Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-01-25

not Sulncleuly Sieat W 'euuSe tue price 10 m.
very lowesr rate. They even tell US Of comh0'
tons among them to keep up their prices. Ss
such combinations are utterly impossible. H.,
are the manufacturers of iron. in Sweden. DIV
STA. and England or the Cotton and silk m,"s
facturers of France, to enter intu ccmbin,n"S.
The thing is ridiculous. No. Sir, il the dut.
were taken of, the prices OF goods would he ~
duced to thir minimum, and much lower ,h,.
they are now in this country. aud it i, for ,%i
reason, aud this only, that the mauufaclurer -,
protesting against II.
But. sir. where is the evidence 10 he f,,.,
that the tariff has produced any reduction wa,
ever, in the price OF the protected article, !.
there any other foundation for the assertion ~.
this, that the prices Of cottons, woolIens mn
iron, have actually fallen since I8a4f Bp ~
other articles have likewise fallen. protected ,ri
unprotected. Real and personal estate 81,
ton. -four, and tobacco, all all have gone dor,
and most Of them have fallen in much qre,,.'
degree than woollens, cottOns and iron Ha, II.
tariff done all this? What say the gentIem,r.
have here price current containing the prir.,
, of $50 articles, in 1916 and 1881. From n,
it appears tn I there has been an universal rsdn.
ton in the price ot articles of every descrp,io,
and that those admitted duty free, have been ,.
duced at least, IN al equal ratio with those M,
ing duties. Indeed sir, think that a carsLl
examination of this table will shew, that a redn,
| ton in the protected articles has not been
great as in the others. But the reduction b,.
not been confined to this cnuntrv. Ii has take,
place in England, and all over the world, in =.
equal, nav. in greater degree. The very art
Giles most highly pl otect ted in this country. CO..
tons, woolcns aud iron, are now selling in y
gland much lower than they can ne obralnL
here. This is a fact perfectly notorious to ever
importing merchant. and have abundant e,.
dence Of it now in my hands. Here are stat,
ments showing that such goods have actually be-,
imported during the last year. into Philadep,i,
New York and elsewhere. and after pawn. A,
ties OF from 80 to 100 per cent. have been ,ol
as low as the domestic manufacture. Sir, 4,
certained before Ieft home, that the whoe qua,
tity Of cotton goods imported into Charleston d.
ring the last year. paid an average duty Of 6fy
per cent, and then they were sold as low .
American cOttons of the same quality. But n
am really ashamed to argue question so e
evident. How can taxes possibly lessen p1c.s
| How can protection diminish the cost of plolul
| ton? What are the elements of pricei Ar
they. not the cost of the raw material-the wa.s
of labor-and the interest of capital; and how a.
these be lessened by tax on the articIei r
say SO is to reverse all the rules of proportion
Gentlemen might as we'll contend that two al
ded to five make three, as that fiftv per cent al
ded to the cost OF an imported article lessons it
price. IL gentlemen can believe this they ma
believe any thing. But the truth is Mr.. Presidrt
this whole matter OF the reduction in the price
goods is very easily explained 1t depends on u
neral causes, which have operated to cer,,
extent all over the world. From thoruugN L /
vestigation of the subject, which has taken p,a
in Great Britain, it is found to have resulted Ga
the depreciation Of the currency, improvement
| In machinery, and the general restoration
peace. The resumption Of specie payments, al.
the diminished supply Of the precious mpts
is calculated to have lessened the crcuIa
medium to the amount of upwards Of 95OO0l
900. The effect of this single cause has b,d
within the last ten years, the reduction Of pho I
IN that country to the amount of thirty.f,e x
cent. to which Is per cent may be added fm "a
other causes above misunderstanding il ID
whole reduction of Almost fifty per cent. IN n :
money price Of all articles. The same thin. y
taken place in this country, and therefore, via
gentlemen allege that the price of manci@ (
lures has fallen, the naked fact proves notim.
unless they can shew that they have fallen III
greater degree than other articles in this county,
and similar articles abroad But this is so Is
from being the fact, that the truth is. the prOec
ed articles have fallen less in proportion ta
those which receive no protection. Cotton Is
striking example, which has, in few yearsiaIf
to one third Of its value, while no protected
tce has. in the same period, fallen one hail.
trust, Sir, that we have now made ou o
case-that we have shown the MUST and uneq''
operation, in every point of view, Of this sy'tsS
and that, as far as the South is concerned, an
the West also, though not in the same degree
is an unmitigated system Of burdens And, e'd
With regard TO the favored section, | would "
NIT, how far it is wise to insist upon sy''s
which can only be maintained at the eSpen"
other sections. Sir, feel too much contder
in the justice and magnanimity Of our NothSi
brethren to suffer myself to doubt their win
ness to abandon this system if they could sri
in the light that we do. 1t may enrich the"
the moment, bu, the prosperity it creates HaT
cial, and will assuredly he unsubsfantal
country can be permanently benefited by a."
TEN of bounties. This system may destrO.
South, but 1t will not permanently advance
erity of the North. II NAV deprpss Vi. D