New-York tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1841-1842, 1841-04-30
NETWORK, FRIDAY, APRIL 80, ls41.

scale and il j. know TO everybody .ractiscd by almost
everybody and exces compuncon except those whch
from of detection Such, then Is the lne7''aoc
effect of long perseverance, the policy OF high and tempt
ing duties They invite disregard of the laws, offer an IL
direct bounty 10 deceit and fraud lower the standard OF pub
lie morals az. ecoy unwting! into the paths OF dis
honor and crime
Ill 1t is injurious to production aid national
wealth.
1st. To production We have seem elsewhere that the
aggregate production of the earth would be greatest the
people of each country would create only thce products 10
which their location, SSH and climate are most tavoraDle
that IS which Weld them the greatest of profit and
this We suppose, VII be denied. The question then
arises whether system Of free trade protection Is best
calculated to forward this result
1t Is conended By the advocates OF restriction that pro
lection Is the r.os er stimulus which be applied 10
the production of country Mr. Greeley writer OF ac-
knowedged ability and possessing remarkable command
of facts in an article which appeared in one OF the cary
numbers of the Merchants. Magazine Vol l. page 53)
takes this of the Is it, he asks, commercially
expcdent that the producing interests OF the country
be osteed and stimulated their highest possible activity
and force that they be left entirely to take care OF te
selves and in each department TO encounter the depressing
and disastrous rivalry Of whatever portion OF the globe may
be- ass TO undcsel productions in lis particular staple
Here Mr. Greedy evidently regards protection As the agent
which to stimulate the highest possible aertty the
producing interests of the Country and in subsequent ar
cle Alcrchants' Magazine, vol L. page 4l3) he eNnns
the manner in which this is to be accomplished he say
Let me now adducc Illustrative examples we all
know that certain bounes paid by government TO our
citizens engaged in the cod and mackerc fisheries Will my
oppoacnt contend that fish caught ttmn there
would be if no bouncs given Again: until very re-
Gently Maine tmber-cuttng and commerc'a State her
brcadstuts being great part purchased from abroad In
1886 q bcicvc) her Legislature enacted that bounty
should be paid thereafter the producers OF wheat w
her territory Under the operation OF that act il! the co
of two or three years. annual production of wheat in
Maine has been quadrlplcd Now my opponent Will MOI
DENY that this is clearly protective one and directly III
the teeth of the free trade principles which Name mas ever
protested to cherish
nor ha il has had the effect increase the produston
fheat in Maine But it by means proves that the dSSfc
rate productions of Maine have been benefited Men can
moi work IN the field and the fishing banks at the same
time they raise potatoes and wheat al once on '
same field Consequently they obliged to choose between
cmplovnents The bouncs fish and wheat made these
branches of business profitable than some Others ana
men who understood this, left the less profitable Ter i
which al ,hcr better But there evidence mere tina
the entire amount of productions in Maine increased BY
its bo.tv to the wheat growers Mr. Greeley seems to have
been aware that this election would be urged against his ar
gumcnt and he therefore guards it as follows:
Nv oppo.cn them has caSce Of escape from the ma
a conclusion but through the presumption thar the skill
ard labor employed in the production of wheat has been di
vccd from some other equally profitable employment th
therefore Manc has gained nothing by her protective Pocy
But il this prcsum} justified by fact WIZ any man So
ro,y contend that if Maine had not raised the two millions
would necessarily have produced something IN It's stea-
equal or greater value ItrnSt not.
We could have wished that Mr. Greeley had drawn from
his iDcxhauble of facts something little more salts
factory than is contained in his last three words as without
them we must still the conclusion that Maine mas III
fact been the loser by her protective policy The reason
by wheat was not raised before the beStowment OF ms
bounty was because the wheat culture was less profitable a
some other modes of industry The bounty had the ciicc' 'e
raise ito the general and consequently to lh'te Tue
h. King oil
it is possible that Mainc mi ht not have been the loser
WA. however taxed in way her own citizens, ana
was therefore merely taken from the pockets OF one class "
he nut into those .f another and il, after all, wheat cannot
he raised in Maine cheaper than 1t can be procured Dy eN
change she has, clearly, been the loser by her 'tecuc
policy.
To illustrate this position A farmer in Maine can raise
OK certain niece OF land 25 worth of potatoes and only
800 worth of wheat 1t is consequently to his interest 10
raise POTATOES But the wheat bounty was Suihcieht IL
raise the value his crop from 20 SD, II would then be
Indifferent him whether he raised wheat or potatoes mas
ruc as his profits would be the in either case But
although he is Individuality just as well on by turning us
attention 10 the culture of keat II Is evident that ms
oround has produced less rale His wheat H. after all
worth only $50 He is loser to the amount OF - on MS
crop but the state kindly forward to make up his
lbs. The whcal-growcrS of Maine, them not as class
loser. BIZ their change of occupation; but the State that Is
tho are losers TO the full OF the bounty
Now what is tue of protection in Maine Is true OF pro-
lection any where else. The article protected can be pro
cured by exchange cheaper than can produce ana inc
protective duty laid make II SO dear as TO give me ad
t,n,orr 10 The home producer Ii produced before
because some other mode of industry was more prohtaSle
The duv raises i; to general average and consequently
the producer suffers no loss, although really engaged IN
losing business the community having agreed TO sustain him.
tlu. is. 10 pay his losses.
To Illustrate this point still further will suppose that
certain kind of cloth which be obtained of the New York
under system of free trade 50 per yard
be produced by the manufacturer with fair profits tor less
than 81 In order protect him against this oresn com
on dntv is laid of one dollar per yard and the
cloth can be probably made We will suppose that under
this artificial siimuant the good produced to the amount
OF 100000 yards per the general production OF
the country increascdtla IS the country made richer b!
hi; .ti Most clearly not But on the other hand. pro
duc,ion less that IS the country poorer by at least the
additional price OF the cloth that is by 100000. The
manufacturer was all the doing losing BUSINESS. lie
made cloth which with profits cost HIM 81 per yard but
which WAS really worth but So The loss the whole was
on nnn .l:.. 80. rrncn III, To him BIZ the