THE POLICY OF PROTECTION.

Evening Star, Issue 7333, 4 October 1887, Page 4

THE POLICY OF PROTECTION.

:i _ TO THE EDITOB., ; Sin,—lt is well for a journal to have a policy, but in order that such policy should be a power it should be fair and truthful, or else it only, ‘weakens the cause it advocates. In. your Saturday’s issue you state that the election of Mr Boss for Eoslyn was a triumph for Freetrade principles, whereas you must be aware that were it not that the Protectionist vote was divided between two candidates Mr Rosa would have been nowhere, ns the united votes would have numbered several hundreds over Mr Ross. Then, in your article on Monday regarding Protection, you say vast numbers of the young in tne prime of lift, botli in Victoria and in Nova Scotia, are leaving their shores for other countries; whereas, aa -regards Victoria, the very opposite is the. fact, if or largo numbers of that very class at o well known by every citizen in this town to have left for Victoria during the last few years, most' of whom have found employment there, and . many I know are sorry they did not go there af first instead of ever coming to this country, the reason being that Victoria employs its capital in finding work for its own population instead of sending it away to employ foreigners. If, instead of quoting Pulsford’s misleading pamphlet, you would quote the convincing articles from the Melbourne ‘ Age,’ which is the moat successful and has the largest circulation of any paper in the Southern hemisphere, you would probably alter your views on the subject. Then it docs appear far-fetched to rake up a “ bald and imperfect telegram” (to quote your own words) sent by Reuter some months ago to found a misleading article upon Protection. Neither witli Canada nor Nova Scotia have wo done a single shilling’s worth of trade during the past year; and so long as other States and colonies adopt Protection I would say : “Woo betide our Colony if her statesmen, and legislators do not use every means to encourage employment, and make the population contented and happy, adapting the fiscal policy to keep as mnch capital as she can in the Colony.” With regard to the woollen industries of the Colony, which you ought to support, and which you state are partial failures in Victoria notwithstanding Protection, it is well known the manufacturers of the Old Country arc exceedingly jealous of these industries, and are straining every nerve to crush them by sending out cheap shoddy stuff in large quantities; and, moreover, the Manchester manufacturers have objected to exhibit at the forthcoming Melbourne Exhibition for the same reason. If the influence of your journal wore employed in bringing people into the country, and indicating how employment should bo found when they do come, you would aid the return to prosperity, instead iff deepening the depression which the policy you advocate is surely doing.—lam, etc., PjBOTECHONIST. Moriiington, October 4.