Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1844-05-10
CoNIuNICATIONs & WIG MEETINGS.
TARIFF-NO. V.
WASHINGTON, May lst, 1874.

No nav an enhanced price for the articles which
they buy will present some OF the reasons
which induced to believe that 1t VIII create an
increased demand and enhanced prices for the
articles which they have to sell. The prosperity
Of the people Of the west must in a great mca-
sure depend upon the extent of the market which
thew are able to find for their agricultural pro-
ducts. The advocates Of low duties contend that
the foreign market is the one upon which we
must RELY. What is the extent of our foreign
market? For the last ten twelve years, the
whole exports of the United States have ranged
between eighty and one hundred and twenty mil
lions annually. OF this amount nearly three
fourtbs have consisted Of cotton, rice, and tobac-
co the productions Of the Southern States.
In lS4l the entire exports Of the United States
where SlO6,3S2, 722. OF this amount of exports
ONLY $l4727, 1855 consisted of such articles as arc
raised or produced in tho west, including horses.
CATTLE and every variety of provisions grains and
bread stufIs. England is the nation from which
we purchase tho largest amount of goods which
we import, and it is for tho purpose Of admitting
hor products at the reduced rates Of duty that we
are asked to modify tariff laws. Let us look
at the state Of trade with that nation and see
Their concess ions on part. In 1S41, we pur-
chased from England, principally in her manu-
featured fabrics, tho enormous amount Of $45,-
73O,OO7; while she in return during tho Same
time purchased only Of our Beef, Tallow, Hides,
Cattle Pork, Hams, Bacon, Lard, Hogs, Butter,
Cheese, Horses, Mules, Flour, Wheat, and every
other description of grain only the amount Of
$l,454, 1855.
Yet with this enormous dsproporton existing
in our trade, tho people of the West are asked to
make still further concessions to Great Britain,
and permit her to lnundatc the country with her
goods at merely nominal rate Of duty; while
she carefully excludes from her ports our agricul-
tural products.
From the facts presented, it will be seen that
the entire amount of our foreign market for Wes-
tern productions, is less than thirteen and half
millions. This is but drop in the bucket
pared to the vast amount of our surplus. Who're,
then, have n market for produce !! 1t is
alphabetically at home, and it i, to tho hon: mo- -
ket we must look TO- r'.''y' an '"die
.nu. home market is frequently spoken of i'll
terms of dersion, but any person will find upon a
comparison of our homo market for our surplus
products with the foreign that the former exceeds
only able to sell in every other part Of the
world, about thirteen and half millions annual
ly of Western productions, we must have our
market at home for vast surplus beyond that
amount. Tho State of Massachusetts alone con-
sumes, annually, about forty millions worth of
the productions of other States, being amount
nearly equal to one-half tho entire exports of tho
nation, including Cotton. Rice and Tobacco
She consumes annually Of tho productions of
the West, which have above enumerated, over
fifteen millions worth, being moro than we sell to
every foreign nation. and nearly ten fold as much
as we sell to England. He must be blinded in
deed who contend with these facts in full view
before him, that our homo market is of no conse-
quence. 1t is every thing to us, and we shall pros
per in the samo proportion that we foster and en-
courage it.
BY adopting such policy as will enable our
people to supply themselves from their own labor,
with their clothing, their implements Of husband
~, their mechanical tools, and in short every I
hing which they need for their subsistence and I
comfort, SO far as VIC have the means within the I.
country of producing them, shall build up and ,
extend the home market until it will absorb the {
'ntire amount of our agricultural surplus. Every S
'erson engaged III manufacturing mechanical I
pursuits becomes consumer of the prod ,cts of .
he farmer. These are not confined to the large :,
establishments of New England. t
They are to be found in every village ard ham, t
Of throughout the nation. The greater is their 9
lumber, the greater will be the demand for tho :
read stuffs and provisions Of tho farmer. :
If the policy of the government should be such a
$ 10 prevent our own citizens from engaging in Y
he manufacture of tho various commodities which I
'e need, we must pay foreign laborcrs for produ-
ing these articles. who will not be consumers of II
"r agricultural products; while. at the same
ne' we destroy tho market which would be cre-
tea by the consumption of the domestic manu-
acturng interest. Yours. sc.
e.. r SMITH sc