Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-12-06
SOMETHING FOR NOTHING.

The effect OF protection is to give
man something for nothing The
lure OF such proposal to those in
position to benefit by it is Irresistible
There are few considerations that it
is not strong enough to override.
A protective tariff is another name
for government bounty. Alexander
Hamilton, who weighed the two in
his able mind. preferred the govern
ment bounty as Icing more certain
and direct The bounty idea calls
for money gifts to special favored
classes out of the common treasury.
1t was employed in the Mckinley act
of 1890 for the benefit OF the sugar
interests. Protection reaches the
same end by a different route.
This desire for free gifts is as deep
as human nature. II does not always
pause to scrutinize the sources OF
these gifts. cares little from how
many pockets they may come. Ono"
gratified 1t demands to be always
gratifed. and what starts as a pres
ent becomes a right" Even such
a trifle as the free seeds habit shows
what terrible grip the something
for-nothing yearning has.
Wise charity. even dealing with
persons in want, always tries to make
some actual service from applicants
the condition Of help. History has
showed again and again what a de-
moralizing effect free bounties have
upon personal and social character.
10, hn,
strated again and again in the tariff
bearings before the Ways and Means
Committee. Something is going on
there every day that looks. as Mr..
Charles Francis Adams has said. very
much like the rush Of four-footed
creatures for the trough.
Men appear daily before this COM
mittee and pray the United States
government 10 assist them not to bet
ter the condition Of their workmen.
not to put out a better product at
lower price. but to clutch new divi-
dends for their own pockets q, the
expense OF the many. An active
United States Representative, for
getting his official position. pleads for
bounty in behalf Of a product in which
he Is commercially interested. Anoth-
sr active Representative. this one
from the South. alphabetically asked
whether he would vote for a protec-
tive tariff or . revenue tariff il the
two bills were offered in the Holse.
calmly replied that ne would vote for
the bill that gave duty on long
staple cottor.
More candid than many. this gen
tleman is typical OF all the petition
ers Nine our Of ten of them frank
" have no other Object than to get
more dollars for themselves regard.
less OF economic law OF politics or OF
the common good Their eager gaze
never strays above the till. Genera!
Hancock said that the tariff was a
local Issue. He was wrong The
tariff Is a pocket Issue As al presen'
revealed. Il is wholly une difyins
scramble for plumber.
Where loo. is going on. |: is natural
enough for men 10 want TO share In
II. II the spoils system constantly
attracts new enthusiasts. the system
not the men, is primarily 10 blame
The basis argument Of all the less
ca!lous seekers after aid rests on the
l somewhs; shamefaced claim that II Is
| only right for to share in the
largesse ALREADY enjoyed by Il an
lie. The inevitable result Of the pro
tective system as We are nov admin
isteTins IL is TO blunt public spirit
l duh the moral sense. demoralzs
| character. and pampcr and pad and
cosset all the life ont " our trade
The one sure wav 10 cleanse ourselves
NJ these obnoxious tendencies is "a
tear that system. root and branch
out Of orr boiy po.itic.-Richmane