The protectionists are fond of flashing to the public eye the glittering
delusion of great money-results from manufactures, mines, artificial
exports--so many millions from this source, and so many from that--such
a seductive, unanswerable show--an immense revenue of annual cash from
iron, cotton, woollen, leather goods, and a hundred other things, all
bolstered up by "protection." But the really important point of all
is, _into whose pockets does this plunder really go?_ It would be some
excuse and satisfaction if even a fair proportion of it went to the
masses of laboring-men--resulting in homesteads to such, men, women,
children--myriads of actual homes in fee simple, in every State, (not
the false glamour of the stunning wealth reported in the census, in
the statistics, or tables in the newspapers,) but a fair division
and generous average to those workmen and workwomen--_that_ would be
something. But the fact itself is nothing of the kind. The profits of
"protection" go altogether to a few score select persons--who, by
favors of Congress, State legislatures, the banks, and other special
advantages, are forming a vulgar aristocracy, full as bad as anything in
the British or European castes, of blood, or the dynasties there of the
past. As Sismondi pointed out, the true prosperity of a nation is not in
the great wealth of a special class, but is only to be really attain'd
in having the bulk of the people provided with homes or land in fee
simple. This may not be the best show, but it is the best reality.