The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 1885. War and America.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1519, 21 April 1885, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 1885. War and America.

It is an ill wind indeed that blows nobody good. The blast of impending war has blown good to many individuals, and has certainly been a source of considerable profit to our American cousins. In addition to the increased value given to their food supplies, the United States have received numerous orders for munitions of w.ar and ship building. We learn from to-day’s telegrams that the Russians have purchased from the Americans a number of vessels at San Francisco and Honolulu, and we have no doubt the astute vendors were faithful to their national instincts, and demanded prices in accord with the urgency of the purchasers. So thoroughly are Americans imbued with protectionist principles that in this return of manufacturing activity they will not be slow to discover another argument in support of their great national fallacy. They will overlook the fact i that in this matter they are the fortunate creatures of circumstances; that their geographical position has enabled them to turn to good account the strained relations of European States. The natural advantages of the United States are so great that nothing but the most _ egregious social or legislative blundering would have brought them to the condition of depression .from which they are just now emerging. With abundant land, a country which requires development in every respect, and an energetic people, employment should always be easy to get, and yet recently workmen found it there more difficult to obtain than in the older States of Europe. Natural advantages have been thrown away by inducing men to direct their energies into unsuitable channels through the disturbing influence of protection. Had trade been free, each man would have undertaken work for which he or his circumstances were naturally adapted, k but protection has diverted labor to less suitable, and, therefore, to less profitable channels, and the increase which it has occasioned in the cost of living has given other nations an advantage in the general trade competition. We may readily admit the advantages derivable from variety of employment, and certainly we shall not be disposed to underrate the value of manufactures to a community. Granted the importance to the United States of having manufactures, yet even gold may be bought at too high a price, or may be wasted in the endeavor to obtain it, and if the American people realised the effect of protection they would hesitate to make the sacrifices it imposes upon them. The United States is a country in which the inhabitants of this colony must always feel a lively interest; Mr R. T. Booth recently gave us an assurance, which we may take for what it is worth, that the States would form a .powerful ally against Russian aggression, and we hope that the adoption of free trade principles by our American friends will not be retarded by the temporary impulse given to their trade by exceptional European complications.