The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-02-25
THE TARIFE CONTROVERSY.

The advocates for high tariff, lay great stress
upon the protection which it is alleged will be az
forded thereby to American industry, home manu-
features, &c. This superstition, is in fact, their
rallying point-lhe grand lever by which they hope
to move the masses. But are these men sure that
n high tariff will have this effect! Are they sure
that all classes will be equally benefted-,he far
mer, mechanic, manufacturer, and laborer' In
der system ofhgh duties, intended 10 protect the
capitalist, and amounting perhaps, TO prohibition
Of The foreign article, will not the consumer have
pay an additional price for every thing which he
purchases u not, then we ask, where is your
protecioh Whht capitalist, who now complains
the injury done to his business BY the impor,a-
ton of foreign goods-who declares his inability
to compete with the foreign manuracturer-and
therefore demands an eAhorbilan, tarfl.-does no,
know that the price of the articles he may bring to
market will be thereby enhanced, and he be made
the richer by IT. Why, this is the tcry protection
which the high tariff advocates seek. It is idle TO
entertain any other supposiiion, attempt to clos,
over the matter bv declaring that such will moi be
the result. "Ahn' but says one, competition
will keep down the price. Manufactures will
spring up in every quarter Of our land--' thou
sands of spndles will be put in operation every
one who can command sufficient capital, Oh
adopting the credit system, will engage in the busi-
ness, and thus reduce the value of the article.
thus encourage American industry This is, in
deed, a very specious mode of arguing-full Of
sophiStry and error. Admitting such to be the rs
suit of the high tariff syslem--admittng that the
competition becomes SO great that the consumer
can make his purchases at cheaper rate than be-
iore-where, we again ask, is the protection so
much boosted Of Who is protected ?-whnt class
of our citizens = what particular branch ofndus-
! try is the manufacturer aided No-for he
receives less for his goods than formerly. Is the
mechanic benefited MOTOR he too, has to con-
tend with competitors. Is the farmer, the wool.
grower, protccted' Certainly not-for he can
get no more for his wool. True, he may raise it
in greater abundance owing to the great demand
for 1t, but without good profit it would be To-.
sing business after all, Would the great body of
the aboring classes-he bone and muscle of the
coun,ry-be benefited by high tariff, which
would induce compeliiion' MOTOR in the first
place, machinery would supply the place Of hand
labor, and secondly, those who were employed,
would obtain, not high, but low rnle of wages.
| The manufacturer. with hundreds perhaps thou
sands, engaged in similar business with himself
with no prospect of realizing large profits could
| not afford TO pay the laborer fair compensation
| The workmen, it is true, NIGH; combine together,
and " strike" for higher wages. But what would
it avail ihem' Then, the manufacturer would
suspend operations, and they be thrown out Of EN-.
| pIoyment.
Such, it seems to US, are the natural effects ofihe
doctrine, that high, exorbilan tariff leads to COM
petition, and therefore, renders every thing cheap.
1t is iallacy, 1t neither affords permanent pro-
| lection TO the manufacturer consumer bnt on tho
contrary induces many an homes, tller of the soil;
many II thriving arllzan or mechanic, to leave the
plough and workshop, TO engage in the precarous
and unls, lthy business of manufacturing AnG what
would The end be- Why, once raise the ,urifr so
as TO amount TO prohibition, and you open the
door for wild and reckless speculation. Thousands,
encouraged by the hope Of gain, rush headlong in
to the vortex. They would invest their capital in
manufacturing cstabllshments-at first, perhaps BIO
prospered in the underaking-seIl vnsl amount
of goods receive every encouragement have ev-
cry facility for carrying on n large business-nnd
in short, apparently are on the high road to wealth
when, by and by, others made gddy BY Tire ex-
ample, establish factories at every convenient point
manufacture articles in abundance. sell them at re-
duced prices, and at runous sacrifices This wa,
the case in 1928, when the high Tariff was in on.
Grafton; and similar effects would now be produced.
The market would be glulted; and insieud of COM
petition based on a high rate Of duties, proving a
blessing. 1t would prove curse; instead of protect
ing American industry. it would destroy it.
In view of this subject, the question arises.
"What kind Of n tariff is the best-on eShorbi.
family high rate of duties, or one which, while i,
partially protects industry, has for its main object,
the support of government !" To us the latter ap.
pears most just and equilable.-.Norih Star.