The Globe-republican., 1902-03-06
IN SERIOUS DANGER
ADVOCATES OF PROTECTION SEE
CAUSE FOR ALARM.
The Proposed Tariff Concessions to Cuba
Involve Needless feddiinE with Rates
and Grave Menace to Our Own
Agricultural Interests

as a means of national development is
remarkable We have just emerged
from a period of Hard Times in way
which has justified the strongest con-
victions of the Protectionists Many
a man has in past times hesitated
over the Protection according to iron
and steel If such duties were needed |
for those products at any time, when
could we hope to successfully produce
iron and steel in conn petition with the
world at larger Yet iron and steel,
strongly protected here, have sailed
forth and opened for the markets
g the world. The very things on
which we had the greatest doubts are
the things which have placed our prin-
eip1es beyond dispute by practical IL |
luStratiOn known and read OF all men |
Nevertheless, this is the very mo-
ment when protection is running its |
greatest risk 1t is curious fact, in |
the nature of mankind, that there is no
time when there is such great dan
ger as the time of victory. Aften ten
sion of muscles comes the natural
reaction and men, after victory, like
to concede something to their enemies.
This is all well enough when it re-
lates to the courtesies of individual
intercourse, but it has no application
to business Protection rests upon
principle, it does not. If it does
not, then it is mere bestowal of
bounty, and is no part of the business
of government If it rests upon princi-
pie, then that principle must be that
the American markets belong to the
Americans. You cannot maintain your
system and sacrifice anything to
which it is applicable
Recent events ought to show con-
gress that the people are coming to
understand these things. After such a
victory our system has had, it can
easily be understood that all attacks
| on the system, if made at all, must be
| insidious and disguised. They cannot
| be open, for they would be resisted at
| sight. Hence there should be full dis
| cussion of these new attempts, which
| are now being made in our period of
| victory to turn the victory into de-
| feat.
| The first attack came in the disguise
| of reciprocity. That sounded we'll
| All things sound we'll which are mere
~ on paper Mr. Cleveland could talk
| most convincing1y of the tariff which
| should protect all manufacturers, and
yet be nicely poised that it would
suit all importers here and all manu-
| facturers abroad. So long the SEN
ate was against him and he could do
| nothing, there was no false note in the
| song. But when he got a senate of
his own party, and they all went to
work a real tariff, he found the
product so bad that he could only COW
er his face it passed by
So with reciprocity treaties. Fran
| ed in the mind they exchange only
commodities that one of the countries
produces and the other does not This
seems plain. But no real reciprocity
bill or treaty ever could do any such
thing, or ever really tried to.
Recognizing this fact when they
| were face to face with it the manufac-
| turers and producers of this country
| quite recently, in their meeting in
! Washington, earned the thanks OF
| their country by their courageous ac-
ton. This they did, though many OF
| their friends stayed away another
| method of protest.
Another insidious attack upon pro
| lection as a system has recently beer
l made in the bill repeating more or les:
of the tariff for the benefit of Cuba
It does not in any way appeal to oul
| judgments. 1t is not addressed to oul
intellects. 1t is only addressed to GU
sympathies. We are told that Cub;
has been ma1treated by being set free
! | Can that be so? Not at all Some en-
| terprising Americans have gone there
r purchased land and built a railroad
Are we going to reward repatriation
l We have a right to wish them sue
cess, and we give them our good will
Why should they be benefited at tn
: expense of those who stay at home an
develop our own country? Why shout
a desire to be kind to the absent lea
us to withdraw protection for our ow
tobacco growers and our own bee
= sugar raisers? Why should we, fo
: the sake of good men, even, who hav
d | gone abroad to seek fortune, allo'
" such an attack upon our system
e protection as will be good beginnin
a for a final destruction?
- If you need any proof as to the oh "a
vt | acter of the attack, look at those wh
l. are hocking to the aid of the Cuba
D. | bounty or rebate, whatever it may b
d ! Every journal that has ever advocate
IT | free trade is after us. in a fashio
II | which may be called brutal; all
4 | them are attacking those who sustai
IS | protection, as if it were a crime to Vi
- | hold laws which have made this cou1
I try prosperous beyond our utmo
ar hopes.
a. If even our system should be owe
turned it will be by such attemp
as this and not by battle along Il
whole line. Therefore it behoOyeS L
lg as clUzens "ho oesii l' 70 :