The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-01-15
A SATISFIED
PROTECTIONIST
Nr. +. l.. Witherspoon Com.
ments on Views of Manu-.
facturers' Record
Dear Editor:

Dear Editor:
note a clipping of January III,
printed in the Item from the Mann
facturers' Record headed "Tbe On
preme Issue"
is not clear to me why YOU prip
this piece as favorable to the "AIa eni
iicently financed movement or PRO
lection. the side that the Record talk,
ileasc understand by this. however
'hat | do not question your inteIl.
gence.
The Record gives highly inellectuo,
people credit for the movement onI
editor certainly expresses nv We've
on protection i'm very highly intelli.
gent way.
III the system referred to was adont.
ed' after few years you could hire
negro laborer in this country for
/ 10 cents n day and n highly sLj,lo1
ono FOR not over 81 cents Tcachors
and preachers would get $1,000 nor
month and all of our gold would flow
INTO other countries making our cur
rehcy worthless and would be DESTROY.
Cd. Pennies silver dimes. quarters.
half dollars and dollars would be ade-
puate TO our needs as n medium OF
cSchangc and should Japan after
'weh'y or thirty years have designs
against us the could start late one
evening and have us whipped before
breakfast the next morning. Above
might be little overdrawn.
we have great many people fol-
lowers Of Adam Smith who think
that unrestricted free trade would
tend to the greatest efficiency but free
traae Is only beautiful theory which
ought TO be fully appreciated at this
ume when we know that out Wost
mon with great efficiency could raise
a barre' OF apples where IL was hard
WORK for us to get 10 cents to buy ono.
but what good was this efficiency
when the medium of exchange was
broken down and what does II profit
the West in all their efficiency in rails.
ing corn when the medium Of ex-
change is broken down.
We In the South are the most eff
cient people in the world in making
cotton but what does our efficiency
profit us when tho medium OF ex-
change is broken down? What can
ernciency profit in n community in
time OF war? Protection is highly
beneficial II only used as an expedi-
ent 20 encourage self support. Every
-FOUR hundred square miles Of terri.
tory should be as near self sustain
ing as human possibility can make It,
Monopoly cannot exist in America
except where IT is highly beneficial
to Society or where il requires the
assembling Of thousands of men to
manufacture an article on a highly
efficient and economical basis like the
Ford car, which of course would have
to take in a large territory.
NO, we most assuredly do not wish
Europe to pay us what she owes us
until we get into the same boat they
were in and we do not care If time
OF payment is put off for a thousand
years.
Globe trottcrs from America TO
Europe should be supplied with lot
ters Of credit that would be credited
to the account OF Europe which no
doubt would pay the interest on the
investment. II any private individ-
u.-l American is n creditor of Europe.
inaue so on account OF supplying
goods for the war it should be assum-
ed by our government and paid by us
IL necessary.
I am Protectionist In every sense
OF the word and can answer every arg
umcnt have ever heard against it 10
my entire satisfaction.
1 have some good friends followers
OF Adam Smith who believe in unrc-
stricted free trade. yet they call them
selves republicans, hence it seems TO
me that / ought to have right to
call myself democrat as opposed to
Lincolnism and Republican Hypo-
cracy. yet l am proud to call MYSELF
a Protectionists In every sense Of the
word.
Yours truly.
f.. l., WithcrpSOOO