The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-07-12
SPEECH
Delivered in the House of Representatives, May
3, 1874.
TConcluded.1
OF MR.. MCDOWELL, OF
I ON THE TARIFF.

Ihaye now, Mr.. Chairman, answered, as
think, the assumptions Of gentlemen on the other
side, and show, conclusvely, that it was not the
repeal Of the tariff act of 1928, nor the enactment
of the compromise law of 1888, that produced the
prosration Of all the business interests OF the coun-
try; and that the act of 1912 had no agency what
ever in the general revival of business, and the
present progressive prosperity OF the country; but,
on the contrary that the act Of 1928 contributed
more directly than all other causes, to the paralysis
which for the last few years weighed down the
mighty energies of the American people, and kept
them PROSTATE in the dust Ihave shown also, sir,
that is to the increased exports of the producers
of the country, pending the operation of the COM
promise act, that we are indebted for the vast In
crease of specie which alone saved us from i'm
pending and irretrievable bankruptcy, and impart-
ed vitality and vigor to all the great interests of
the country. A.
But. sir there is another assumption ofthe friends
Of high protective tariff, equally as preposterous
as those have noticed as l shall be able most
clearly to establish; it is, that high duties make
lo,o prices This position, find.is adopted inthe
report Of the Committee on Manufactures, made
by the honorable gentleman from Massachusetts,
TMr HUpsoN.] In that report the committee as
sume first, that foreign manufacturers can obtain
their capital for about two-thirds, and their labor
for about one-third or one-fourth, less than the
manufacturers in the United States; and thus the
idea of anything like fair competition, under these
circumstances, is altogether out of the question:
Now, after admitting this important fact and claim
ing that the manufacturer here ought to be protect
ed by duties upon articles Of foreign production, to
enable him to compete with the foreign manutac-
turer he then turns round and asserts that the tax
thus laid upon imported goods does not increase
their cost, but rather tends to diminish it. This
assumption he attempts to prove in the report by
most singular process of reasoning-namely, that
the importer will be able to buy of the English or
French manufacturer, the same description OF ar
tcles that he before purchased, atust such reduc-
t,on of the prime cost as will counteIact the duty
imposed BY the tariff here; or, in other words, that
the foreign manufa cturer and importer will, be-
tween them, sell the goods imported atjust the
amount of the duty imposed less than their previ-
Gus charges, and thus prevent, by the competition
for market, any advance at least upon the prices
paid in the absence of tariff of protection. Now,
sir, II comprehend the gentleman's positions they
are absolutely antagonistic 10 each other; and If
either be true, the other must be false for, if duty
Of so per cent be necessary to protect the cloth
maker in this country against the foreign competi-
tor, how can the so per cent. operate as aprotec-
tion to the former If the latter sells to the importer
at Just the amount of duty under the former prices!
Certainly, under such state of things, the tariff of
protection would be protection, because the for
eign cloth would still monopolyze the home mar
ket On the other hand, If the duty imposed effects
the object of protection, the price Of the foreign
cloth must unayoidably be increased so per cent, /,
where that is the extent of the imposition, which
would enable the home manufacturer to sell at the
same price. In further illustration of the case,
will give an example or two that, cannot be misun-
derstood or controverted will suppose "a truth
il my information be correct) that, under atarifof
rs per cent, Swedish bar.iron could be brought
to this country and sold at cents pound, which
our manufacturer ofiron of the same quality and
kind, could not afford to sell at less, II you please,
than at cents per pound Finding that he cannot
compete with the foreigner, he appeals to Congress
to protect him against the Swedish importer, in a