Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1842-03-15
From Ihe New Gsnn.nn Earn,


In the late report of the Secretary of
the Treasury We find an ingenious argu-
ment in faVor OF an increased protection
TO our home manufactures; we should
have been better pleased 10 see from the
same mastef pen, an apology for that mo-
derate protection which our present tar
III for revenue incidentally gives our
home industry.
In times like the present, when the
whole nation is prostraled by that reac.
tion which has succeeded imitation; we
cannot but expect from the fathers of
the nation, such councils as will tend to
turn the people back to retrenchment and
reform, industry and economy, instead of
encouraging the deluSive hope that an
increased tariff on foreign fibrics will
bring back high prices and a prosperous
trade TO the country.
The Secretary says that "nothing is
better established by our experience and
the experience Of the other nations, than
that the augmentation of duties, does not
augment in an equal degree the cost of
article 10 the consumer; in many cases it
appears not TO increase that cost at all;
very often the price TO the consumer is
kept down notwithstanding the increased
duties" We would ask then how is our
manufacture TO be protected by an in
creased duiy9 Bur we apprehend that
this part Of the Secrerary's argument ap-
plies only TO the ultimate consequences of
protection; imitation and high prices are
the first fruits and the only ones coveted
by the manufactures; competition, over
production, low prices and banktuptc,
follow. The high tariff of 1928 ruined
half the manufacturers in New England
by the competition il induced, and the
only argument we now know Of in favor
Of high protection is that we should Gre
ale an evil that good may grow out Of it,
During the palmy days Of Bank making,
when money becam me scarce new Bank
Charters we're applied for in order 10 sup.
ply the deficiency; but now when reac-
ton has deranged the currency we seek
TO increase the tariff in order to make up
Tor the Anctuating vicious state. of the
currency and our consequent losses by bad
debts.
Ask an intelligent manufacturer which
be had rather have, all the States south
and vest sound and punctual customers
Oran increase OC5O per cent in the tariff
Of duty on foreign fabrics, and what will
be his enswer, "a nimble penny is better
than the slow and doubtful shiIIingr 1t
is true that we have bought too much
from abroad, because we have bought
more than we have sold; but If our pre-
sent tariff will not prevent this, how can
we hope higher one 10 do it7 If the
increased duty raises the price in our
market, the foreign producer can still
compete with US, as the increased prices
will offset the increased duty, and when
the price falls our manufacturers will be
no better off than they are now.
A member Of Congress (Mg. Marshall)
in advocating protection says, 'our manu-.
factnrers must be guarded and fondled in
the first days of their childhood Very
true, but the over-zealous friends of pro- |
lection would destroy the health of the |
child by feeding it strong meat and stimu.
Ialing drinks, instead Of tho more sImpIe
alIment suited to its tender age. Under
the protection which our revenue bill in.
cIdentally gives to our various manufac.
lures, they have been continually on The
increase! Our cotton goods are now ex
ported in large quantities, which could not
be done It they depended on tariff to
protect them, We know ofno one branch
Of industry which suffers from foreign
composition at tho present time, unless il
may be Iron; and as Government has for
some years back admitted railroad IRON
free OF duty, It would now be no more
than just retribulion TO our Iron mann.
iacIurers, to establish the duty, as sundrv
memorialiSts have petilioned, at the rate
charged BY the compromise act in the
year 1880.
Much is said and written Of late rbout
foreign restriction on our bread stu(Is, still
we hnd that last year England admitted
our bread Stuffs under the lowest grade
Of duty, to the amount Of six millions of
dollars; through the Canadas much Of our
flour and provisions finds foreign mar,
ket al a low rate of duty. If England ad. |,
mitted our bread stutfs free at all times.
it would only lower the price of her own
corn, without materially increasing the
demand for ours; we should also have 10
compete with Europe for the English /
market and Russia aud Poland can raise
grain cheaper than we can, because their
labor is cheaper, But il we had The ex.
elusive privilege Of supplying England
with ell the foreign corn she needs, II
would in ordinary years be very little
New England alone consumes more Of
the production Of the West in one year.
than is exported to all parts Of the world
IN several years; and this market based
on the rapid progress Of manufacturing
industry, under the healthy protection
Ia l.