Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-11-05
COMMUNICATIONS.
Pm he Eaqaiy,
TIE TARIEE


The following Interesting facts are from The
Digest Of Evidence given before the Committee
OF the House of Commons, on the import duties.
and illustrates the noXious influence exertcd by
the protective principle. rs applied 10 the silk
and cotton factories oil England ard France, and
also the highly prosperous state Of manufactures
in Switzerland and Saxony. where protection is
repudaed. These, with The subsequent facts
which have a bearing on our own matters, Ihave
exhibited in The form OF query, believing that
10 be the most tangible.
Why is H. that the English cotton factories,
which have been the icas, protected, (and whose
development OF the cotton trade has been per
feciiy unrxampi:d.) have 81 tar excel!cd tba>e al
France which have beef. his.ay protected Why
is ii, that the silk factories of France, which are
The least. protected exporting louI-ft;h> of the
silk goods She produces, have gone 50 Tar ahead
Of those OF England, which are hisHy protected
Why is it, that the silk factories Of Switzerland,
without am protection, are able 10 manufacture
silk ribands, and compete with the silk manufac-
ture OF France, in her own market, paying duty
of fifteen per cent WHY'S il, that The silk anc
linen factories OF England, which have been the
most iigiy projected, have been subject 10 greater
dsircsseS than any others Why is it, that not
wihslanding the many natural disadvantages Of
Switzerland, yet without any protection, there
are numerous branches OF cotton manufacture
iour:shng in Switzerland more than in England!
Why is il that Saxony, who has no port ot her
own far removed from the markets for The raw
material, had neither ships nor colonies, and no:
verv considerable capital, and yc. from the differ
ence between the Legislation OF France
and Saxony the latter country, without Tarill,
in sixteen years established, in proportion 10 her
population, eight times more of spinning manu-
lectures, six times more Of looms, and twenty
,,l. hon
Bo,h The Swiss and Saxons attribute their success
solely 10 their having been free from the incubus
of fiscal protection, and il was with extreme re-
luctancc that SaXony submitted 10 the light pro-
lection Of the Prussian League.
We will now examine the perncious effects OF
the Tariff on the commerce and agriculture Of the
United States. Now, bear in mind, reader, that
the Tariff OF 81, and still higher Tariff Of Is,
were laid expressly Tor protection, and ha, The
great reduction took place in March 80, under
the Compromise Act and that this reduction con-
,inue,l yearly 10 decrease til II.
How is il, that from 1875 10 1882. tic period
when the pfoteeiirc policy was in lis greatest
yigor, the aggregate amount of onr exports were
only $i69 l9S,36l, whilst the aggregate "f value
during the periol Of rcdnction from 1888 To 1910,
was SOS, $685. How is il, that our foreign
and coaslin@ tonnage, from ls25to 1872 amount
ed 10 only l,i39,ii5 tons, whilst from 1853 Ia
1910 il amounted 10 !, $50, 163 tons! How IS II.
that the exports Of our domestic man"tdcnrcS from
1926 To- 1872. amounted only 10 sl3 ISL, 10,
Wills, from ISIS To 1910 they amounted 10 500
9l10lS How is it, that the aggregate value OF
our cotton exported. from 1925 10 l3.'2, amounted
onIy to 500 9S} 005 willis, from 1855 10 1910 II
amounted 10 Sill ,i9I 1896 ? How is it, that the
aggregate value ot our tobacco exported, rom
1925 to 1882, vas only Sd, G10,323 whilst from
1853 to 1910 ita.nounicd 10 SOB 565O66
Lelus take another view OF our tobacco interest:
From 1926 TO S32, the aggregate of tobacco cx-
ported in hogshcads was 690,soo
Whilst from 1892 TO 1910, il was 114202
The last series more by 1882 hhds
From 1926 10 1882, the average value per hogs
head was Ssbb w
Whils, from lS33 10 1910. il was 81 Ii
The last series, undera low Tariff, higher
per hid by SIC 43
How is il. that. although the increase Of our
tobacco crop. from 1893 10 1910, was 1882 hogs
heads more than that made from 1925 10 ISL
vet, with increase, under the wholesome intiu-
enccs OF dcatnding Tariff, il was worth ;sl6 Is
per hoashcad more than that sold during the peri
cd of higi Tariff?
Here are facts from an official source which
show conclusircly the evil effects OF the high
tariff policy on our commerce and agriculture.
They show, that as duties increased the price oil
our agricultural staples diminished, and that they
rose in value, as commerce was freed from The
letters impoSd on ii by The tariff. Let the South
beware and pause in time; or this Northern pro-
tection will be Southern destruction.
The prcecnt Tariff bears most heavily on the
farmer; all orr staples are at the lowest eho,
and We feel its effects 10 the very bottom oil our
pockets, (and you know, Messrs. Editors. that the
pocket nerve is an exceedingly sensitive ore
Our only hope for better times rests in the belief,
that in the coming contest we shall rout the Phi
ls,ines, and again be blest with some OF the
good old Democratic times. Then the smiles OF
Providence rested upon us, and our fields brought
forth abundantly- we could obtain fairprices
Tor our produce, and pay our debts; but since
Wing ruin has overspread the country, the far
mers are a set of the lankest looking fellows that
you ever saw-in their pockets al least.
Now let us view the bearings OF the Tariff on
the imports and exports of specie during the Pc
riod Of a high and low Tariff. Although these
and the foregoing facts have heretofore been
placed before the public, Enough in disconnect-
ed and different FORM yet, such is the structure OF
the human mind, that it is necessary that the
lsh, of truth should be continually applied TO the
understanding, 10 rectify its proneness TO err.