Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1842-01-24
wATCHMAN & STATE JOURNAL.
MONDAY, JANUARY "a, ls42.
THE GREAT QUESTION.

THE GREAT QUESTION.
The political question ofpuramount importnnc,
tho one which tronscends all questions of bank
log or finance, and of all other things which al
present call for the attention OF the government
and the people-we hesitate not TO say is tie
| TARIFF. A revision of the Tariff,-embracine
an increase of duties and discrimination with O
view to the protection of American Inter esls-is
mperatvely required for the following purposes
l. For Rerenue. During MIR. Van Buren's i'd
minislration the whole of the current revenue
was absorbed, together with 81 millions which was
in The treasury on The LIST OF Jan. 1897 the works
for national defence were for a time stopped and
yet Mr.. Van Buien left debt of about l2 mill
lions. This shows that the current revenue from
'37 to to 40 was insufficient by 33 millions-that
is, more than eight millions per year. Now, the
government starts with the Van Buren, debt on its
shoulders; it is obliged to repair the neglected
works of military and naval defence, lin the csi-
mates of 1912 over 20 millions nrc allotted to these
Objects, and at the same time, by The operation of
the compromise act, there is a constant dilninution
Of revenue. From this glance it is clenr, that, ar
ter the most rigid retronchment in expenses, there
cannot lie raised, fiom the present resources. but
about hdyf enough to meet the wants fine Treas
ury. We find the Secretary of the Treasury es-
Inmates deficiency qf rerenue for 1912 of over
fourteen millions. These facls demonstrate the
necessity Of large increase of revenue and n
Tariff is the best means of getting il. Treasury
notes and loans are but temporary expedients,
which only postpone the day of reckoning,
and increase the debit side of the books Direct
Taxation would be intoIerabIe, especially to the
stoles in which, like our own, the effect would he
to withdraw much, and return nothing. But
H. We want Tariff in aid of the Curencu
The present influx of foreign productions, per
mittcd by our lou duties, and tho diminu,on of
American exports occasoned by high foreign du-
lies bring the balance largely against us, and we
meet il with specie. This creates an almos, con-
slant drain upon the banks, and is one ofihe eau
ses of their lamenlable condition.
Ill. We want Tariff for the Protection of
agriculture, Commerce and Manufactures
These are the objects to he attained and they
seem TO us 10 be essential to the honor the pros
perity, aud, indeed, the Independence of the A.
mercan people. Impressed with this belief, we
consider it duy to regard this as in fact TIE
MAIN QUESTION of the day, and so to treat
it. 1t is, too, the main party question, as we find
it demonstrated in the votes in Congress that the
locofocos are almost exclusively anti-tnrif. and
hence that heiriends of American Industry are left
TO rely chiefly on the Wing party for that egisla-
ton which will protect them against their enc
mics, both at home and abroad.
On these grounds we call upon the people of
Vermont to give their earnest attention 10 this
great question; and particularly upon our bre,h-
rem of the Hhig press in Vermont one and all,
earnestly and heartily to come up to The work of
sustaining in this particular, the rights and inter-
esls Of the state. For our own pprt. we b,ve
commenced the publication of series of NH,
and interesting documents for the information of
our readers The first is the Address of General
Talmadge which is finished this week. This will
he followed by the admirable speech of Mr.. Hud-
son, of Massachusetts, which will not be the less
acceptable when we say that Mr.. II. is a plain
spoken farmer, who goes strait at his business, and
does it up thoroughly.
We would thatthe important information which
we shall give on this subject might induce large
accession TO our subscription Hst; and to this end
we invite the aid OF all who deem the extensive
circulation of documents Of this character import
ant, both TO the Wing party and the whole people.