Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 September 1892 — The Sin of Protection. [ARTICLE]

The Sin of Protection.

“Protection. Is not protection a sin? It involves more sin, and a greater variety of it, that any system I know of except slavery. It would astonish some folks not a little to learn what relation the system (in any form or degree! bears to sin. “As to the protectionist matter, I need only say that we see more and more plainly that the subject is not understood, which is quite natural among a flourishing new people. I wish they knew how the degradation of our peasantry (who are rising hourly), the crime of our cities, the brigandage of our ooasts, the deprivation of our poorlaw system, and the demoralisation of our whole classes have been occasioned by the protective system, which they seem to consider an optional matter, with only some considerations of expediency, pro and con. Protection has ruined more of our people, body and Soul, than drink."—Harriet Martineau’s Letters.