The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-03-10
Protection, Fo,. Sugar

- Democratic party in the United States was
an ardent protectionist His stand was that the
ldevei9pment' of home industries was essential to
the preservation of the newly created nation and
he considered that the easiest way to do this was
10y d tariff on imports - is <A .E ;. Es
It was not until the wartime conditions of 1861
that internal taxation and excise taxes were levied
The wholesale imposition of stamp duties was, it
VIII be remembered, one of the reasons why the
Colonies revolted against British rule in 70 And
Iufftilsth civil made greater revenues neces-
lsary there was practically no serious discussion
81 the relative merits of free trade and protection
that issto say the question was not major one
and no President was elected because Of his being
lfos or against either doctrine. sret ~ .}E4'@
The entire nation lookedrat it as business pro-
position. The imposition of tariff duties was held
Ito be the best and easiestsway of raising money,
The protection Of home industry against ruinous
foreign ,competition was more vivid idea three
generations ago because most Of the great mer-
chants were themselves foreign traders. =. They
knew as Il matter Of daily experience, what 'for-
Iegp competition can do to home trade and manu-
features. Foreign trade was in those times an
intimate part of every. mans business 49,
az When stamp duties, excise taxes and internal
revenue taxation were FIRST adopted in the United
States they were looked on as being merely emer-
gency measures. However, after the civil war
reconstruction did not follow preconceived lines
Of least resistance. 49,. n .st.- -s....%.
I'VE have reached our present position through
development Of ideals adapted to the new cond.4
tons, and the old order G things has mott governed
todays or tomorrows' situation Capitalization
Of more power and more responsibility in the gov
ernment has created financial necessities formerly
nndreamed Of. Today, "the government" is cali
ed on to do service in thousand ways every one
of them costing money The government must
have money, that is on the face of it selfevident
and there is the same need to protect HON pro-
ducers now as there was in Thomas Jefferson
day. The arguments stronger since the Euro
pean war has isolated the United States still more
than we ever were before in all our history
Every day sees new demand made on the gov
ernment, which, adopted by congress calls for
more cash in the treasury.
There is no good or patriotic reason why any
one industry should be singled out as the sugar
indu try has been, and put on the defensive be-
cause it is benefited by protection. Protection of
home industries is an Amercanism 1t is the
false political doctrine of providing revenue
needs to be apologized for. Internal taxation is
the means adopted in Europe and in all lands
where special privilege" runs the government, and
mis- is not the first time in the history of human
affats that a hue and-cry has been raised against
TIE side; With justice in its favor, that evil might
be done
4 Nhe people want protection and it is not good
pOiIties to take it away from an industry in the
5an attempt to prove what is at best only theory
of taxation and Of government.