Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-10-19
TAT Wt fIN4NFCT
THE HOME MARKED

lect OF The Home Market. In that article, en-
deavored 10 show, that duties on importations
tended TO enhance the price OF manufactured ar
ticles, 10 diminish the number OF persons who
could afford 10 consume them, and 10 lessen The
quantity of raw material necessary Tor the manu-
facturers. | also stated a principle OF CONNER
cial intercourse which has been sanctioned by
many able men, The Hon. Henry Clay of Ken
tucky amongst Others that the amount oil a nations
exports forms the measure OF lis imports from
other countries-(V Vide Clay's Speeches, Vol, PIP
2H ZIG aud $50 "New York Tribune Edition J
From this principle | drew the Inference, that
protective duties, by creating domestic supply OF
manufactured fabrics, must diminish the exports
OF foreign manufacturing nations 10 this country
without increasing them elsewhere, and thus i'm
pair the fund 10 purchase ouI agricultural produc-
lions. To prove, that the FACTS contained in the
commercial statistics of the country, sustained
nv deduction as true in the practical operations
of trade, presented tabular statement of our
exports OF tobacco in each year. from 1924 10
1913 inclusive with the value in each year, and the
average value per hogshcad during each period
o! the various protective regulations which had
been in operation during that time:
49,. - -.",r'c"n' ,'nAo H." fact evident.
that dnrRc each ~ tt0sc pcrtc1S, the AVERAGE
PRICE PER noGSnEAD OF OUR TOBACCO EXPORT mas
INVARIABLY DIMINISHED, WHEN TIiE TARIFF WAS
INCREASED, AID HAS As INVARIABLY INCREt SED
WHEN THE TARIFF WAS DIMINISHED. This. | as
sert. has been the uniform effect for twenty years,
ami no enc has questioned tic correctness If tic as
Mrttoa, or disputed the authority on which my
tables were founded. Yet the Richmond Wing.
and couple OF lis correspondents, have com
planned bitterly, because | did not mention the
amount consumed or manufactured in Virginia
Now, il seems 10 me, these gentlemen should have
informed the country, as well as myself, where
statement can be found, embracing the home
consumption, with lis value, during the period of
lime was considering. The absence oil such
information, is sufficient reason Tor my silence
on that head-Anoiher reason equally satisfac-
tory 10 my mind is, that had been furnished
with such statement, | should have regarded il
as entirely foreign 10 the subject | was invcsti-
eating. The quantity of tobacco bought ~ TO
reign nations, and the price paid hy foreign ma
tions, was all that | cared for. The Richmond
Wing, and lis complaining correspondents, would
do well 10 show their objections TO be material,
before they urge them so eagerly.
The authority, on which relied TO sustain INV
estimates Of the exports Of Tobacco prior TO 1912
mentioned 10 be "A Statement of the quantity
OF Tobacco exported from the United States from
1871 10 1872, with the value of the same from
1902 1912 inclusive, complied from Gtfcial docu
ments," and contained in the End Vol. of the Uni
ted States Almanac, p. Iii For the quantity ex-
ported in lSi2 and 1913, relied upon an estimate
made for the Richmond Wing BY two merchants
of this city, one of whom seems 10 be the ideaH
cal complaining correspondent, "Iackahos." The
first part of my estimate has not been questioned
II the second portion can he successfully asSailed
the fault is 'Tuckahoes" and no, mine. Though
he was speaking OF Il matter which his business
qualified him TO speak of; il he led me into an
error, hope he will abuse my confidence no far
ther
The statistics have presented up 10 the pas
sage of the Tariff, have not been questioned
The fact, that prior 10 that time, an increase of
the Tariff was accompanied 10y decrease in the
value Of this particular export, and reduction
of the Tariff has been accompanied 10y an in
crease in the value Of this particular export, has
not been denied. The fact is further admitted that
the value of our exports of Tobacco has decreaS-
ed since the passage of the Tariff OF 1912 Here
the Wings discard all the differences 10 be drawn
from information prior 10 that event. and trust
their hopes unon an abstraction 60 use their own
term) OF the very worst kind since they wouli
conhne our investigation to matters Subsequent
The passage of that act when we would ascertain
general rule OF commercial intercourse. Adj
uniting that there has been an over supply and
mat any quantity, however great, has been MANI
iactured IN Virginia since 1912 yet We, have the
facts prior 10 tha, time establishing chain Of evil
dence which 10 reasonable mind should be con-
elusive aSains, the Tariff policy, in nv humble
judgment. Yet the Wings would discard this evil
dence thus establishing new philosophy OF rea-
Soning, based on an utter abandonment uf III, the
guidance 10 be obtained from long train OF facts
and circumstances; and giving sanction 10
species of investigation which can lead only 10 a
tissue of theoretical absurdities, and produce a
mass Of practical evil. This evil will he well
meritei b. those who follow 'blind guides that
discard all experience, sheer al all philosophical
investigations and prcsen, their crude conceiis a,
worthy Of public confidence, only because they
are opposed TO the planes dictates Of common
sense" and pronounced 10 be iallacious hv all
legitimate deductions from acknowledged rrinci-
pies.
The most conspicuous among those who are
endeavoring 10 convince the public that the low
prices Of Tobacco at present, arc caused by an
over supply and not By the Tariff. is Il writer who
signs himself "Tuckahoe." The Wing makes
public his true name, with a flourish Of tfumpetS
rs one qualified TO speak with some degree Of
authority on this subject. As this writer has
honored me with his especial notice | feel that
courtesy requires that should examine his state
ments, whether think them worthy of the time
and attention or not Let us then examine "Tucka-
hoes" facts and figures But before doing So
must notice Statement, made by this writer He
intina,es that have, under an assumed name,
yentured upon statement for mere party effect,
which would not have made with nv trnc name
before the public; and further, that ! was more
DESTROYS of serving party, than of giving the
people OF Virginia correct information This in
tilnation, must say, is gratuiious and untounded
and argues a degree al partiZan feeling on the
part OF Tuckahoe, which canno, be charged to my
account. stated fully what protested 10 state,
and upon authority too, which he does not pretend
10 deny, with all the mercantile knowledge and
experience which the Richmond Wing attributes
10 him. And now, with NY name before the pub
lic stick TO the text OF my former commun-
cation; and call upon Tuckahoe 10 make out a
better table than the one presented. | have seen,
to-day, for the first time, a tabular statement OF
our exports Of Tobacco from 1891 TO 1910 incu-
sive, which differs slightly bu, not materially.
from the table contained in the United States Al
manac, 10 which have referred This statement
is contained in Doc. No 235 OF the 9Th Con-
gress 2nd Session, p. l6, which Tuckahoc has in
his possession, presume. And if have no,
been misled by hasiv examination, this stale
ment is worse for the Wing party, than the one
contained in the United States Almanac. will
furnish Tuckahoe with this document il he wishes
10 see it. And here would remind Tuckatoc,
that Mr. Dodge is his witness whom he has intro
duecd and then diMrcd,tcd.
Proceeding upon the data Of Mr. Dodge Tuck
ahoe informs the public as TO the quantity of to-
bacco raised in foreign countries and the United
States This information Tuckahoe will find TO
be incorrect, il he will only use little of his mer-
camille skill in casing up the items. The real
amount, on MIR. Dodge's authority, is 2S6,i5i
lhds, (allowing 100000 hhds. as the product Of
the United States) But this table only shows
that tobacco is extensively cultivated in foreign
countries Tuckahoe's next statement is worthy
of more attention. 1t is this. Let us examine ii;
'The product of the United States is estimated by
Mr.. Dodge, for 1912, at lGl 900 hhds.
He says the consumption of the U.
s is IS, 900 hhds. which cannot
be correct by his own showing
for 20 years the average was only
10000 hhds. and in 1910 it was
1888 hhdS; but say 10000 hhds.
Leaves for export, 900
Mr. Dodge gives a statement 10
show that Europe requires 1896
hhds. American tobacco annual
"; but say 10000
Aud add, for manufactured