McKinley's Masterful Maxim.

NZ Truth, Issue 57, 21 July 1906, Page 5

McKinley's Masterful Maxim.

Reply to Freetrade Followers.

A good deal of space has lately been extended by "Truth" to two or three political scribblers m discussing the pros and cons of freetrade and protection. Everybody interested will doubtless admit that the question is surrounded on all sides by unlovely obstacles and unlovely. knotty points, which, even on a brief analysis appear .to be inscrutable inscrutabilities. Of the writers who have dabbled m the controversy "An Old Freetrader" strikes me as being; one who wants to rule % the miry roost. Apparently he' has tackled the subject warriorly and a x good fight can be registered m his favor. He has spread himself on the question and has pointed out to "Truth" readers the "monstrous wronp*s that cover the sky" anent- freetrade and pro- . tection, and imagines be, as well as < the other local : ■ FREETRADE AGITATORS, have said something large and iniposinp 1 . • ... So far I've not divulged my leaning as to -the subject but here I ajn m one word— Protectionist— absolutely, and not a "pus-son" who sometimes is "and sometimes isn't. "An Old Freetrader" has said a lot of flowery .things about freetrade. He has been a little dictatorial m his remarks, I think, and has led one to* suppose that he, could, without inflicting, perhaps, incalculable injury. v ,to his exchequer, buy half the city for. a ! poultry xun or indulge m any whim of -the profligately rich. Now, I'm not goin^ to pour out A TIRADE OF ABUSE on Mr "Old Freetrader" m this screed but on the contrary I think he deserves a little commendation for. the way m which he has dished the matter up, although, of course, I can't say the same about his views and principles, which are certainly, specks to be ignored, weak and worthless things, not worth a counterfeit coin. The freetrade germs must have marched exultantly across "An Old Freetrader's", meditative brain and have already done considerable damage. The germs have also made him . ah antiquated darn fool on freetrade. The germs have spurred him on, given him buckets of encouragement,, coaxed him and persuaded him to grab protection by, the throat and beckon' free trade to come along and produce the FAT IMPORTER. Obviously when he studied the freetrade policy and all its periwinkle advantages he didn't think and study, the fat gentleman— in fact no doubt m his mind lit wasn't possible for him (the fat one) to bob up serenely - m the matter. "An Old Freetrader" avers m effect that if freetrade was adopted by" the New JZealand Government the capitalists b%»swallowed up completely as if by a huge tidal wave., No doubt tMs is, inevitable. The Capitalist must go, and go without any salaam too. But who will step into the shoes of the capitalist? Why, undoubtedly the fat importer, and this Same fat octopus, would toe ten thousand times worse than the few capitalists m this colony who are griping and cringing for oof ," and endeavoring strenuously tostand on their "pins." We m Maoriland want to keep our LOCAL INDUSTRIES healthy and away from the pernicious^ daws of the fat man, i.e., the importer who adores shoddy. I observe that "An Old Freetrader" has preserved a dead silence on* the subject of the ehrWhing of they importer of shoddy, for it is -exactly what freetrade would amount to. With the aid of two powerful optics I have glared at" the 'question from all logical stand-points, and I think on the whole that if- anybody has got to be enriched it is better •that it should Tie the _pss of an industry—the manufacturer. Supposing, f'rinstance, "An Old Freetrader" were a* local importer here and Maoriland's policy was that of freetrade, what employment, anyhow, would he, as A FAT MAN, offer to a couple of hundred men ? None. Then undoubtedly protection should occupy the position of "cock of the walk." Probably " "An Old Freetrader" will dazzle "Why" with ' a bis capital "W" m his reply, to my remarks. But, O dear no ! it isn't, necessary. I may tell 7 him right, here that it is , infinitely better to give employment to a couple of hundred men, lather than the import- 1 er with four anaemic clerks (three of "•'em girls.), a half-dozen sweated salesmen and women and one pod£.v traveller. Now if we have freetrade m New Zealand that is precisely what would happen. Submit, it to any man c f ; fair intellectual calibre and he will say assuredly it is correct. Here m New Zealand at the present moment (thanks to a stifE protective tariff) THE MANUFACTURER finds employment for the anaemic ones and the fat importer, the girls ;(much multiplied) and the two hundred workmen besides, Surely the scribe under criticism herein is suffering from an ugly delusion probably brought about by his vigorous swallowing of some cheap and nasty edition on freetrade. He thinks— and has told all and sundry that he thinks— that freetrade .means cheap . poods to stock the importers shelves., Quite so. But-does -he know that it means also few workmen, and they with but little money, to buy these goods, no matter how cheap they may be ? Manufacturers* shops crushed and shut down because of freetrade, where could the worker obtain employment to get the wherewithal to purchase goods ? He would have to QUIT THE COUNTRY— and he would do so" m thousands if freetrade became the rule. With the flight of the worker, awa-n- goes also the remarkable prosperity of the colony. Yes, every industry at the present time fiourishino- within our midst would sink to the most bottointess pit, and m consequence the

employees would be turned adrift ; while the wages that are now paid would ro to Germany and America, leaving our own workers to starve. New Zealand is a most prosperous and progressive country and is much talked of practically all over the world ? Why ? Because it possesses a most scientific, practical protective tariff ; it is m fact akin to the tariff established m America by President McKinley, which, m less than a couple of decades, has made the United States the principal manufacturing country.in the universe. The key-note that McKinlev struck was "our home markets for our own people ; work and wages for our own workers, and employment for our own : CAPITAL AND INVENTIVE GENIUS." This is an aphorism which New Zealanders ought to strive to rigorously maintain for it is worthy of emulation. The freetrade germs m "An Old Freetrader's " cranium must have wrought great mischief, or I am sure he would have thought— and thought deeply— before advocating the adoption of freetrade m a goahead place like New Zealand. People of this country will never tolerate freetrade ; New Zealand. I hope, will always remain the big factory it is with live and humming industries. Any individual endowed only with limited brains would be able to sum up the danerer that would happen along if we had freetrade here. This colonr would, under" such conditions, be inundated with foreign manufactured goods of all descriptions, mostly of a decidedly inferior quality. Instead of, as at present, being a huge factory New Zealand would transform itself into a big tunnel through which the foreigner could comfortably pass his goods. Then everybody would hear— and hear distinctly—the death rattle intnestiiiroat of every industry— the country would be EFFECTUALLY WRECKED and left to writhe m the mire. I am afraid "An Old Freetrader" is one of those pencillers who dream dreams, and delight m promoting and dangling before the public some political skeleton that has been buried for In a very coaxing manner ihe, m one ■of his screeds, requested that anybody replying to his remarks, of course m a critical fashion— he desired criticism— would criticise "every point he raised. Well, I don't think I would like to be so uninteresting. In pulling out I should like to advise "An Old Freetrader" not to be-. In future, so flamingly idiotic as to take up the cudgels for. mossy free^ trade and- to allow the question to slumber -peacefully : for m Maoriland 'it hasn't, nor- will ever have, a toe "to stand -on. ' MAORILANDER.