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THE NEW PROTECTIONISM

nation, falsely represented as economic corporations. At every point of cleavage damage is wrought upon the economy of human co-operation for the production, distribution, and exchange, of wealth.

But, it may well be asked, how has Protection been able to make so much way against the forces of reason and collective self-interest? How have separate group-interests succeeded in imposing a protective system in so many countries, and how are they able in this country to set on foot a powerful movement to overthrow the established fiscal system of Free Trade?

The history of the last half-century condenses into a few brief lessons the forces and conditions which have enabled certain particular business interests within a country to impose tariffs detrimental to the economic interests of the nation as a whole. The unequal organization of the several business interests within a nation for co-operative work in the field of politics is of prime importance. Modern capitalist development