Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1830-02-15

4
and illustrated its inevitable tendency Why
seek to make rioh sudden aud grea, change
IN our revenue laws, without some practical
grievance can he shows to have arisen out of
their existing provisions II the tariff policy
be Oppressive aud unjust in lis operations, why
no lis opponents, when called upon 10 show
IN "hal tins oppression and injustice consists.
decline the task of pointing it out, winch would
DE so easy II II were true. instead of fying pre-.
c'pllately from facts 10 take shelter in the
worm-'sten leaves aud musly and exploded
maAims of Say and SMITH Why do they not
show MS the process by which the msnulac,u.
rer plumbers The agr,culiurist. instead Of anu.
sing us with nonsensIcal and false assertions
that protective laws are nothing more than acts
10 " regulate ihe industry of the nation"--in
other words, directing each individual how
many and what Kind Of laborers he shall EN-
pl0s in each particular branch Of employment?
IL ihefeduction OF 20, %, 50 AID rs per cent.
in the cost OF The articles which, by those pro.
tectiye laws have been tostered into existence,
be any proof other oppressive and unjust op-
Grafton. then indeed lsre they onerous and
unequal IN their operation, aud osght 10 be
repealed But, so long as they furnish this
practical evidence of their beneficial tendency
-.the evidence which wrested from us he wea
pons OF opposition, which we once as firmly
grasped AS any person. deceived by the cry
which has dsluded SO many others. who, we
doubt not, will be ere long awakened from their
delusloA by the snme irresistible demonstration
the beneficial tendency OF protective laws can
b. a]duced, il IS IN vain 10 talk about nm on.
preston which EXISTS only IN the mag nation.
Devoted disciples of Adam Smith, the enemies
of the Tariff policy will not be persuaded to
renounce the errors of his theory even by tue
clear demonstrations OF then il,lny which eve
ry days experience affords.
In answer TO the question, " is The Tariff OF.
pressue p the Legislature Of Pennsylvania, u,
heir last session, gave the following asswer:
The opponents 10 the protection of domestic
industry have been often called upon to identity
one solitary Instance, IN winch experience VIII
Justify the remark, that high duties tend 10 Oh.
press the consumer. Vt, during The inany
years that the policy and Justice the system
have been under discussion, no such instance
has been produced. Ii is a fact which cannot
b- derued, il is manifest N every price current
| II is thin the knowledge of every purchaser
of the mos necessary AID common article oi
consumption, that the cheapest domestic goods
! Ill.
duties, or similar articles which are imported,
as coarse WOODEN. cotton. aud mircd goods
nails, window g lass, spllIts md a vast variety
! OF other articles, manufactured from lead non
/ aud leather, many OF u hIch are peculiarly "a
! dapted TOT Southern wants, and form the mus
| common and important items oil their con.
| Sumption clothing for thef laborers, aud IN.
plements for Cnliyatian, II has been true IN
/ all cations, and through all times that wherever
there is capacity 10 supply The demand for
any article, the securing the domestic market
! To the domestic projnt ion eECIlss domestic
| competition, SO as TO ensure the CONSUMER a
cheaper, better, aud a more abundant supply
! for his wants. II is truth of universal ap
pcation in all the pursuit. OF life, PRACTICAL !,
i known aud fell by every farmer, merchant
mechanic, and manufacture in the country,
irom The commencement of that great system
Of policy, which has proiecl I'd AS well our
shipping, ~ the productions OF our soil our
seas aud our workshops. How then Iaif
can produce oppression to the Southern Stlies
seems incompresenslble 10 your COMMITTEE II
may indeed tend TO diminish the foreign, but
il Increases the domestic consumption of their
great staple, cotton, IN the same ratio The
| price is the same. whether purchased for for.
eign or home market aud If the quality and
~ ice is equal, orr Southern brethren have Too
much patriotism TO think II " oppressive" 10
purchase the productions from their own raw
material merely because ii has blen mnnuiacia,
red BY american maehIn'ry and iaLor.
II cannot be material 10 the southern planter
whether his coon is spun in Manchester, or
Providence, or Pittsburgh, whether il is trans.
ported ~ an American OF Brii'h ship, ifn
produces him the same price in market. With
hun it ,sa mere question OF profit on what he
Purchases. lie cannot be oppressed by the
I Tariff, unless he receives less for tho one or
DAYS more for the other. II is all resolved INTO
simple lues ION OF fact, does his cotton produce
less or his supplies Cost more by the tariff of
1923 II may be true thai the price oil cotton
has fallen in 1928. and '29 10 SIX or eight cents
per pound. But il is no more a consequence
OF the iariifof 1928 than the Unprecedented
price OF that article in 1925 was a Consequence
ofthe tariff Of 1924 Neither IS it true. The
wild spirit oil speculation, NbiCh ragged III the
latter year, and the increased quantity produ-
ced in the two last fully account for the res
peciiye changes. The cause has been already
assigned, domestic competition has increased
the quantity, and Of course reduced the price,
exempliiyng, as % agriculture. he same effects
as in manufactures, aud all other branches or
industry.
The wealth and prosperity Of "a country de
pend less or the amount, than on the proper
direction and judiciJus divi.ron of labor. Ihls
can be selled by no abstract or theoretical
principles !; il must depend on experience aud
observation. II SO much labor is applied TO
the production of any one article, as to yield
an amount beyond tne demand, the conse.
quence il ohvious-the price falls, profits are
diminished. or a loss ensues. The country
may be depressed or oppressed. II is uoi ow-
ug TO the tariff but 10 the went ofa proper
division Oflabhr. The true mady is not IN