Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1842-04-21
Both have insisted

hat the system Of impost is a most burdonsome p
orm OF revenue, and deprecated all resort TO il.
'ursuing the argument, the latter gentleman lNlr
3AyLY) has Produced calculation, founded as .
10 tells us, upon the most unquestionabe data at
he result Of which he conlesses to be auazed I
hnself and in ofder relieve his calculation of
some ofits improbability, he was compelled to
cast Off many items which could have been made
to enter fairly into 1t; circumstance by the way.
which does not recommend very strongly the call
culauon to our favour. What is the result I
Why that for every dollar Of the land money
which Virginia will receive, according to thu
provisions OF the distribution act, she will pay
back six in the form OF impost duties. LIE, her
receive $5O0,000, as we suppose hereafter, she
may, and according to this calculation, her peo-
pie will be burthened $3,000,00O. Well might
the gentleman DO amazed. Can any argument
be necessary to expose his calculations Is not
the startling nature Of the result sufficient | l
will not detain the house by following the calcu-
lauon, but Will content myself by examining
briefly the principles Oh which it is based. It's
assumed, in the first place, that the duty in every
case enters into the price of the imported article
and finally, increased by the profits thereon of
both The importing and retail merchant, is paid
by the consumer /; and, in tue second place. tina,
the same effect is produced Immediately upon the
price oil all articles of domestic growth or manu-
tacture similar to the forei IN article en- which the
duty is imposed. From this cause the gcnlem,n
argues, upon data which I've deems reliable, that
the practical operation OF our federal revenue sys-
tenn is to tax the people at the rate Of six dollars
Tor every one that finds its way into the treasury.
Ought such a system be permitted to endure
What ignorance has beset our rulers Ought
we not hasten to abolish it, and resort bv federal
authority to direct taxes and excuses thos cheap
and easy modes OF providing revenue borrowed
from the despots OF the old world!
But is 1t true that the duty enters into the pri,e
as has been supposed! What is our own expe-
rience! Did not prices fall under the tariffs of
iS2a and 1898, during the continuance OF the
highest rate OF duty we have experienced More
recently have we not seen prices decline under
creased duties Hit be tue that duties fall up
on the consumer, whence our great anxiety 10 OBJ
tain modification Of the revenue laws OF the Eu-
ropean states Whence the interest especially of
the tobacco planters TO obtain u reduction of the
duty on that staple by the OF Austria!
Whence the dissatisfaction of the French people
at the proposition TO raise the duty their winest
Does not all this shew that duties fall more hea-
Willy on production, foreign production If the
elect OF duties Is, at any time, to heightcn prices
10 the consumer, the ultimate effect is TO lessen
them. When capital becomes invested in manu-.
features, competition will arise, and sales he
made at the lowest prices. Look at the effect OF
our former tariff upon the manufacturers of Eny.
land. They were constrained to lessen the wa
ges OF their operatives to curtail their operations
to turn loose upon society hordes of poor starving
wretches dependentupon cold charity for subss-
tence. And yet, III the face of all these f;cts we
are told that duties enter into prices ana ale paid
by consumers.
have been asked how will the advocate of a
protective tariff answer the argument make
tnls answer that the effect of high duties is TO
lessen importation, and thereby confer an advan-
tage upon the home manufacturer and producer
Prices are regulated according TO the relation he
tween the supply and the demand, and these mu-
tuaiiy act and react upon each other. The supply
cannot do more than keep pace with the demand;
increase the latter and Immediately the former
eHiaTges itseli to anew capacity. Now the price
OF production depends, ia great degree, upcn
the extent OF the demand, and the quantity for
~hich market can be found For instance, the
farmer or manufacturer who finds market f.
ms commodities to the amount OF ST. coo, can.
not AFFORD to sell as cheap as his neighbour, who
truth Is foundin the difference in profit charged
Oy wholesale and retail dealers. When the Enu
!Ish manufactures is admitted to the United States
ne engrosses large share of the markets. and
'he nome manufacturer shut out to that extent is
compelled to limit the amount of his business
In proportion as his field Of operation is narrow
ed, his prices must be raised but i,nnose d,;s
upon the foreign production-driye the fore;or
manufactures and producer out of your market
ana leave the entire demand 10 be supplied n
nome. and the results which have been adyer,ed
TO Will be experienced.
III the DUTY does to some extent enter into tl,,
price, and thus operate a tax upon consumption
Is there no equivalent returned Whatever pro
ouces DIVISION OF latour benefits every class es
peciai!y the agricultural class. flour entire non
'"'io.i were devoted 10 wheat growing, althouUl
we might not starve for bread there would he -,
certainty we would not perish ior clothinr TIL,
tarih produces nufactures-manuI features with
draw iabour from tie lage of the earth, am,
change oil employment converts Jrotlticrs int
consumers If the farmer can get a few cents
more In the bushel for his wheat and corn, and ?
lew cents more i'll the pound for his beef and NUT
ION and his wool, can he not afford TO paw IittI,
nigher price Tor his broad cloths and luXurics
Look, for example. to Massachusetts. experiencing
the rlgor OF northern climate and an nnoratef,1
SOIL her people have found more genial employ.
ment In the pursuits of commerce and mannf,c
turing According TO the tables accompanvioo
TIC iast census, she stands lowest in the scale ri
agriculture. The time other greatest mann fncturino
prosperity was that Of her lowest aoricul,uraI d.
preston Then she imported through the single
port OF boston, from other parts nf the United
States, not less than 80 900, 200 worth Of bread
SUNS But as her manufactures decline her aor
culture advances, and stimulated by the bounties
OF Propitions Legislation, her hardy race, oyercom
ing the difficulties of rigorous climate are sub
DUNG the sterile soil into life and fertility. In
1927, The importation of bread stulIs into The port
OF Boston, with the addition of one third for the
"utports, amounted to So, 797 1913 The western
parts OF the state are supplied directly from Alba
ny ana the towns upon Connecticut river by way
OF Hartford. We may therefore estimate the sum
paio oy Two thirds of the population of the state.
IN single year, at nearly nine millions or dL,rs
massachusetts has offered bounty nm tho