The Globe-republican., 1902-01-16
DEEPLY SOLHtzITOUs.
FREE TRADES aKoRRYfese ABOUT
AMERICAN PATRIOTISM.
because We Ape PresperIng So Wen
Under Prstecsiea Thes Arsue That
Love OF CoAazry Is Dying Out Among
the People the Emitted States.


/ This is the caption of the last article
sent out by the Free Trade League over
| the signature of Prof John Bascom OF
| Williams College The two words pro
lection and patriotism. certainly go
| well together, and are closely related.
But, says Prof Bascom, protection as
| developed in the United States. is pro-
| foundly opposed to patriotism And
/ yet he does not prove It. even ar
| tempt to- He tells us that 1T begets
| personal strife but does not tell as
wherein personal strife and ambition
| become ininica1 to patriotism Con
| dnufng, the professor says
1.-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 ever-increasing claimants to re-
tain old and win new advantages
1t is encouraging to see an oId-tIme
free trader admitting that there was
ever even a kernel of sound theory in
the principle of protection, though ii
has been lost sight of in the struggle
Tor advantage Does the professor
mean to say that the strife to excel is
tlTapatriotic? 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 advantages
not only among themselves but over
the peoples of other countries? Does
he want us to go back to. the habits of
the aborfgines and live the lives OF
sayages? He complains because I'VE
have set no limits to individual enter
prise" Why should we set limit to
ambition. to attainment and accom-
rlishment? And then he complains
again because 1.-The policy of private
thrift, which gained such footho1d in |
protection. has SnrQad
If the professor is preaching social |
ism or anarchy. that is one thing but |
# he is preaching free trade because it |
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
rsosphere we have provided for it. If
We would restore and strengthen love
or country, we must get back to the
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 an
sry only because they could not fight
Tor the Stars and Stripes? Did he not
,or months see Old Glory waving from
Every flagstaff, from every building
md from every house? Who is there
-Obdenites, that does not think VIC
.ould lick any country on earth or
needs be, all of them put together?
Does not the professor see any other
'aper but the Springfield Republican?
AS for getting back to the prosper
ly of the masses of men'-Dack
where? Back to 1887, or to 1857, TO
1886? When have 1.-The masses of |
people and the nation"-been
o prosperous as they are to-day?
1t seems incredible that man of
verage enlightenment could put forth
UGH twadd1e this paper of Prof.
1t is not worth noticing eX- .
ept to show to what pitiab1e ends the
free Trade League is obliged to go to |
ret matter to send out to the few coun-
ry papers that will print its stuff.
surely the free trade issue in the Unit
ID States is at low ebb indeed when
t must depend on such argument for
import. Prof. Bascom knows no more
bout patriotism than he does about
He knows no more about
he ambitions and national characteris-
les of the people of the United States
han he does about the uncivi1ized
ribes of darkest Africa; or else. for
he sake of his pet theory, he would DO
way with an exertion and all lator,
# mind or body. He should study the |
trenuous life of his cOuntrymen, from
he president down to the urchin with |
lis bundle of extras He should take
progressive daily or weekly paper
md read the current history of his
Or, he might take the presi-
lent's message by insta1lmentS and |
gather a few ideas concerning the prog
-ess and achievements of institu-
ions. He should get little American
lag and count the stripes and then the
tars He should get portrait of Wash
ngton and of Mckinley, and little by
title study the lives of our other great
men It may be hopeless case, but |
t would seem if even Prof. Bascom
night be injected with little Ameri-
AN spirit and patriotism