Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1842-03-01
A PROTECTIVE TARIFF.

- MI - ~
w last week promised our readers that We
would reply. more at length than it was then our
privilege to do. to the article Of CEoRoE W. TmoNr.
soS, Esq. in the last Argus. upon the subject thai
heads this article, and we will now DO 50. Like
mnny other questions IN political economy. this is
intricate. II is a subject that requires long and sr.
ouoos study and observation TO understood The
theories of an;hon. however plausible. fail to sluci-
. date the effects Of a protective tariff Each man has
ms opinion, made up upon theories or p~rejudices /;
out he alone who is the close observer Of facts. who
learns from experience. will be correct. II isa sob
1eci that has attracted The attention Of English States
~men FOR seven hundred years. md on which more
books have been written than uPon uny other to
which we can refer; bat. the English sysipm Of do.
Tee has been adopted. and will be continued. as the
system shown by experience, to be productive Of he
greatest good 10 tho greatest number and really ne
"es-ary TO the salvation OF all. In this case Of Col.
Thompson, ne in oil others where the radical. have
Nhro0ched their opposition TO the protection Of Amer.
can industy and capital. reference /, made TO The
poverty Of The English laborers. and the suffering
that is the consequence. Why This reference in This
connection, when the most careless observer cannot
failto perceive that there are other causes that make
the condition. Of the English laborer, low as il is
and that the ladh Of duties is necessary To- The sun.
port and tends TO improve the condition Of the yasl
population Of that island II The Col. had dealt ss
largely in the most common features Of The English
government and lave rs in the metaphysics of the
latter day apostles Of democracy. he would have
S"0"h that there are cnuses in operation that pro
Ndeee the misery Of The lower class Of The English
=
The law Of primogeni.ure is a fruitful cause Of poy.
eriy aud distress, when existing fr successive gen.
snations. as 1t has there. The vast enlailed estates,
abe immense pension list, the Iithes AMI taxes; In
hue II IS the many who. in that country, IRE allow
Cd TO live without labor. which causes the power
" oil The labOrer. The members Of The cabinet OF
England alone receive salaries amounting TO 2SS,
OOO dollars, the salary Of the priesthood. by direct
taxation. amounts to I5.772.695 dollars annually,
she Judges Of The higher courts to 100000 dollan.
aHd the whole pension list TO upwards Of 10000.
GO Of dollars. la The house Of peers there are }
RoyGlDukes. 2I Dukes. % Maquises. 1873 Earls,
~ Viscounis and 2ll barons. and in the commons
65e members. oil Of whom derive their liyiRgs
without labor, either from the public crib or their
owE estates. Then there is the army and navy.
vast beyond tie conception Of an American, in
numbers and expenditures. besides the thousands Of
minor home Offices AID sinecures. making a som
total OF 10 ore Than iva Of the seventeen millions
oil people in England who fare sumpIuoHsly every
day on the labor Of the many. II the amount for
the support Of those who produce nothing oime from
the duties on imports We would admit that The ppor
did not suffer by il. but the whole revenue Of Eng
land from customs is less than'one hund red millions.
while the nOnProdGcihg clnss in every form con-
same upwards oftwenty hundred millions. This
fully accounts sr The poverty Of the English laborer
The fact Of the low price Of wagesauI The povOr.
~ IN the manufacturing districts shozs. that man.
DaetHriRg labor even NJ The present prizes is better
Than farming where taxes and rents ar5so heavy
as they are there with protective duties upon all pro
duce.Or less number would nanuacturs aud more
= 20 luce hreadsUfs. Nor will il appear At all sirarge
chat in England there should. when the main mar.
ket Of English maauheiures-Amerca-is depress.
o. be suffering for head. when we reflect that
England supports pa poJsOns TO tho square mile
= while the United States supports but 9 TO the square
mile. Ifthe facts presented above ore not SUI
heiont 70 show rhe wnter fr the Argos that the
suffering Of the English manufacturers is in no way
WIN tf flu W Ieief ulh respectfully |
10 a knock down argument presented b. history. Un.
Ill the 18th century there was in England y duty
upon The eTDOrtafion Of corn and a premium on The
importation and corn was higher in proportion 10 The
value Of money or tie price Of labor Than il is now.
whSu u.s. WI Portaion j. nearly prohibited. We have
beer thos particular in This matter 10 show The read.
or. that the assumption by The opponents Of prolec.
ton that high dV'eis imposed by the English 60
vornment produce ony Of The misery suffered ~
che people offhst country. 10 a false one bat, on the
contrary, IL ~ by hose duties that hat country $
enabled. under her enonnous laIsfiOn. to sustain in
any manner. Vie pop1lofionsii docs.
But We ~ lreKyrsin the propositions Of Col
Thompson in ratation- The first is that a ianG j.
laid 10 increase American labor" We deny the
ruth Of The proposition. And viii yeOye that such
= justified. During .ho last OK years We
have HoPurisd seventy millions moro iiaD we have
exported. The balanee must be paid - specie
rhis oprntes 10 reduce our specie. and notNiih- q
fandins lhs coinage So tie UniIod sfaies Mint has
zen upWpms Of Ervoniecu. millions during tsaf
me, and q fictitious wine araruod 70 gold. beyond I,
be standard Of oiber countries. our specie has Dc. Z.
more ihan forty milliono md wbut u will 4,
. when or importing debt Is paid, uules' We can r.
our imports BY high dodes. heaven only Il
news Our euvreneg has not been reduced IN pro N.
,rion, IN quantity. but hes been very much 81 d
isity mud We "a Cot r whai The lab0nei car l.
~ sbisiu per day. 10 speeio o. ip eqaisaienr pr