The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-10-30


Gates of this theory point to the great
increase OF manufactures, to the re-
duction of the price of commodities,
to the increase of wages and the trade
with all nations.
They conclude by stating that what
benefited England will benefit us.
The theory of protective tariff is
based On the ground that it may be
advantageous to encourage by legisla-
ton, branch of industry which might
profitably be carried On eventually,
but whose rise is prevented by artifi.
cial or accidental causes. The essen
tial point of the argument lies in the
assumption that the causes which pre-
vent the rise and growth of the IN
dustry and render protection neces-
sary are not natural and permanent
ones
The conditions which justify a pro-
tective tariff are: Abundance of raw
material existing in a country which
is largely agricultural. The manufac-
ture of a certain product is new. the
machinery is unknown, complicated
and expensive, the operation of the
machines is one which requires skill
and experience not attainable ordinar-
lily. The industry of the country has
been fixed by custom and is not easily
changed. Here we have a set of con-
ditions which warrant a protective
tariff for otherwise the resources of
, the country will not be developed and
the industry would not have been
stated until long after it might prof.
tably have been engaged in.
The most notable illustration of the
working of the protective tariff is the
history of our own county. In its
early history the United States was SO
particularly set in it's habit of ex-
changing its agricultural products for
the manufactures Of Europe, that it
was not until twenty years after the
founding Of the republic that manufac-
lures were engaged in extensively.
They arose in response to the demand
raised by the non-intercourse and en-
barge acts which were passe on ac-
count of international complications.
Although these acts also worked hard
ships because they forbade all COM
merce-the effect of the laws on manu-
features gave the New England states
the impetus which they have since
maintained in that line.
With one exception the tariff history
of the United States has in latter years
been under the protective tariff In
some form. The exception is the Cor
man-Wilson bill, which leaned consid-
erably toward free trade although 1t
was not based on any one principle
whatsoever.
Those who advocate protection are
of two opinions on the subject These
are the "standpatters" and the tariff
revisionists.
The standpatters believe that the
tariff should stand as it is without re-
duction, claiming that the tariff which
has benefited the country in the
past will benefit it in the future and
moreover, that it is dangerous to bus
mess tranquility to disturb the tariff
Let well enough alone" they say.
The tariff revisionists believe firmly
| in the principles Of protection. But
| they also believe that the business Of
the country has in most instances
| been developed and with the exception
Of a few industries, reciprocity may be
profitably engaged in with other coun-
tries to secure better markets abroad
and lower prices at home.
In regard to the difference between
the free trade which has made Eng
land prosperous and protection which
has developed the country it should
be remembered that a wide difference
also exists in two countries. England
has practically no resources and Am
erica is rich in raw material 1t would
be, and was, the height of folly for
England to put protective tariff on
raw materials. America on the 9TH
er hand needed only the incentive Of
the protective tariff to be developed.
The colonies of Great Britain, do, in
deed furnish counterpart to the Uni
ted States, and every one of these mas
a protective tariff Any parallel
which is drawn must be with the col
onies and not with the home govern
ment.
| Furthermore any argument which
makes the tariff entirely responsible
for the improvement of industrial con
ditions in England neglects the fac.
tore of unions and education, x,r,es