Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1903-12-01
BENEFITS OF PRorEcTloN.

BENEFITS OF PROTECTION.
| Under the benign influences of pro
lection, prosperity has never failed to
bounteous gifts with impartiality
among the people of the numerous and
| varied avocations, while under, the op-
Grafton Of free trade or tariff for rev
enue only these people. without eX-
| ception, have felt the depression re-
| sulting from the lack OF confidence
and the grinding hand of want and dis
tress. Thus may we briefly summar
| ize the effects OF the two and opposite
principles of tariff that have been adj
vocated in this country since its or
ganization. Under one or the other of
these principles have the affairs of the
| government been conducted and re-
view of their workings will clearly de-
monstrate WHICH has been of the great
er benefit to the people of the United
! States.
Recently the Courier received
! communication from reader, which
| we reproduce in the Peoples Pulpit
under the head of "A Query" asking
for discussion of the protective tariff
| question from the standpoint of the
people whom he claims produce moth
ling of necessity" In considering the
communication two ideas stand out,
upon which the writer appears to base
his argument. They are:
81 There are many people in the
United States engaged in work that
yields none of the things generally
termed necessities and to these people
nrOtaptiDO ic NOT npnpsSarv
80 There appears to be denial to
these people of the right to buy in the
cheapest and sell in the highest mar
ket"
The writer offers the first statement
in the following:
What is best for me, for yourself
and others in the same position as we
are? You produce nothing that is
necessary neither food. or shelter or
clothing, neither do II"
The logic of this statements is at fault
in that it is based on a false premise.
In the intricate fabric of American
commerce. industry and enterprise it
is impossible to say here is where ne
cessity ends and luxury begins. No
fast rule can be laid down whereby
we may say these products, this class
of labor. these industries and this
commercial interest are necessities,
and all others are to be put aside as
Injuries. Looking back through the
years to the foundation of our govern
ment when our chief interest was that
of agriculture we are led to wonder at
our present growth. We see that the
more we have varied our productivity
4 the greater our wealth has become and
the more we have extended our ability
to purchase things we desire BY the
multiplicity of our interests and activ-
tiles have we become a great nation
and accumulated great national
! wealth. In this advance the things
which were on luxuries have now be-
come necessities.
In the light of these facts we can.
not agree with our Bloomfield friend
THAT we are not producing neces-
sity." These marvellous developments
have made the daily paper necessity
that he who runs may read" and
may thereby be the better equipped to
perform the duties of life as they come
TO him. Neither can we agree that
the work OF Mr.. Goodpastor as buy,
er and seller of certain produce is not
a necessity. No greater truth was ev-
err uttered than this. every industri.
, Gus person in the United States is both
a producer and and consumer" Be
he worker in mine, factory OIL
!, upon a farm, such man is producer
of labor. Should he be engaged in
any sort of mercantile business OF
have entered any of the professions
he must produce the ability to proper
ly not, 10 int oe L.;
/ irons.
!, But our friend suggests that to these
who are neither laborers nor farmers
: protection is not necessary 1t is
]. necessary to have buyers and shippers
: OF all kinds of farm produce that they
Y may collect th farm er's surplus. 1t is
7 necessary to have the great lines Of
; railways that these products may be
! transported from their place of collec
2 ton to the great industrial centers fol-
Il distribution. In turn, it is necessary
to have the merchants to distribute
+ the manufactured products among the
l. inhabitants of the rural districts Of
g the country. 1t is, therefore, self-evi
= dent, that whatever benefits the la
t borer or farmer, giving them more fol
L what they produce, will increase the
D aggregate business of the commission
IS man and merchant thereby yieldins
y him greater returns This is wha
s. protection does.
r Mr.. Goodpastor suggests his SECOND
el query in the following:
el THE farmer hunts the cheapes
t. market to buy his goods and the high
e est market 10 sell his produce. Ough
Il We TO have the same right or not?"
II This question is answered before i