Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 December 1886 — The Tariff and Commerce. [ARTICLE]

The Tariff and Commerce.

Tnere is a set of protectionists in this country who pretend to think, and possibly do think, that a high protective tariff' and a large trade with foreign nations can coexist; and they are clamorous for both. Even our Congressman, in his great subsidy speech, uses this language: “Other countries, with the products of which ours come in contact and competition, have aided by subsidies their commercial appliances, so far that if individual enterprise is left to cope unaided with these they must be driven out in the unfair contest.” This is but another form of saying that if we would but subsidize our merchant marine, so it could carry goods and products ns cheaply as others, we could successfully compete with the products of others in the world s markets. There is a vast deal of mooushine about the position of Mr. Price. If he is right, our manufacturers do not need the protective tariff at all; all that is required is that our “commercial applipliances” be subsidized. The argument is that our people can produce just as cheaply as any people, and can compete with them anywhere, if they can only get cheap oceau transportation. Eliminate the 1 actor of protection from our commercial policy, which largely increases the cost of production here, by means of heavy duties on the raw materials, and place in its stead a good liberal tree-trade policy, and no doubt our nation conld successfully compete with any nation in the world’s markets. But handicap ped with the tariff, such competition becomes extremely difficult, if not impossible. If our people cannot compete with the cheap productions of other countries in our own markets, how do we expect to do 60 in external markets, even if oceau transportation is free? But the fact is that a good foreign trade and a protective tariff cannot exist at the same time. If we will not trade with external nations our merchant vessels must float iu our harbor’s idle. Why is this? Simply this: The purchasing power qf a nation consists almost wholly of its productions. If we shut our markets against foreign merchandise and competition, other nations cannot tiade with us, if they are ever so much inclined to. They must be able to sell to us their productions or they cannot purchase our productions. These principles are so simple and elementary that they need not be here elaborated. All liberal men accept them ns self-evident or first truths. So when we restrict or prohibit the importations of the productions of other nations, to that extent we our trade with them. And an ocean full of vessels may be largely subsidized, and the markets of the civilized world may bo filled with Americans trying to extend our trade, and our commerce will not be enlarged to any material extent. It has always required, and always will.requij£, two parties to a sale or exchange; There can be no seller without a

buyer, there can be no exchange except between two par Lb. Trade and commerce are founded upon a necessary mutuality. If our nation would sell we must buy. If we wish to sell in the markets of other countries we must give those countries the benefit of our markets. Subsidizing our ocean transports, with the robber tariff in full operation, is like the foolish attempt of lifiing one’s self by the boot straps. It is our villainous tar.ff system that has driven our merchant marine from the ocean, and that system must die if our commerce is to revive and live. —Jackson County (117*.) Journal.