The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-07-19

Some weeks ago, one Of my whig customers
came to mill, and brought with him copy of Mr.
Evans speech upon the tariff and while his grist
was grinding he sat down and read it over to me,
and commented learnedly and long upon that par,
OF the speech that proves that high tariff makes
goods lower, and the higher the duties the lower
the price to the consumer. listened attentivey
and never disputed word he said; and when he
was about 10 start home, asked him to lend me
the speech, for / was greatly taken with it, and
wanted to read 1t to the people they came to the
mill. My whig friend readily complied, thinking
that he had made such valuable convert to the
high whig tariff protection cause. AS soon as he
had left, went to work and made me new toll
dish, and made it about two, inches higher than
the old one, aud immediately commenced taking
toll with my new dish.
The report was soon circulated in the neighbor-
hood, too, that had turned whig, and my whg
neighbors focked In by dozens to see me, and
among the rest, my old friend that loaned me the
speech, with several others came together to get
grinding, and all shook me cordially by the hand,
and welcomed me to the household OF whiggery.
As soon as their greetings were over, l took my
new toll dish. and in their presence heaped it
rounding full out of each of their grists
Halo, Bob, says one Of them, you have got a
new toll dish, ha'n't you'
Oh yes, says l., the old one got little shackling
like, and little wore off at the top, and rather too
small for the interest Of my customers and thought
it was best to have new one.
Yes, by gracious, says another Of them, do you
see that, Williams if it amt about third bigger
than the old one, will be shot: sure enough says
the other. Why, Bob, what the mischief does
this mean' how is that for the interest of your
customers, as you say!
Oh, says Livery plain, don't you understand it
the higher the TOLL the lower the price of grinding,
the more meal you get
Pshaw! now, Bob, says one of them, how can
you make that out? Now none of your humbug-
ging with your big toll dish in these hard Tyler
times.
Well, now, says 1, it is all as plain as day--come
set down here and let me explain it to you; and
straightway took out Evans speech and read it to
them and explained how the high tariff worked,
and although it appeared to increase the cost of the
goods to the importer and retailing merchant, yet
the higher he paid for them, the lower he could
afford to sell them to his customers, the farmers
and laborers who consumed them, and now, said
|, the same universal law of trade and cause and
effect applies with equal force to the miller and his
customers. He does the grinding and takes the
toll-you are his customers and consume the meal
and the toll being the price and cost of grinding,
it follows as necessary consequence, that the
higher the toll the lower the price of grinding, and
although my new toll dish appears larger, yet you
get more meal by it; and all this / proved very
clear by Mr.. Evans speech and the argument Of
my whg neighbor who gave me the document;
and tell you, friend Mack, it was a knock down
argument to those boys-they looked at each other
like SO many pigs in Newfoundland fog-each
expecting the other to answer my speech, but it
was no go; it was good whig argument and
proven by accredited whig documents, and they
Immediately gave in and admitted, that although
they did not exactly understand it at first, yet it is
now clear and as self evident as Mr.. Evans argu-
ment, showing that the higher the tariff, which
stands in the place of the toll, the cheaper the
goods, which stand in the place of the meal.
From that time have been using my new toll
dish pretty freely, and manufacturing meal and
-four has got to be first rate business; and what is
better, my whg customers, although their grists of
meal don't last quite as long as they used to, are
well satisfied. and now Mack, don't want you
to be blowing away here that Evans speech is not
true, and that this whig doctrine about the high
tariff making goods lower, is all wrong, for fyou
do, my pond is out, and am ruined, with my new
toll dish operation.
But, says Mr.. Mcconnell, pray Bob, how do
you get along with your democratic customers,
surely you can't humbug them with your Evans
speech and whig arguments'
Oh shaw, no, says Bob, use the oldtoll dish for
hem, and all goes off well--but now don't you
tell any body what told you.