The Western news., 1904-10-26
TRUSTS AND TARIFF.
Homes! Treaties Would Expand Amer.
ican Commerce.

ican Commerce.
Francis f. Woodruff writes to the
Evening Post IN. ~, the following in
teresting letter on ''Protection:"
Sir-The Republicans declaration
that 1--WE insist upon the maintenance
OF the principles of protection" is
Challenge to make the question
whether the principle Of protection is
right or wrong: a campaign issue.
This leaves the clean-cut issue, is
protection in principle right or wrong?
The only argument that mas been ad-
vanced for the former is that we see
1t accompanied by prosperity: and a
similar argument would equally prove
that the sun goes around the earth!
An argument against it is that, simply
because something cannot be made out
of nothing. protective" duties can do
no more than to divert production from
its natural channels; that is. from the
lines of least resistance. and therefore
of least expenditure of effort, and so
of least cost of productions. Converse
ly. such diversion from natural chan
nels must increase cost of production.
and, therefore, other things being
equal lessen profit.
Tariff duty is only one of many fac
tors, but so far as it goes the argu-
ment is confirmed by the fact that
under the Walker so-called free trade
tariff, when our manufactures came
nearest to following the natural chan
nels of production. their ratio Of in
crease, which is largely dependent on
relative profit. was greater than ever
before or since. Under the crOwning
iniquity. so far. Of the Dingley tariff,
while the ratio of increase, and so the
profit to the Nation. is less, corrupt
legislation has diverted the lions share
of the DIMINISHED profits into the pock-
cts of a privileged few-to the
building up of huge individual for
tunes, that by their evil example and
evil use in corruEting our legislators
and voters are endangering our repub-
lie. 1t is true that, thanks to abund-
ant crops. and to other causes with
which protection has nothing to do
except to do harm. there are crumbs of
the resulting prosperity for the rest
OF us: but under the Walker tariff.
while individual fortunes would not
have been so dangerously oyergrOWn,
the people would have had full loaves.
Besides. despite the delaying of the
end by ''Trust" combinations, the arti-
ticial stimulant is manifestly losing
its effect, and should the Republicans
win it is an open secret that to bring
about another boom" it will be neces.
Sary to increase the dose, at our further
expense: as well as to add ship SubSi.
dies, and so on. If, Oh the other hand
the Democrats should win, revision
properly managed as it would be by
the friends of our country lin place OF
friends of the tariff beneticiarics, and
, the Republican corruption fund.-, and
with honest reciprocity treaties, so fal
, from checking prosperity would give il
a healthy impulse 10y throwing Ope1
to MS the field of international trade
in which, just as fast as our neclls are
freed from the milestone of protection
ism, with our natural resources, in
cluding brains, we would lead thu
world. The rich employers would be
come richer. Steel rails, for example
ut 500 would lose the IS we are nov
; robbed of, but th remaining prof
of rs on the added enormous outpu
for the vast increase in the foreign
trade would more than make up th'
Z loss. These employers. also, could oh
!, viously afford to tand so long as a gOot
ratio of our land to our inhabitant
continues would have to give us gOot
wages as now, or better and instead
of the present alternating feasts ant
famines there would be more stead!
employment.
Best of all. perhaps, as the tariff
robbery was lessened its artificially ell
{ hanced cost of living would be reduced
ard lsay) fifty cents would provide
2 what now costs Il dollar. 1t has beer
e the writer's lot TO spend most of hi
, grown life abroa6, and although nov
e some years at home he still feels hu
/. inflated whenever, rs often, he find
that in his own enlightened country
e of which he had been so proud. H.
2 now has to pay for inferior qun!it.
? double what he has been used to pay
p ing in the benighteu word outside
$ Besides the sense Of humiliation. how
D ever. there is also il distinct inclination
v to kick somebody What justice i
e there in robbing us to make other me-
t rich. or to swell the Republican co,
z ruptiOn fund? From their cwn seltiS
e view point the Republicans do well +
n fight tooth and nail ag:. inst change
except to make the duties higher
n Even ten years under a scientific tariff
0 would make my countrymen amazed
G that they could have been so fooled
y After fifty years, our historians woul'
n group the protection craze with tn
Il tulip mania and the South Sea bubble
RATHER pOOR COMpARISON