, 1921-05-04
THE POLICY OF ExcLusTvENEss

BLACK is the destiny of this nation II it is ever to
count its profits from the exploitation of the labor
ing classes" This is the view taken of the subject
by the Manufacturers Record. "Well may we pray
to be delivered from such conditions as Inundated
England in the days before the war, when free trade
and open competition, despite such protection as was
given by control of ocean rates, had ruined her agri-
culture and driven her labor down to the point where
skilled workrnen hardly made enough to pay house
rent or to have meat to eat more than once a week.
The heart blood and the sweat Of America must never
be auctioned in foreign marts, on the plea that so
only can We get foreign trade. That kind Of trade
We do not want. There is no profit in it, only tears.
We have seen what it means in the south, where the
low wage scale in the cotton fields has meant the ex-
~ploitation Of the negro, his merciless exploitation, be-
cause the white man just over him was also merci-
lessly exploited. We can judge from the so-called
profits which have come from cotton through half q
are driven down to a hopelessly low level by competi-
ton. It doe. not require genius to sell goods at pow
erty prices. 1t Is genius to produce under 4 fair wage
scale and then sell at q profit.
eve believe in foreign trade as a stabilizer and be-
cause 1t is generally desirable, but only under condi-
tions that will not be disastrous to American stand
our labor to the status Of labor abroad, then it is far
better to have no foreign trade. We doubt il the
dilemma exists, except in special forms.
"The internationalists maintain that our prosperity
depends on dealings with those abroad. The area for
operation Of economic laws in the United States Is
sufficiently large for all purposes. Were there forty
eight separate and distinct sovereigntes where nov
there is the one, the great part of what we now call
domestic trade would be foreign trade, and few would
u u say IL II WdS y u loreiku udOc o L su1Il-
cient proportions, geographically and otherwise. But
il what the internationalists aver is true, there will be
no real prosperity for the people of this earth until
they are able to exchange goods with the inhabitants
of Mars or some other planet. The climatic condi-
tons are such within the United States that there is
ample opportunity for exchange of services and goods
within the nation itself. 1t is incontrovertible, for in
stance, that if all other continents should sink below
thc sea, prosperity within the Western hemisphere
would still be possible.
Importation of goods or materials which can eco
nomically be produced within our own borders is an
economic crime. 1t means unnecessary carriage and
1t means, also a failure on our part to exploit our own
opportunities. We ought to buy only the things
which we cannot ourselves produce, whether other ma
tons owe us money or not. That is the doctrine which
is preached to the individual farmer-raise all the
things you eat or your animals eat. 1t is good doc
trine. Yet, when the confines are extended, so-called
statesmen assert that production for our own wants is
not desirable if, perchance, We can buy somewhere else
and thus avoid production on our own account.
There is about to be witnessed in this country a
concrete proof of what a tariff will do in the way of
promoting prosperity. The change in policy is to be
made at a period of extreme depression when many
doubt if there is any method by which rehabilitation
of industry can be brought about. 1t is a severe test,
but we have no doubt whatever as to the outcome. The
mere assurance that the American market is to be-
long to Americans, in its broad aspects, will begin to
influence business even before the permanent tariff
act is passed. Thereafter the hum of factory wheels
will again be heard in the land, and the farmer will
sing at his pillow. Men will see with their own eyes
how much truth there is in the assertion that Amer
lea cannot be prosperous unless cheap German goods
deluge our market and unless we sell our raw prod
ucts to the Germans at ruinously low prices"