The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1843-09-20
THE FALLACY OF LOCO FOCO
PROTECTION.

he HohoW Hcditeu HleHuSHlp Ol even
Vermont loco foco leaders for protection
is eylnced by the eagerness with which |
they seize upon every objection to bring
it into disrepute. Their innate hostility
cannot be entirely concealed, even from
superficial observers Every fault is kept
by them in the foreground, while all that
is valuable is overlooked or depreciated.-
They are necessarily trimming between
their disrelish for protection, and their fear
of popular displeasure. So completely are
they governed by political bases, that the
imperfection in the tariff against which
they direct their loudest clamor, is that
which above all others the wings in con-
gress endeavored to remedy and in which
they were foiled by free trade loco
focos. Should the tariff on coarse wool be
found inadequate, every body must be sat-
isfed from what the New England wings
have done in congress, that they would EN-
brace the earliest opportunity to remove
the evil. But if any sane man expects any
similar attempt from the locos he must be
pitted for his credulity. The very first
important move oflocofocoism in the next
congress will be to repeal what is valuable
for protection in the tariff.
But in no respec: does that party more deci-
dedly eyince its hostility to protection, than
in its fierce attacks upon manufactures
Protection to manufactures, whatever it
NAV be in form, is in fact encouragement
to agriculture. Every yard of wooden
cloth made and sold in this country, every
body knows, consumes apound or two OF
wool, but every body does not reflect that
a certain amount of beef or other animal
food, potatoes or other vegetables,
meat, butter, eggs, &c. to sustain the la
borers, and the thousand and one articles
which are necessary to build for their shell
ter, and add to their convenience are rem
dered valuable, and Just as effectually, and
even more protected by prohibiting the
importation of foreign goods, than by lay
ing duties expressly upon the agricultural
production. Refusing to protect the man
ufacturer is Just as sure obstruction to the
agriculturist or wool grower, as if it had
been entirely withdrawn from his great sta
pie itself. And yet not week passes
without finding in the columns of the loco
papers, or hearing from the lips of their
members in congress while in session, the
most severe philipics against the proud
, lords of the loom and the spindle.
The farmer must have the manufacturer
by his side to purchase and consume his
produce of every description. But it Is
, impossible for the manufacturer to give
, good prices unless he can be protected II
J the home market for his goods. Hence
the reservation of the home market for thu
manufacturer is only carrying out protec
ton to the farmer. Protection for the raw
materia al would otherwise be entirely ineh
cient. The benefit of guard at one poin
is lost for want of it at another 1t is hig
time that the eyes of the farmers wer
opened to full view of the intimate con
6 nection which exists between their interest
and the interests of the manufactured
= They are identical, and those declaimer
who are endeavoring to create jealousies Il
the minds of the farmers, by belching GU
anathemas against manufacturers, SHOULD
be regarded as the greatest mischief-ma
kers in the country.