New-York daily tribune., 1844-07-04
Protection and Prices.

considered ii not garbied passage which 1t cree
is to the Philadelphia Gazette, asserting that f'o
lection cgnno. be afforded by Revenue duties
that To be efficient, protective duty must raise
n-;ces Now it is true that purely Revenue
Tariff cannot afford Protection, but not ioF 'ne
reason assigned. For ii duty is ialo purely i'f
Revenue. il must be laid so low as 10 encourage
and Justify irnportatons under it For instance
the duties on Boots and Shoes, Hats, Ready
made Clothing, &c. are nov Protective
,ha, is to say, they prevent any consldef-
able importation OF those articles, and secure our
own markets mainly to GU, own People. But ii
IS not true that Boots and Shoes, Hats, &c are
essentially higher to cur consumers IN conse-
ouepce. The Advantage to our producers oi
those articles is found in the wider market and
steadier demand for their products, not in enhahc-
cd prices.
Le, US illustrate this truth farniliarly to the
Journal. Suppose our CountTy's supply OF news
papers were one-half drawn from abroad-impoFt-
cd and sold among cur People, Just as foreign
Cslicoes or Boots have been-does the journal
doubt that Newspapers would IN the average be
dearer, the quality being considered, than they now
ere We have not doubt OF II. Has not the
increased and s;eadier demand for newspapers N
our Country within the last twenty years been
followed, naturally, inevitably, by reduction of
the average price Are not newspapers nov
vastly cheaper in those sections OF the umon
where thousands to the County are taken than in
those where their circulation is but 4 few hund
reds TO the County Would no. our large Dal-
lies evidently be sold cheaper, OF got up more ex-
pensivey if there were steady demand tor Ten
times as many as are now taken !-de'e Is Inc
principle on which Protection, by cnlarglng and
steadying the market, reduces prices to the con-
sumer. The American maker Of Axes, for IN
stance. sells them cheaper, now that he has a
market for many thousands month, than he
could possibly afford to sell them when he sold
but as many hundreds So 1t Is, or will be, with
Cutlery, Crockery, Stoneware, Glass Sc Why
won 7 the Journal look at this Ii continues TO
assert that Protection would be opposed by man.
ufacturers if it did not raise prices. But would
not the Journal welcome any measure winch
would quadruple its subscription, at It's present or
even a somewhat lower price
That the duty does not essentially cheaper ar
ticcs which continue TO be mainly imported
NAV be truc without at all touching the ques-
ton of Protection. We know, however, that
British Hardware men, Immediately on the pas
sage of the present Tariff, sent Circulars to their
former customers in this Country begging them
NOT to withdraw their orders as they nOuid tur-
nish goods duty paid, as cheap as they did be
fore. This they did in the average, though on
many articles the new duty would not permit 1t.
The production of these articles has fallen entire
lv into the hands OF our own workmen, vet Their
average cost is not increased, while in many in
stances it is reduced.
The Journal q.otes John q. Adams saying
in lS42 and Mr.. Webster contcnding in le2U
IN great Free Trade meeting-he being then
Free Trader that they could not see hOp Protcc-
tive Duties should reduce prices. Very well
zoe do see it-not that they will reduce all prices
for they do not and should not-but the price oi
all articles requiring the employmentof of mcch'nc
rv, large capital, &c. in their profitable produc'
ton. We nave no doubt that Mr. Webster and
Mr.. Adams non see ii, though they may not al
wavs have done so. Live and learn is the
naiely not with the Journal.
u WILLIAM TAGGARD has vacated the post o.
Surveyor Of this Port, at the peremptory suggcs
ton of John Tyler, and Henry c. AttcOod, dc
fcatcd Loco candidate for Sheriff last Fall, has
10, Ia
character, while his party had heavy majority
in the general vote he is now a voclierous Tyler
man, was a Delegate TO the Tyler Baltimore Con
ven,;on, and gets this office as his pay. He will
in the end pay Tyler by voting for Polk.
Bu, it was of Mr.. Taggard that we had pur.
posed to speak. When appointed, he had been
for many years merchant OF this city, and, though
not successful in amassing wealth. he has ever
maintained an unsulIied character for problty and
honor. An ardent Wing throughout, he was
never brawler, never interfered in any way with
another mans enjoyment of his rights. lie is a
man " HON no one who knows him would hesl-
tate to trust with uncounted millions. His sue
cessor is Henry c. Atwood
Mr. Taggard was appointed by Gen. Harrison,
and has been a most faithful and valuable officer.
He has been very strict in requiring thorough
attention to duty from the Officers OF Customs
under his supervision; he has insisted that they
should attend 10 their duties, and not spend theiE
time in eectioneering or loungng about the office
He has looked carefully into those departments ol
the public service under his charge, and effected
important reforms. He found, when he went
into office, fraud in unTesisted progress by which
u large amount of White Sugar was constantly
imported for Bromn-he put stop TO this, and
effected a saving TO the Government OF about
100000 per annum. He found another gross
abuse unnolced and unchecked, by which Sugar,
imported at low duty under the Compromise,
was largely exported in refined state and a
drawback obtained thereon equal 10 the old
Protective duty. In other words, individuals
would import cargo OF Sugar, paying $4,000
duty thereon, and export it again. receiving SIS.