Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-04-28

RICHMOND, April %, 1890.
TARIFF BILL...No.I.

tlOn, IN the interest II exClteS and The
consequences il involves. Ii is princi-
pally tax on agriculture aud commerce
Tor the benefit of manufactures. lis source
Is the Committee of Manufactures-its
avowed object the protection of sucl, ma
nufaciures as cannot protect themselves.
III raises the duties OIL sCooien mauuiac-
lures from % 10 33 per cent-on cotton do.
not from India, % 10 80 from India, to 40
ON linen from 10 to 25-clothing ready
made, 80 10 4o-silk manufactures from
India, from 10 TO 30-prnted books from
Is TO 50 !-Qhough thanks TO Mr.. Whit"
man, this odious tar on literature is re-
duced 10 20)-iron castings, IS 10 l5O.-
Cotton is also raised from 3io cents per
ib.-brown sugar 3 10 cents-molasses
TO Is per ceDt-sait 90 10 25. Some
manufactures are raised double, some
2-3ds, ) and so on through the whole
tariff by name; while the great staples of
the soil, Gotten, hemp and sugar except
ed) are not specifically enumerated, but
raised under favor of a sweeping clause
from 10 To % per cent; as tobacco, -four,
corn, rice, lumber, &c. &c. In truth,
neither The coiiNn, the sugar planter, nor
any other agriculiurist, asks for It's pro-
lection. II is The manufacturer Tho calls
upon Hercules. Ought lie 10 be heard {?
La other words, ought an additional protec-
ton to be extended to ou manufactures
AS general principle, we hold that in
dlviduals are better Judges of their own
interest Tran The government. The go
vernment is at best made up of men, ex-
posed TO errors Of theory and The tempia-
lions OF interest, and who have not had
Tie opporiunily OF studying my own i'm
terest as we'll as myself. Who then is
| no nE Iln. Y
exactly what will sell the best, and there
fore whatit is for my interest TO produce?
viii not capital S labor naturally seek The
most profitable employmen,s Does not
The farmer change his soil from wheat 10
tobacco, and nee uerS0, II he finds il 10 his
advantage Will not capital be diverted
from agriculture 10 manufactures as soon
as 1t is the interest OF The proprietor? Is
he not at least as easie-eyed on this sub
lecl as the government If he makes The
most by his business, he carries IL on If
not, he leaves II to seek some other. But
the interest OF the whole is made I'D OF
that OF the parts. Ii each man is employ
ed The best, so arc the whole. To force.
or tempt capital, by bouniies 10 pursue
an employ ment which il would not natu
rally seek, is 10 divert portion o. the ma
tiona capital and labor into some less
| lucrative channel. Bouniies might almost
work miracles. They may cause oranges
| To bloom ia Cana,ta, and grapes in Lap.
land. But is II tile interest o. The people
! 10 raise them at such an expense True,
we do meet with exceptions 10 this gem
| erai principle. individuals may some
times mistake their interest and gov
! eminent might sometimes have dire ed
| them better; but as a general rule, we
1 IffI 4l,af
! quaiDted with their own interests than
their officers, They pay dear enough too
for their mistakes, and they fly from
| them: Ii they buy or lmport:too much,
they buy or import less hereafter.
Agriculture was naturally Tire first, and
| Is yet the most active business i'm this
| country. Land was cheap-Iabour and
capital deficient. There was less ofthese
two last than was sufficient TO produce
all the articles that were wanted. Thew
naturally seized hold of that fund which
| would enable them 10 do the most work
| IN The same time. The land was that
fund. Ii was furnished to our hands at
| small price. Ii is species of labor
| saving machlne;S for the vegeiaiive pow
! crs OF nature work for us while We are
| asleep, and assist the productive powers
| OF our own labor. Other labor saving
| machines cost much capital and Iabour TO
| erect them. This was furnished 10 our
hands ready made and at comparative.
" low price. ITO the labour of The
husbandman Gays Mr.. Jefferson) vast adj.
diii0n 10 made by The spontaneous ener-
gles oftlIe earth on which il is employed.
For one grain Of wheat committed 10 the
earth, che renders 20, 80, d even so fold.
whereas the labour of ibe manufacturer
Tails IN most instances vastly below this
profit. Pounds OF flax in his hands WELD
but penDyweigbis OF lace" Most OF the
products OF our soil too are not only pro.
tilable 10 us, because the soil is cheap
but some OF them are precious pro.
ducts, almost migue-of which there is
not land enough 10 furnish complete
supply, such as tobacco and cotton.
Nj. Tracy has, in fact, sketehed the
situation OF The u. s." So long as agri-
cuilure otfered snci great advantages, all
men unemployed, or not protiiabIy {.
nOugh employed 10 their liking, have
i@rned themselves 10 thai--ihey have os-
~ thought OF extracting productions from
the earth, and exporting them. Observe
that without facility of expectation, the
progress OF agriculture would have been
much less rapid, but with tbs circun.-
stance II has employed all hands. Wa.
ges excessively high have scarcely bern a.
BILE TO determine sufficient number Of
individuals 10 remain aiiae he'd 10 the pro
iesslOn of the other arts the most neees-
sarv. But for all those things, the man.
uiaclure OF which has not been nS1s
pensable within the country itselfiu which
they are consumed, IL has been more
economical TO draw ibes, even from
great distance, and they have not Jailed
TO do it,"
Manufactures hewever must gradually
flourish. As sooh az The profit Of mann.
laclnrlnr hrcnmes nearIu ennal 10 ID