Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1843-06-16
From the Wa,chman.
A FREE TRADE ARGUMENT AVSy

A FREE TRADE ARGUMENT ANSWERED.
a little more than year ago, if we do no,
misremember, the Vermont Patriot was in the
haoIt OF using the argument Of free traders that
protective duties are taxes upon the consumers
ior instance, protection on any class of goods
must necessarily raise the price of those Goods.
and thus draw the price of protection out of the
pockets OF those who purchase the goods and
put 1t INTO the pockets OF the manufacturer.
IRIS may indeed be true in some circumstan.
ees' such as the commencement of new
eFancn OF manufacturers, when for want of skill,
facilities and experience, the cost of the domes.
tic article is enhanced, while the FOREIGN is
perhaps put far below its real cost in order ia
break down the domestic. Bot more generally
the reverse is the fact. While foreigners con.
troHed our markets they fixed the prices nearly
az VIII, and reaped the profits, and experience
mas iully proved that these prices were exhor.
bltant. ny the introduction Of domestic manu-.
lectures, competition was produced, both be.
tween the domestic manufacturers individuality
and between them as class and the forcicn
by that competition their articles have been
reduced to fair remunera,ing prices, and the
profits have been kept within the coun,ry.--
ihus are The free trade arguments triumphant.
" answered, and the sound policy of protection
demonstrated. The N. Y. Tribune has shown
up TINS tree trade iallacy most beautifully, and
we avail ourselves of It's article. In order 70
see what the free trade doctrine is. the anney.
ed is quoted from the New York Evening Post
OF March 7tl--a blue-lght federal organ Of
Old but now one OF the biggest of the locofoco
leaders
From the N, Y. Evening Post, March 7.
WOOD seretcS are charged with duty of eight v
per cent. I'D rdlorem, making the retail price ma.
Huea less than double, if imported under the present
frFs Al,
prohibited and the domestic article will be sold in.
tead, causing the consumer to pay no tax, indeed,
70 the Uned States, but tar 10 the Eastern manu-
Jacfurtr Of one third he price, for the priruege Q,
handsome 10 the eve being made by machinery; but
on account of the high price OF labor has to be made
out OF WIRE instead Of forged blanks and so 1riL
cause many carpenter 10 rronr, orer heads t-istg
fers use az The foreign article These inconvenicn.
ses are TO be borne for the privilege of contributing
to the IL gotten gains Of the Manufacturer, Of TIE
East" &c. &c. &c.
Now for the answer, and complete one il
is, quoted from the same paper of a subsequent
date:
From the N. Y. Evening Pos, of Nav f..
American Wood sere,cs. We have been showed
a sample of screws manufactured by the New Eng,
land Screw Company al Providence, r. l. Tnsl
are remarkably neat and regular in their workman.
chip, compared NTH the British article ,riich i
rough. and course 10 the eye We are told that the
cost OF manufacturing them IS about n cent gross
that cir! will turn ont, with the machinery, Sixty
gross day, and that the rnanufactory Of the compa
ny makes about ton Of them daily. They may b.
Furnished tl'enty ve PER cent cheaper ihan The Ing
hst article which will ensure their sale in this coun
Try we suppose, TariH 0, no Tariff
The same is true Of cutlery. Witness the
annexed from the same locofoco free trade news
paper.
American Cutlery. We were interested in III,
examination Yesterday of some beautiful specimens
OF American Cutlery manufactured BIZ J. Russcl &
Go: Al Green River Works, Greenfield Mass. The
arueies are iIly equal N material and finish to The
best specimens OF the rival wares of SheiIeld tn,
blades are OF the hest east steel the handles are
ivory, bone, and beautifully polished wood. No
only are these articles fully equal IN merit to the riva
English goods, bur they are afforded al a price be
iop that at which Cutlery was ever sold IN Thu
country before theimposon of our present Tariff
We learn uih pleasure that the market for American
Cutlery as peH as other drteles proteeted by N,
Rs,o TariG isSteldiy extending, giring ,,ider ana
tesdsr employment 10 american Labor. At present
the Green River Works arc making one hundred
dozen OF knives and forks per day and ara mnkinp
arrangements for still further extension Of their bu
fntss." Wv
The same s also true Of cotton goods, &c has