Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1902-02-01
ARE WE PATRIOTIC?
FREE-TRADERS WORRIED ABOUT
THIS QUESTION.
They Argue that We Love Our Coun-
try Less Because We Are Prosper
ing So Greatly Under the Influ-
ence of Protective Tariff.

NY ATSss because we Are prosper
ing So Greatly Under the Influ.
ence of Protective Tariff.
This is the caption of the last article
sent out by the Free Trade League
over the signature of Prof. John Ras
com Of Williams College. The two
words, Protection and Patriotism, Ger
tainly go well together and are closely
related. But, says Prof. Bascom
Protection as developed in the United
States, is profoundly opposed to pat.
rfotism." And yet he does not prove it.
or even attempt to. He tells US that II
begets personal strife, but does not tell
| Us wherein personal strife and ambi-
ton become inimical to patriotism
| Continuing, the professor says:
THE little kernel of sound theory
that may in the beginning have lain at
the bottom Of protection was shortly
lost sight Of in greedy struggle be
tween eyer-increasing claimants to re-
tain old and win new advantages"
1t Is encouraging to see an old-time
free trader admitting that there was
ever even a kernel of sound theory in
the principle of protection, though it
has been lost sight Of in the struggle
for advantage. Does the professor
mean to say that the strife to excel is
unpatriotic? Would he have our in
ventors stop thinking, our miners stop
digging, our farmers stop planting,
our mechanics stop fabricating, and so
cease to retain and gain advantage not
only among themselves but over the
peoples Of other countries? Does he
want us to go back to the habits Of the
aborigines and live the lives of saw
ages? He complains because "we Lave
set no limits to individual enterprise
Why should we set limit to ambition,
to attainment and accomplishment?
And then he complains again because
'the policy Of private thrift, which
gained such a foothold in protection,
has spread everywhere"
If the professor is preaching social
ism or anarchy, that is one thing, but
IL he is preaching free trade because
1t would do away with competition and
destroy commercial advantages, that is
another. He concludes his little
''piece' as follows:
patriotism cannot thrive in the at
mosphere we have provided for it. If
we would restore and strengthen love
of country, we must get back to the
prosperity Of the masses of men-the
people and the nation-as the true aim
Of government
Does the professor question our love
Of country? Was he awake during the
Spanish war, when millions were angry
only because they could not fight FOR
the Stars and Stripes? Did he not for
months see Old Glory waving from
every flagstaff, from every building,
and from every house? Who is there,
outside the little band Of American
Cobdenites, that does not think we
could lick any country on earth, or, II
needs be, all Of them put together!
Does not the professor see any other
paper but the Springfield Republican!
AS for "getting back to the prosper
ity of the masses of men"-back where!
Back to 1887, or to 1857, or to 1896?
When have 1.-The masses Of men-the
people and the natiOn"-been so pros
porous as they are to-day?
It seems incredible that a man Of
average enlightenment could put forth
such twaddle as this paper OF Prof
Bascom's. It is not worth noticing ex-
cept to show to what pitiable ends the
Free Trade League is obliged to go to
get matter to send out to the few coun-
try papers that will print its stuff.
Surely the free trade issue in the Uni
ted States is at a low ebb indeed when
it must depend on such argument for
support. Prof. Bascom knows no more
about patriotism than he does about
protection. He knows no more about
the ambitions and national character
istics Of the people Of the United States
than he does about the uncivilized
tribes of darkest Africa; or else, for the
sake of his pet theory, he would do
away with all eXertion and all labor,
of mind or body He should study the
strenuous life of his countrymen, from
the President down to the urchin with
his bundle Of extras" He should
take a trolley ride out of Williamstown
TO Millivlle or Furnace Plains, and look
at the wheels go round. He should take
a progressive daily or weekly paper
and read the current history Of his
country. Or, he might take the Presi-
dents message by installments and
gather a few ideas concerning the
progress and achievements of our in
situations. He should get little Amer
lean flag and count the stripes and then
the stars. He should get a portrait Of
Washington and of Mckinley, and lit
tie by little study the lives Of our other
great men. 1t may be hopeless case,
but it would seem as if even Prof. Bas
com might be injected with a little
American spirit and patriotism.-Amer-
lean Economist.