The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1903-11-12

not that it's spines afford protection.
Free traders should study why cattle
have horns and tails-why the play
tul mule has heels, etc. Without the
means of protection neither men nor
animals could long exist on the earth.
Free trade is not q principle IN ma
ture. 1t is simply the ignoring and
denial of principle. The incorpora-
ton of this into human government
would not be an act presumptive OF
sanity or of knowledge. Protection is
g philosophy. 1t is in harmony with
nature. and therefore of divine origin.
Why. the universe would be impOssi-
ble without protection-the laws OF
gravity, etc. AS relic of ignorance
and of barbarism, free trade is worth
attention as curiosity, but no mod
ern people under enlightenment and
with freedom to. shape their institu-
tions will long fool themselves with
free trade. The only free and enllght-
ened people of consequence on earth
the English-are now about to re-
form their government from nominal
free trade to genuine and adequate
protection. With the experience
which we have had in the United
States-of so-called free trade and pro-
tection--fOr any one to think OF build
ing up third or independent politi-
cal party on the basis of tariff for
revenue only"-on multiplication to
American industries-is the height OF
folly. Why, had William ]. Bryan been
q protectionist, he would have been
elected president in 1896, possibly even
in 1900. Mr.. Cleveland has given the
country all the tariff reform-mean-
ing as little of protection as possible
= as 1t needs for a hundred years to
come.
What the country wants Is just
end fair tariff sufficiently high to Sc
cure full employment and good wages
for all it's people. Any tariff that will
not secure this, but gives work and
wages. to foreign countries, in neg
lect of the rights of American work.
ers, will not stand the racket of presi-
Dental campaigns, but Will explode
and bury its advocates in dust. And
SO it ought to eventuate. A political
rarity that goes upon theory is bound
to fail in it's object to acquire con-
tinuous rule. Free trade Is a mere
speculation. Its hypothesis is that it.
| is good, If all nations embrace 1t. AS
this is an impossible condition, the
| theory becomes a mere abstraction in
capable of application to any country.
Golden and his friends knew this,
an. their assurance to the people of
England was that all nations would
follow their example in casting OF
protection. But the progress of hui
nan knowledge did not respect the
Cobdenite theory-there was too much
practice which condemned it. Now
we find that as the hustling nations
were not fooled, the British will have
to return to protection and confirm
the experience of the world that it is
the true principle of successful gov
eminent.
There are issues in plenty for all
who wish to improve American poll
| tics-and Improvement in several di-
rections is greatly needed-but my
judgment after seventy-six years Of
lie Is that it is waste of time to
think about doing away with tariff
protection. First we need the rev.
enue; second, our industries cannot
prosper without the protection; third,
a government unprotective of prosper
| ity is not fit for pack of dogs.
WILLIAM w. BATES.
Denver, Colo.