Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-04-26

asuhcient answer to those OF his friends who endeavor
against reason and truth tell in BREATH thut
the high tariff has nothing TO do with The high prices at
which we are forced to buy articles which we do moi
produce and in another (when there is short crop Of
cotton and tobucco cry out ooh the Tari-the glor-
Gus Tarlif-see what high prices it obtains for your
produce"
"a Another illustrut;on-the shirt aGain-a duty
OF cents per yard can have nothing to do with the
price OF an article which costs only 81 cents per yard
now is not this too poor, too low piece of sophs
try to come from who has filled The large space
IN the public mind, which, for forty years, has been
accorded to Henry Clay Docs not the duty of six
cents per yard amount 10 prohibition not foreign
sellers thereby excluded the competition essened and
thus the buyers instead of having large and extend
ed market in which to choose, forced into contracted
one, We quote from The speech delivered by MIR.
Martin at the Cour, House the 18th of last month
"When the manufactures of all the world are left
open to the purchase of American consumers, they
have the opportunity of selecting the best and cheap
est from the whole of the goods manufactured but
when that market is crcumscribed by restrictions up
on vast majority of the sellers the is left,
tor articles of necessity, at the mercy of compare
lively petty class of holders. The producer although
not directly restrained from sending his crops where
he peases, nevertheless equally injured BY exciud-
from the markets immense class OF sellers Of ma
nufuctures those sellers rendered unable to become
purchasers Of our products because not being able find
sale for the fruits OF their labors they have not the
wherew i,hal 10 purchase The productions OF 1t
thus that the immense body Of the American people,
which unes in itself the CLASSES both Of producers and
consumers deprived of its natural resources for the
purpose of enrich'ng the artificial interests of few
eyed monopolsts
But let illustration meet llustration:-Eggs fash
| ionable here and we will take them-they are now
worth about ten cents dozen suppose the corporation
of Petersburg should pass ordinance declaring that
on all eggs produced in the town. tax of twenty
cents per dozen should be laid-eggs should RISE say
to eighteen cents Dozen some "Loco Foco" might
with ogreat gravity discourse upon the improperly
Of making the egg buyers pay too much for their eggs
and Mr. Clays friend with the shirt would answer,
sob no. the duty is only 90 cents, and you get your
eggs for H." This argument would not pass any
housewife in the town; and had Mr. Clay brought il
the attention of the lady to whom in the course of his
speech he appealed as to the price Of "hummun, we
would venture to say, that the captivating
smile of the splendid orator would have secured
sent.
Q5) Free Trade, as understood and every where pro-
claimed by its advocates in this country means nothing
more less than that duties shall not be her than
necessary TO raise sufficient revenue for an econom
cal administration of the government, and in no man.
ner form could lead to the necessity Of direct taxa
ton But let with what of holy horror Mr..
Clay regards direct taxation We quote from his speech
| Of a pril 20, 1920
i ave all anticipate that shall have shortly 10 re-
sort some additional supply Of revenue within our.
selves. opposed to the total repeal of the inter
nal revenue. would have preserved certain parts of
it, at least, to be ready for emergencies, such
exist. And am, for one, ready 10 exclude foreign
spirits altogether, and substitute for the revenue levied
them, tax upon The spirits made within the country
No other nation let's in much of foreign spirits
we do. BY the encouragement of home industry, you
will lay basis of internal taxation when 1t gets
strong, that will be steady and uniform yielding alike
in peace and in We do not derive ability
from abroad, o ply taxes-,hat depends upon our
wealth and indusry-and it is the same Whatever
may be the form of levying the public contributions.
"Internal taxation is the term here used We sup
pose no will be qubblar enough to deny that it,,
and direct taxation, and the thing Mr.
Clay is not only favor of this of taxation-but
to the encouragement Of home industry, to the Ia
riff he looks as the s'bass of internal taxation We
ask the consideration of readers 10 the
marks we have quoted Every sentence is food for con-
sderation and for comment-the latter our limits for
bid
| Q6) That prices lessened by competition, W
believe that will deny-but how that desirsbl
effect is to be attained by essening the number OF
competitors it is not in power to understand How,
by deprving of choice among all the manufacturers
of the world, and combining 10 those of the United
States, be benefited, result ut which the
Imagination Of Poet ght arrive, but which cannot
be attained by the reflection of apracica man As TO
the Democratic Partys agreeing with MIR. Cays Tariff
notions, it is difficult matter to decde-hc has,
OF late, made many extraordinary and conflicting
declarations in regard to them. See his Chambersburg
letter. his Georgia letter. his Pt,sburg letter. his letter
to Meriwether all written since the last Presidential
Election One thing, however, ia certain, the Demo-
Party do agree with his notions, il those
"notons were truly expressed in his speech of yes
terday.
IA In his Georgia letter he said
1.-THE and substance OF what conceive 10 be
the true policy OF the United States, in respect TIA
riff, may be briefly stated In conformity with the
principle announced in the Compromise Act, think
that whatever revenue necessary ID an economical
and honest administration of the General Govern
nent uaht to be derived from duties imposed on TO-
reign imports And believe that in establishing n
Tariff OF those duties, such discrimination ought to
be made, will incidentally afford reasonable protec
ton to national interests
81 think there danger of high Tariff being ever
established; that of 1898 eminenty deserving that
denomination. | was not in Congress when II passed.
and did not vote for il; but with its history and with
the Giro umstances which gave birth 10 IT, | am well
acquainted They were highly discredabls 10 Anne
rican legislation, and hope, for its honor will never
be again repeated
CATER my return to Congress in 1881, my efforts
were directed 10 The modification and reduction OF the
Of duty contained The net Of legs The net Of
1882 greatly reduced and modified them and the act of
1888, commonly called the compromise act, still further
reduced and modified them The act which passed at
the extra session Of 1871, which supported,
fined TO the free articles. | had resigned my seat in
The Senate when the act of 1912 passed Generally,
the duties which it imposes are lower than those in the
act Of 1882; and without intending TO express any
opinion every item of this last Tariff, would
say, that think the PROVISIONS in the main, wise
and proper f there be any defects in IL,
(of which have not the means here ofjudging they
ought to be corrected"
Here is the attempt made to place him in the posi- ton
of defender Of Southern producers against the oppres
sons of the bill OF 1923, which he considered hghly
discreditabIe American legislation" He refers to
his conduct in $50 proof of his claim TO this ds
tincton. lie. how his acts his words justify
the claim. We could wish to present readers with
3 full extract from the Register of Debates-that is
impossible listen however, 10 the testimony of an eye
witness:
"The paroxysm with which MIR Clay closed the srug
gle for the high protection Of the act of 1928 copied
from the Register of Debates The exhibition paper is
nothing compared with The actual in the Senate
as all who present can bear witness. The cou7
tesy of The National nellgencer always sets bounds
TO the exravagances, and soens the violence of its
favore actors; and hence the report only evinces
ungoyernable irritation and stubborn resolve on the
part of Mr. Clay no; to yield even the pa.ry half cent
bagging, the cent on sugar, the seven cents Of the
almost cent per cent woolens, and the other trihng
reductions made by tariff men, to show small dis
position to appease The oppressed Called harrassed