The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1906-12-08
Protection and Prosperity in
Mississippi.

In the course of a notable speech
delivered at Walthall, Miss, on the
10Th of Novem ber-an utterance which
ia its conserv alive, calm and equlta-
Bile exposition OF the race question
presents very marked and refreshing
contrasts to the prejudieed and bitter
mouthings of agitators OF the Varda-
man and Tillman type-Hon. John
Sharp Williams, leader Of the Demo-
cratic minority in the lower house OF
the national congress, made some
statements and admissions with REFER
ence to the effects of the essentially
Republican doctrine OF protection
which merit more than passing notice.
we learn from the press reports that
after discussing briefly the question OF
government ownership of railways
on which, by the way, ne radically
dissents from the views OF that other
distinguished Democrat, Col. VIM. J.
Bryan-Mr. Williams referred to the
present almost unprecedented period
of prosperity, not only in the United
States, but in many other countries,
and s'called attention to the fact that
Mississippi, q state which had TO oe
prosperous, if prosperous at all, in
spite of and not because OF the system
of protectionism, which merely ham
pered it's industrial life, the basic ma
ture of which was cotton production,
by imposing extra expense all along
the line, thus restricting the purchase
power OF cotton after it was raised and
sold, had, Notwithstanding that fact,
made greater progress in the last
fifteen years than the state OF Con-
necticut, wh.cn was hot-housed by the
policy OF prOtectionism ia nearly ali OF
its industries from one end OF the state
to the other. He showed that Missis-
sippi had. 10 the decade Of 1890 to 1900,
made a larger percentage OF increase
in railroad mileage, in new banks,
bank depositors and bank deposits,
in agri :ulture, even outside OF cotton
production, and in the valuation OF
| manufacturing products, than Con-
necticut had. He said: IF the progress
| of the country be due to the protective
tariff, why is it that, even within our
| own borders, under common tariff,
Mississippi has shown 8 larger per-
cen5age of increase than Connecticut:
| OF course, Mississippi would have
progressed still more and Connections
still less but for the policy of protec-
sionism. But why has Mississippi
| and the south generally made larger
percentages of increase in spite of
protectionism than Connecticut and
New England generally have made be-
| cause Of protectionism!
Mr.. Williams then went On to an
swer his own question in his own way,
attributing to the disfranchisement OF
the negro population a large share OF
credit for the wonderful prosperity
and growth Of the south's material in
terests, but it is not our present pur-
pose to follow him into that particular
branch of the discussion. What we
| do wish to do, however, is to empha-
size the confession of this leading adj
vocate of tariff reduction and oblitera-
ton that the policy OF protection,
| againstWhichh he and his free trade COM
patriots inveigh so often and so loudly
in the halls of congress and on the
hastings, is potent factor in promot-
| ing the prosperity of 81 least a por-
| ton of our common country. The in
| ference must be plain that ii the policy
has such effect in New England, it
| may be the means, If properly APP
piled, of producing like results in the
| south or elsewhere.
| Furthermore, we advance the con-
tention and challenge Mr.. Williams
and those who think as he does to
refute it, that Mississippi's great in
| dustrial Advancement and increase OF
material values during recent years
have been due in very large measure
to the direct influence Of the Repub-
lican policy of protection.
| No other Mississippi industry has
shown q measure of growth approxi-
mating that of its lumber trade. To
this is to be credited almost wholly
the single years increase of $40, 000,-
| 600 in the assessed value OF the state s
taxable property cited with pardon
able pride and satisfaction by Mr..
| Williams. The ratio of increase in
cotton lands and other values was in
significant in comparison. The man
ufacture OF lumber is pre-eminently an
industry that owes its profitable ex-
istence and remarkable growth to the
| protective tariff policy advocated and
carried into practical opera alton by
the Republican party. Therefore, we
may with justice and truth reverse the
declaration of Mr.. Williams and
proclaim as a patent fact that Missis-
sippi, no less than Connecticut, has
progressed and prospered because Of
| protectionism, and notSin spite of it.
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