The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1914-08-21
PROTECTION
AND THE War
Policy Has Made Us indie
pendent.
History Has Proven That a Pro-
tective Tariff Placed This
Country Where 1t Is.

Washington. August i3.-It is for
tunate that the policy of a Protective
Tariff endured long enough in the
United States to insure the establish
ment Of many strong industries.
since otherwise, in the present Eu-
ropean crisis, this country would be
wholly unequipped to meet the train
on its resources. The present condi-
lions afford a striking illustration of
the importance OF the Protective Tar
iff policy for the United States. In
recent years IL has been a policy for
the Protection of the American la
borer and the maintenance Of a high
wage standard as against the low
wage standard OF Europe. One of the
important principles of this policy
is that the United States should be
industrially and commercially indie
pendent of Europe
The principle Of Protection was
forcibly brought home to the Amer
lean people during the Napoleonic
wars. when American statesmen
showed clearly that the American
public should not be placed at the
mercy Of Europe. The great argu-
ment for Protection at that time was
TO have industries firmly established
in the United States. so that no Eu-
ropean war could deprive us of manu-
featured articles. The present crisis
points to the same conclusion. II
shows that it is absolutely neces-
sary for the United States to be made
industrially independent of foreign
countries and to be brought to the
point where il can produce for itself
everything needed by its own people.
A general war extending through
out Europe would deprive us of
many articles, such as chemicals us
ed for Agricultural and manufactur-
ing products, and would likewise
deprive us Of many manufactured ar
ticles. such as textiles. metals, ETC., II
We di not have these industries estab-
lished at home. Fortunately, the IN
derwood Free-Trade Tariff has not
been operating long enough to ex-
tinguish any Of the important in
dustries of the United States.
II has always been Free-Trade
argument that IL the United States
could not produce any article econ
omically we should depend upon the
country or countries which can pro-
duce 1t economically. This theory has
been put into operation In the case
OF wool and sugar. and although
these industries have ben seriously
injured. the country Is still In a po-
sition where II can supply everything
required by the American people. no
matter what happens elsewhere in
the civilized world. And 1t is to Pro-
lection that this country owes its
industrial independence.
Leaving the question of financing |
the resumption of mill and factory
activity attendant upon the war. the
grave question which has impressed
itself upon Congress is to devise
methods of shipping American goods.
Foreign countries have made it prof
liable for their people to ship in YES
sells not American. II must now be
made profitable to ship in American
vessels, and to get the vessels for
the shippers. The first Congress, in
1889. did much to encourage Amer
lean shipping.
In 1888 there was carried in Am
erican ships 23.6 per cent of our i'm
ports and exports. By 1875, largely
under the influence of a provision of
law imposing an additional Tariff
duty OF 10 per cent upon imports
carried in other than American ships,
our own vessels carried 90 per cent
9f our imports and exports. and our
Imports and exports. had in that
lime very largely increased. This
Increase kept up until 1907. when
We we're carrying 90 per cent of our
imports and exports. Then our trade
vas preyed upon by other nations.
Dur sesmen were impressed by
Great Britain.
The war Of 1912 followed, and by {
lsi% our forign commerce had
'essels were carrying only,64.5 per I
vhat II had been tn, 1907. and our q