The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-09-16
Politics and Economics.

Politics and Economies.
who lived from 1901 to 1850, used to say
that although the position Of our leading
trades and Industries is the result Of legis-
lation and the social system in which we
live we bow down before the powers
which regulate our veal and woe as If
they are the natural laws, bringing sum.
shine and warmth in due season, frDss
and cold when the appointed time comes
round. I'VE accept these things" said
he. .like the weather. II 1t suits us we
arc pleased; If 1t runs counter to our
plans and pleasures we exercise our priv
lege Of grumbling. We naturally make no
effort to overcome what we regard as
Inevitable. Now, in actual life usages
II institutions, laws, do not produce one
result alone, but a series Of results. jOf
these results the first only Is immediate
Z It appears simultaneously with its cause
tits seen. The sequel unfods itself grad
ually At the moment the whole results
are not seen. Happy are those who fore
ference between a sound and ,Inso'lHd
economist One is satisfied with what he
sees. The other takes account both Of
n what is seen and what should be fore
seen" Somebody else mas vol said IN
the same connection. that the people re-
gard results rather than process. II the
4 result seems to be good they do not stop
to inquire by what process it was OBJ
famed Not to speak dIsrespectfully, "the
hog never looks up to him who threshes
down the acorns. q
The Republicans understand this char
acteristic of human nature and they are
\ in this campaign harping upon results and
trying to blind the voters to the process
by which the results are obtained. They
declare that the country Is prosperous;
that the government is doing we'll: that
all the conditions are good. and, that
therefore there should be no change in the
administrator OF public affairs. They
declare that our protective system is fine
and ought to be Established" because,
they allege, 1t is through this system
that the manufacturing interests are pro-
tected and that all classes are dependent
upon the prosperity of our protected
industries.
They declare that the actual needs of
the governmentid re Increasing all the
time; that we'.mGst have enormous sums
OF money to carry or our affairs: that
we should raise this money from taxes
on foreign imports. and that 1t is a good
thing for the government to collect and
disburse large sums Of money, because
1t helps trade.
They point with pride" to our new
possessions, and give figures showing
how our trade with these possessions Is
increasing. and try to mako the people
believe that expansion is a natural bless
ms.
1t will be observed that In each and
every case cited stress IS laid upon the
result, and nothing Is said about the pro-
cess. But if the people have an eye TO
their true interests they will, as Bastiat
said, be not content with what they see,
but will take into accoun, both what
they see and what should be foreseen.
1t will not do to say that the tariff is
necessarily a good policy of government
because the results appear to be beneficial
to trade. The protective tariff violates
+ one Of the fundamental principles of
republican government. Ii is a tax for a
purpose others than OF raising revenue.
It Is a tax for the benefit Of the few at
The expense Of the many. We cannot
afford to do evil that good may come,
oven should 1t be granted. ard we dc
not grant 1t, that tariff helps the gen
eral business of the United States Nc
matter what the result, We cannot afford
s 10 violate a moral principle of govern.
Il ment for the sake of expediency 1t ma.
be mentioned, by the way. that Bastiai
was an opponent of the protective sys-
tenn and Of socialism.
1t has never been the policy of thi.
guire colonial possessions and rule cpcl
them as the powers of Europe do. On,
government Is based upon an cntireI,
different principle. We do not have Sub
jects" under our Constitution. Ever,
citizen is sovereign. II is true tina
we have territorial possessions. but oni,
as embryo States. Each territory hal
been admitted 10 statehood as soon as sh
has qualified herself We should have ~
foreign territory. no matter what the ma
terial benefit, which may not by and b
he admitted into fall fellowship. Let u
In this case. as in all others, regard IN
process as well as the result. and