Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1922-10-11
Frank A. MunSey Fears Radical Trend
Of
Lbn IND Cm Must e Bile dSb C American
People
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| Republic. was the tariff.
Almost at the outset Republic
friction began TO develop be-
tween the North and the South over
this question. The South. with its
abundant crops OF cotton. corn and
tobacco, and with no manufacturing
stood out for free trade. II could
live and prosper on the products OF
its soil. 1t had no infant industries
TO protect. and. as the South rea-
soned, why should II be taxed
| through the mechanism OF a tariff 10
protect the infant industries OF the
North?
The North. on the other hand.
without the sunshine and the fertile
soil OF the South. could not live on
the products OF its own hard. rocky
acres. with the North il was a ques-
ton Of Industrial development or no
development al all. Its small fac
tories could not compete with the
/ established factories OF England
a tariff that would level up the costs
OF production abroad with the costs
OF production at home.
And so the issue was clearly and
Sharply MAhMM between the TWO sec
tons. with their wholly different
Interests. As time went on. the feel
ing over this issue became so tense
that John G. Calhoun and Robert
Hayne. Senators from South Caro-
Ina. came out vigorously for the
separation OF the South from the
Union.
This action created a storm that
shook the young Republic TO its
very depths. A long and bitter fight
| followed. but under the leadership
OF Daniel Webster. Senator from
Massachusetts. the battle was won
for the maintenance OF the Union.
! The tariff sore. however. remained
unhealed.
And the contention OF Hayne and
Calhoun that the States had a right
10 secede from the Union still grip
ped the people OF the South. and had
some following in the North. The
Democratic party was the instru-
ment OF the Southern idea; the old
Wing party. the predecessor OF the
present Republican party. was the
instrument OF the Northern idea.
Later came the slavery question.
which stirred the South TO the point
OF putting the Hayne-Calhoun con-
tention to the test That question,
the right OF secession, was settled by
the civil war-that question and the
slavery question.
With these two issues passed on to
history. only free trade. the original
issue. survived the war as the big
dividing issue between the two par
ties. And now that question has
been settled. in point OF fact
through the South itself becoming
one OF the greatest Industrial camps
destined 10 become bigger than the
North, vastly bigger. for the reason
that IL has the raw materials az It's
door has lower living costs and Is
nearer 10 the centers Of conmmp-
ton.
In this situation the tariff has no
place in our politics. II Is wholly
business question. and should be so
treated. Standing out. however. as
the original issue between the two
parties. IL is still the fighting ground
between them and 20 the shame Of
the American people. who permit
these two old parties 10 keep this
great economic question under the
sordid heel Of politics.
For a considerable time after the
civil war one other OF the prewar
issues between the two parties con-
tinued as a stalking horse. That was
State rights. Considered literally. and
in its original meaning it was a dead
issue; but IL gradually came TO mean
the relative balancing OF the powers
OF the States with the national Gov
eminent.
That issue no longer functions.
for in the eight years OF the recent
Democratic Administration the ma
uonal Government took on greater
powers in relation to the States than
il had ever done in all our history.
America is in transition stage to-
day. The whole world IS In a tran
sition stage today. America has cut |
loose from the conservatism Of our |
fathers and penetrated deep into the |
wilderness Of radicalism. This is
true in our politics, in our states
manship. in our social life. in our |
point of view in all things.
The change from a century ago |