Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1904-10-20
NO MORE EARTHLY EXCUSE
FORMER REPUBLICAN, SHOWS PROTEC-
TON IS not NEEDED NOW.
Col. As. Bacon Proves by Unanswerable
Arguments That the Protection Policy
las 0uiliyed lis Usefulness.

Colonel Alexander S. Bacon, of New
York, in u recent address before the
Commercial Travellers Club, said in
part:
There are two arguments Ill favor
of the partial monopoly known as a
protective tariff; one military, the other
economic.
We are taught in the science Of
war that the only strong nations are
those homogeneous in population and
diversified il industries. y nation OF
farmers might appear to be strong,
but il the event of war, when block
AIDED, they might be slaughtered for
want Of arms and ammunition, or
frozen il winter for want OF adequate
clothing. y nation of doctors would
physic themselves to DEATH and a ra-
ton Of lawyers would soon expire il
the horrible agOnies of endless Clc-
Quercc. The science OF war teaches,
therefore, that every nation should
foster agriculture and its manufactures
Of steel. explosives and clothing, so
that in the event Of WAL, it may have
within its own boundaries everything
necessary 10 arm, cl0thC and feed its
armies.
On this theory, it is the duty Of
every patriotic people ID endure even
the limit Of taxation that it may be
strong il tie crisis Of war which may
determine the nations life. Patriot
ism would require us TO suffer i'll times
Of peace and thus prepare for the
emergency OF war. Nnllo 1t would
lie much cheaper for q nation to supply
I., re, For
tories. we are not disposed to object
to q tariff that should foster infant
plants 50 long as they are infants and
unable to withstand destructive com
petition from abroad.
The economic argument IL favor Ct
q protective tariff is, that every nation
should foster its infant industries until
they are sufficiently strong to with
stand destructive competition from
abroad. and until domestic competition
shall lower the price to consumers at
home, the theory being that a rich for
cign competitor might occupy the home
market for a few years at 4 loss, until
the home factories were destroyed,
then raise the price and recoup all
former losses in q single year. The
only basis Of this economic argument
is the ultimate benefit to the people at
home by reason OF lower prices through
domestic competition.
Up to and for some years after
1860, there is no Goubt that out indus
tries were not sufficiently diversified
to make us strong il q military sense
or to protect or people against high
prices Of foreign manufacturers in an
economic sense, ard On both grounds
q protective tariff, although very ,X-
pensive to the consumer, might be JUS
titled en- grounds Of patriotism and eX-
pe1iercy.
What are the conditions in 1904?
We have plants that are able not only
10 supply or own wants, but in one
year, working night and day, we could
supply al the armies, both active and
reserve, Of 81 Europe. with firearms
Of the highest precision. We could
feed them by cUltivating our waste
lands and fence corners. We could
furnish them with uniforms and III
derclOttinss without increasing our
plants. AID in the event CT a great
foreign war. like the NarOleonic wars,
we would sell everything to both sides,
and ut the end Of ten years, would
own al their bonds and then say,
Peace, be still; so to work ard pay
Up"