The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1844-02-14


mate for the purpose Of revenue was never
doubted by any body. He evidently intend
ed that this should seem to be an affirmation
of the constitutional right to discriminate, for
protection; and yet before closing the para
graph he qualities it all away 1t goes off in
vapor; for he proceeds thus
Equally clear it is, that the practice of
making them DISCRIMINATORY has existed
from the commencement of the government,
and constitutes feature in every principal
tariff bill which is to be found upon our stat
ute book. They DISCRIMINATORY are, in
deed, indispensable to the successful opera
ton of every revenue bill there he puts on the
revenue face) whether the design be to guard
against smuggling on the one hand, when the
nature of the arlicle is such as to afford ia
cilities for that practice. or on the other, to
prevent loss to the Treasury by the imposi-
ton of duties higher than the value of the
article will bear, and thus prohibiting its in
PRODUCTION into the country"
Here is discrimination downward, to pro-
vent smuggling; and a special care not to
have duty imposed which may, in any case,
amount TO prohibition. But now comes
spice of protection-"If' he proceeds, sit
be, at any time, deemed necessary to the
safety of the country to encourage the man
ufacture at home, of the articles necessary to
its defence in case of war, nothing can be
more proper than to do so by discrimination
in favor Of the domestic manufacture, mas
much as the object in view is to promote the
safety of all at the expense of ALL"
So then we must wait till we are threaten
ed with war, and in the condition in which
the war of 1912 found us, before we may
move step in the matter of protection
If, at any time it be deemed necessary or
conducive 10 the safety of the country to en-
courage the manufacture of articles necessa-
ry for defence in war" then "nothing can be
more proper than discrimination" for that
object.
! Having thus touched upon "discrimina-
ton in favor Of domestic manufactures -
not, however, for the purpose of protecting
industry but to provide the means of defence
in war,-he strikes off into a very different
sort of discrimination discrimination to let
in articles free of duty) in the following man
ner.
Determinations have constantly been
made in favor of articles imported for the use
of philosophical or literary societies, for the
encouragement of the fine arts, or for the use
Of Seminaries of learning, specimens in nat
ural history, animals imported to breed, &c
&c. &c.-all founded on the same principles
in respect to the universally of the benefit:
designed 10 be secured at the common ex
pense."
And what has all this to do with the pro
tective policy, unless it be 20 cover up hi.
hostility to it by talking largely of discrimi
nation for purposes which have no relation tt
it whateverl
He now proceeds to Il most insidious. AMI
disingenuous argument against protection
which he addresses, in effect, to the poore
classes, in the following language.
"But above all, is the power 10 make then
Determinations of indispensable importance
as the only means Of relieving the poore
classes from the unequal operation of thi
mode Of collecting the public revenues, an,
of partially realizing Mr.. Jefferson's idea o
a wise and frugal government-one which
shall restrain men from injuring one another
and shall leave them otherwise free to regu
late their own pursuits of industry and i'm
provement; aud shall not take from the moutl
of labor the bread it has earned"
What sort of discrimination is it which j
thus TO favor the poOr-to "realize Mr. JEFF
erson's beautiful idea TO "restrain mel
from injuring one other" andto leave then
to regulate their own pursuits Of industry =
Why, it is the same kind Of discrimination o.
which he had just spoken, namely-admit
ting articles free of dnty. This is the dis
elimination which is "not to take from tn,
mouth of labor the bread il has earned "a
though a discrimination involving, not free
don from duty, but protecting duty, would
take the earned bread from labor's mouth
when it VIGOROUSLY fills the mouth of labo
BY giving it good wages, with steady demand
4 protecting tariff is emphatically the poo
mans friend. This truth is written oil ever
page of the history Of our tariff policy;
truth which Mr. Van Buren, entirely over
looks; while discrimination for free trade i
held up as boon for poverty to covet HI
then proceeds as follows
"The man of wealth, when he pays a tay
in the form of impost which inures, incident
ally TO the advancement of special interest
in which he is not concerned las though the
whole community rich and poor, were mo
concerned in the protection of every brancl
of our industry is, in degree reconcilec
by the reflection that, if the amount paid wa:
not collected in this form, it would be assess
ed upon him in another, referring to direc
taxation1 by which the amount of his contri
button in comparison with those OF his les
aff1uent neighbour, be materially enhan
ced.-But TO the poor man, no such consola
ito is afforded. The system that is the pro
tecting system] which operates thus favorably
to his more fortunate neighbor, increases IN
tax in an inverse ratio to his ability to pay
Every additional mouth that he has to feec
adds 10 the contribution heis obliged to make
for the support of government. MIR Var
Buren, sees nothing but "taxes" and contrl
buttons in protective tarif!l Its only BY
: discrimination in faUor of articles necessar,
TO his comfort, That is, letting in free of duty
articles competing with the manufactures nee
essary TO his comfort thatthe injustice to which
he is exposed can be mitigated. 1t [discrim
ination1 is, therefore, a power, the constan
and faithful exercise of which is, in my judg
ment, demanded by considerations ofjustice
humanity and sound policy"
What discrimination is this, which is thu
demanded! Out of its connection with wha
precedes it, it may be taken and quoted, as
often has been, as discrimination for protect
ion; when, connected with what goes before
+ it is discrimination of a precisely opposite
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. sin favor Of arti
| Giles" used by the poor man; that is, let