The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-08-19
WHAT'S IN THE NAME?

lies in complete municipal garbage disposal system
WHAT'S IN THE NAME?
No catch-word in American politics has accom-
plshed such results protection" as token, shib-
boleth tocsn, 1t has rung in the American ear for
more than eighty years. Yet no word is less under
stood, word means less what It says and no word
has undergone such perversion and a variety Of
meaning. ssgesss,s
1t is an old and witty saying, containing much
truth that American politics consists ina raising OF
the tariff. The raising has been accomplished grad
ually and at intervals by force responding to the
call and suggestion of that word, protection.
Protection assumed definite political meaning In
the years of depression following the war Of 1872
The idea Of protection cure for their troubles OBJ
tanned strong hold on the peoples mind. "Protec-
ton originated as popular clamor for the incidental
fostering Of infant industries by the means Of
tariff. 1t meant increase in certain already
listing schedules in behalf Of manufacturing In
dustries which had suffered arrangement and depres
SION 81
The profitable term was seized upon. by the manu-
facturers, who prolongued its usefulness and mean
ing. It was word which the people knew. and n
word the value Of which appreciated by the pol
iticans. Long after the original infant Industries
had become big and lusty the manufacturing interests
begged for more protection" The politicians yielded
because protection was an easy means Of carrying
the people and because it was recognized to be
paying party asset the moneyed interests were
stimulated to- larger donations for campaign pur-
posea The daughters Of the horse leech cried
"Give, give" more unremittngly than have the man
ufacturers to the tarifmaking powers for the last
half century, nor more increasingly than have the pol
iticians cried Donate donate"
Gradually class of interests grew to look with
D,
themselves as privileged" Protection now has no
truthful reference to infant industries. It meant PRIV
ilege to industrial powerA great compact came to
be formed; implied, but as strong as the power Of
money, on the ono hand and the benefits Of careful
legislation, the other could make it; under OF
the deal monopoly sprang forth, the result of the
privileged interests desire to get the biggest returns
for their money Protection still cried to the
people behalf Of the infant industries-while the
trusts dictated the schedules.
Within late years. however, the idea Of infant In
dustries became too manifestfy absurd It was OBJ
vousy too late to urge that the foremost producing
and manufacturing nation Of the world required pro-
lection for tender infant industries nation whose
commercial power assaied and conquered foreign
markets in spite Of all obstacles and defenses "Pro-
lection required other idea to sustain it. and
the Republican party's invention was equal to the
exigency. Prosperity linked with it-protection
was Landed the Indispensable requisite the source
aud guaranty Of prosperity, Whatever force PRO
lection" has to-day lies in that proposition.
The proposition seems to possess less pausibility
than the former phases Of the politicians argument
People readily grant that ustprosperity is derived
from protection The fact y self evident that some
three hundred industrial nonopolies snbsist spe
cally designed schedules But the people not
fusng trustprosperity with the general and genuine
Il