Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1904-10-25
NO MORE EARTHLY EXCUSE
FORMER REPUBLICAN SHOWS PROTEe-
TON Is NOT NEEDED NOW.
Col A. S. Bacon Proves by Unanswerable
Arguments That the Protection Policy
Has 0ntIiyed Its Usefulness.

Colonel Alexander s. Bacon, of New
York, in a recent address before the
Commercial Travellers Club, said in
part:
There are two arguments in favor
of the partial monopoly known as
protective tariff; one military, the other
economic.
I'VE are taught in the science Of
war that the only strong nations are
those homogeneous in population and
diversified in industries. A nation Of
farmers might appear to be strong,
but in the event of war, when block
AIDED, they might be slaughtered for
want of arms and ammunition, or
frozen in winter for want of adequate
clothing. A nation of doctors would
physic themselves to death, and a ma
ton of lawyers would soon expire in
the horrible agonies Of endless elo-
quence. 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 war, it may have
within its own boundaries everything
necessary to arm, clothe and feed its
armies.
"On this theory, it is the duty of
every patriotic people to endure even
the limit of taxation that it may be
strong in the crisis of war which may
determine the nations life. Patriot
ism would require us to suffer in times
of peace and thus prepare for the
emergency of war. While it would
tie much cheaper for nation to supply
its own military needs in its own fac
tories, we are not disposed to object
to a tariff that should foster infant
plants SO long as they are infants and
unable to withstand destructive COM
petition from abroad.
1.-THE economic argument in favor Of
a 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 rich for
eign competitor might occupy the home
market for few years at loss, Until
the home factories were destroyed,
then raise the price and recoup all
former losses in a 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 doubt that out indus
tries were not sufficiently diversified
to make us strong in military sense
or to protect our people against high
prices of foreign manufacturers in an
economic sense, and on both grounds
a protective tariff, although very *
pensive to the consumer, might be JUS
titled on grounds Of patriotism and ex-
pediency.
What are the conditions in 1904?
We have plants that are able not only
to supply our own wants, but in one
year, working night and day, we could
supply all the armies, both active and
reserve, Of all 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 I'M
derclothing without increasing our
plants, and in the event of a great
foreign war, like the Napoleonic wars,
we would sell verything to both sides,
and at the end of ten years, would
own all their bonds and thea sa~,
Peace, be STILL go to work and pay
up"