by preserved. But the colonies and
Cuba may be expected to add further
trouble to the protectionists when
syndicates, attracted to them, shall
| or,f fho mi cd Cfof .of
| The recent edict of Russia added
another disturbing factor to the stu
alton. The managers of the steel
and iron Industries have not recov-
cred from the blow yet, but they
! threaten, in their daze, to go back on
| the principle of lifetime. Shall this
nation. they ask-note their unselfish-
ness always-run the danger of dwaf-
ing its foreign trade just for the sake
Of benefiting few tobacco and sugar
growers and the sugar trust? The
proposition is an outrage! Moreover,
Secretary Gage was not the man they
| took him for if he could not stretch
the provisions of the law for the gen
eral good. But, unfortunately, to
these directors are opposed, not the
innocent and helpless consumer of
the "home market" but sugar and
tobacco trust or two, which have also
had the benefits Of long experience
in looking out for their own inter
ests. Here at last, then, ensues an
instance in which patriots and the
flag are arrayed on both sides of the
controversy. Will they fight it out
The consumer has no objections.
viii they compromise on reduced tar
ifs? Again the consumer will be
ted=Indianapolis News (Ind.