Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-01-07

inc consumer ana oil his all which exceeds $50 ia
bounty TO those who could afford manufacture at that
price, and that at least $l5 of what the consumer thus
pays upon each ton is received by one and as eec
uay lost to the nation, if had been consumed by fire.
or paid in foreign tribute.
In point OF fact, the amount which would be lost
70 ue nation, In the case supposed, would exceed
go ton, Tor two reasons: One is, that this is the
difference between the cheapest home made IRON and
mat which could be mporcd whereas the average diff
terence would be much greater-and il is that which
would furnish the of the national loss ano-
Their is that par, Of the profits obtained by CAPT
tai and labour, in making ron would be obtained in other
empioyments but these circumstances were left ont OF
the estimate SO as TO preclude either misapprehenon
dispute.
1t follows corolary, from the preceding view that
the difference between the price at which article can
be manufactured here, and imported duty free is tax
which is paid by the consumers and home manufacturers
II differs among the individual consumers according to
their local position, taste, &c. but the tax which each
pays is the excess which he pays for the home manuac
same quality.
Ii further appears that the arguments of both parties
concerning these duties are commonly pushed too far
The supporters of the tariff think that if am ar
eie Is manufactured at hone tax be paid by those
VINO purchase ithat the extra price paid by The con-
sumer being in fact received by the manufacturers what
one loses the other gains; whereas part of this extra
price enters into the actual cost OF the domestic manuac
turo and 1t is only the residue which is transferred from
one class 10 the other.
Nor are their opponents right regarding as they often
9o e whoIe duty as tax since that exceed the
ueence oil The cost OF manufacturing the article al home
and importing il from abroad free OF duv and thus il may
happen mat duty may be apparently 100 par cent as il
Is on coarse cotton abrics natural price o tho do
mesuc manufacture may be so near that of the foeon in
this country, that there is virtually no tax at all They
arc, however right in maintaining that duties laid for the
protection OF domestic manufactures are more burthen-
some than those laid articles that are produced eycu
sively abroad, and that such duties tend directly either 10
uhhiSh Ihe national capital to check its natural in
crease ms objection To them would be unanswcrabc
IL the relative prices at home abroad be considered
permanent.
But this is seldom the case. The bounty which the
itiOnt
lecturers proves great stimulus to domestic cnerprze
Prachca skill both invited from abroad and generated at
home--uade becomes familiar TO its new channes-he
prcjudiccs which often exist against new manucurcs
gradually wear away-and by the extension of tho omcs
NC cs'aoIshmen they can more aud more avail them
sHes % inc dement's arising from the division of labour
rom the Joint operation of these causes the price of The
domestic manufacture often gets lower and lower If il
should descend low be less than that of the
article, the national capital may eventually be increased
by that which once diminished it, The probability of tbis
result one Of the points about which the parties are at
issue. 49, ~
1t somcimes happens too that the cost Of the fye;gn
article is also lessened by the competition of the domestic
product so that II the latter be discontinued the
price oil the former would Immediately rise Sugar il am
article of this character 1t cannot be doub,ed Ina, Tho
100000 hogsheads made in Louisiana must have had the
eect OF lowering its price in Cuba the West Indies
gcneray7and that il the present duty of cents were
abolished the price would Immediately rise in the West
Indies so as to divide the gain between the consumers
snu 'ie producers Some oil our most successful manu-
iactures nave probably also had effect though TO less
extent than in the of sugar on the prce of tho
manufacture in England
The effect of the increased quantity produced bv reo
son oil te protection must also be taken into account i'm
all oar estimates OF the influence of duties or of the
sequences OF their abolition.
The difference between and peace prices must al
so enter into the same estimate. Though this difference
VIII be considerably diminished in our future wars bv
reason oil the increased strength of our navyhe great
advance oil manuactures-and the prodigious improve
hen IN The modes OF internal transportation-vet after
making iu allowance for all these changes the effect of
war; in enhancing the prices of all imported commodities
VIII sun be something on their general average price
ihere are some other arguments, which are urged TO
Juy Pfoechon-whieh, regarding the safety the digni-
wealth. wen deserve the notice OF the Statesman 1t is
Tor the Legislator TO take all these arguments in favor of
he protecting policy INTO consideration TO determine
now lar their certain and contingent benefits arc likely to
compensate the nation for the direct and immediate los;
casioned by that policy.
l. ne second ground of opposition to the Tariff, will be
noticed in the next number of AN FCONONiISJ'