Litchfield enquirer., 1842-03-24
FOR THE LrTcHFIELp ENQUIRER.
THE TARIFF.

t"eeH WIS anu IoTeiRH countries, uht we may Hou
our share Of the SPECIE The third is to protect the
several interests that conflict with foreign capital ::
and the fourth is so to discriminate that all classes Of
community, far practicable, may be equally be-
n6ed. The great bone of contention seems to be
that the North are protected at the expense of the
South; that is, that the consumer pays the duties.
The history Of the last forty years shows plainly that
this is not so. Broad cloths, which sold prev-
Gus to and since the last war for eight dollars per
yard, would not at this time, fetch in market over
four dollars; and cotton sheetng which sold at that
time for from forty fifty cents per yard, would not
this time bring over eight or ten cents. have be-
fore me the statistical accounts Of Great Britain
which show that Iron fell in value from 1924 to
1882 more than one half. 1t will be recoIected that
the high duties were put en- from 1926 to $780, Who
paid the duties on Iron, the manufacturer in England
or the consumer in this country 1t is not pretended
but what those articles that come in competition with
foreign articles rise in value in consequence of high
duties; but it is commended that they do not rise more
than from to twenty per cent. Of the duties mpo.
sed while all others the consumer pays the whole
duty. To collect revenue on articles on which
there is no competition but single object
and that is revenue, and that wholly at the expence
Of the consumer; and lift is or coffee mostly at
the expence of the poor. OF the small percentage Of
duties imposed upon Iron and Woollen stuff, which
the consumer pays, think the South pays but small
share. Here are twelve savo-holding states with
population Of seven millions, and more than one third
slaves. The slaves consume no broadcloths and but
very little iron; and in fact the warm climate almost
excludes the necessity Of woollen stuff Of any Sort
while all classes, both rich and poor. at the north are
| IL l.. -
to iron it is not possible that the south use more than
ten per cent the iron that is used the north The
large quantities Of foreign iron used about manufac
turing establishments, besides immense quantities OF
sheet iron for stove pipe and iron for wagons, all Of
which have mentioned, hardly comes into the reck
oning at all ut The SOUTH If the south are burdened
any where i, be upon cotton. If they will come
here at the north sell them good shee,ing for
eight cents per yard, and stamped muslin from ten
twenty cents. How cheap would they wish to buy
There is another class Of duties which 60 wholly to
favor the south tina; is, cotton, moasses, and
gar. There is another still that bears heavily on
NewEne'and; that is, duties spirits, which in all
probability enhances the price Of bread suffs more
than twenty per cent. very much to the prejudice of
New. England; bu, this favors the grain growing
states we shall not object to that. Suppose you en-.
courage foreign imports and the south and west sup.
ply themselves with foreign instead Of domestic
goods where will they find market for their -four.
beef and pork7 New.England il driven to it. can
raise and manufacture nearly all they need.
think the southerners are altogether mistaken as
to the cause Of the trouble in the money market. The
true are these: The reduction of duties has
flooded the country with foreign merchandise this
has driven the manufacturing interest to seek live
llhood in something elsa Some have invested their
capital in grain growing states, while many have
gone into the business Of cotton growing Thus we
see the business Of raising grain and has been
overdone While this has been going on the specie
has been nearly oil carried Of the country for for
eign merchandise. One reason why the south have
felt this shock severely than the north is this
The south have within few years invested immense
capitals in the cotton growing business; OF course
the business has been overdone. Again the balance
Of trade in favor Of foreign capital has very nearly
ined the banking interest Of the south. This again
has involved the south in another very serious diff
Guilty, that is in the exchanges. For instance, a
southern merchant purchases in the city Of New
York one hundred thousand dollars worth of mer-
chandse, upon which he is compelled to pay from
ten TO fifteen thousand dollars discount. This same
money is returned by the way Of New York mer.
chants for cotton at par.
This species of New.York bank swindlns is sc.
verely felt from north to south. IL their any other
corrective than judcious protective tariff, such as
will result in q balance Of trade in our favor. The
south may claim that tho reduction Of northern labor
and northern products may favor them. Under such
circumstances If northern capital managed by Yam.
kee skill, transferred TO the cotton growing states
would be favor they might possibly be favored.
Does the sou,herner imagine that New>Engand cap
i,al is nailed to the mast Not so: He will find i,
where it will yield the most profit. Here is another
consideration Reduce the price Of labor, recon-
mended by Mr.. Buchanan, to level with the serfs
of Europe, We might then manufacture as cheap as
Europeans a tariff under such circumstances would
amount To prohibition, and should be under the
necessity of levying direct tax Of thirty millions
year to support the Governmens-to be paid by those
who labor a. ten cents per day. @.
A miser in Philadelphia. chimney sweeper by
trade, lately died worth 100000. He was go mean
and dirty that his shadow would not follow him for
more than year before his death.
y ant going to be called printers devil any longer
land So amt. exclaimed Fib the other day, in
Scribe pucker. We'll. what shall we call you
hey2' why, call me typographical spirit Of evil
Iyou plsaSei that's all