, 1923-09-12
After 1t Had Won

Oftentimes the opposition to n pending mca-
sure is forgotten or vaguely remembered. We
amuse ourselves, it may be, by reading the old
arguments that the smoke of locomotives would
destroy the wool of sheep, and that the intro
duction of gas would result in wholesale fires.
But few now pay serious attention to any such
protests.
1t is more to the purpose to see how great
achievements in legislation, in science, or in
ethics forced tributes from those who had been
on the hostile side. Let us, just by way of il
lustration, look at a few chapters in the history
of American protection.
Alexander Hamilton stated the general argu-
ment for legislation favorable to home industry
as well as IL has ever been stated, Burr, Hamil-
toms rival at the bar, his opponent in politics,
the man who sent the deadly bullet into his body,
said: The man who puts himself on paper with
Hamilton is lost" When Burr said this, how.
ever, he spoke in general terms, not in partic.
ular of Hamilton's Tariff arguments. But when
we read the case for Protection as presented by
Jefferson, Madison and Monroe; when we read
how Gallatn, despite all his Free-Trade tenden.
cies managed the treasury on Hamilton's lines,
when we reflect that u Democratic House or
dered the reprinting of Hamilton's report on
manufactures we feel that Hamilton had won
the reluctant admiration of his bitterest foes.
Whatever was said in Congress against the
Tariff of 1872 is now of little consequence. 1t
is more to the purpose that SO shrewd a lawyer
so well-informed u Pennsylvanian as James
Buchanan, voted for it. No student of our in.
uSA iotO 10 ilhtlg W lBuOTe Tie ldCL Il1L
in 1S4 Democratic clubs marched through the
factory towns of Pennsylvania with banners on
which they inscribed POLK, Dallas and the Tar.
iff of AZ" In county after county orators ex-
planned that Polk was a better Tariff man than
Henry Clay. Polk wrote n campaign letter
which was used to win votes OF wage-earners.
True, he deceived the Protectionists who had
trusted him. 1t is also true that after the
Democratic defeat of 1S4S two Democrats of no
small calibre ascribed their losses not to Gen.
eral Taylor's popularity, but to the low Tariff
action of the Democratic party. The letters of
James Buchanan and George Bancroft are in.
%structiye reading.
For many years the greatest American Protec-
zionist was Justin S. Morrill,. He was the
main worker on behalf of two of our tariffs and
always ready to defend his economic creed.
After his death, John l.. Morgan, the great Ala.
bama Democrat said that those who, like him.
self, had opposed Morrill's policy must admit
ment of which the whole land was proud. Nor.
gan's words had meat in them.
The Fordney tariff is yet young. But Il was
hardly ON the statute books before agricultural
districts in the South protested against lowering
some of its bars. While it was a mere infant
the New York World sullenly conceded that il
had proved a better revenue raiser than was OK.
pected. In 1920, Hon. James NJ. Cox assured ms
that he had always voted for Protection when
1t was needed. Vice President Marshall owned
tlat his Free Trade theories had been soreIv
Jolted. Next year we shall find Democrats in
plenty to say that they only wish to make n few.
slight changes. If the Tariff proves unexpcct.
eddy popular they will claim that every Demo.
cratic Senator except Mr.. Owen, helped to pass
It, or at least to frame some of its clauses.