The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1844-06-05

period of the life of man too short 10 teach
anything to nationl Are not the counsels
of the wise and good, the dead and living OF
our own land. sufficient for our guidance
For me, sir, the examples and teachings OF
our fathers suffice. / look for no instruction
in the science Of government to British wri-
tiers at home, or to British renegades, or alien
ated Americans here; and / prefer the pal
pable prosperity that can see and feel to the
airy visions Of the most persuasive theO-
riSt.
But it is time to look little more closely
at the bill under consideration, and TO inquire
into its real character and purposes. 1t is
scarcely possible to cast glance at it, with
out discovering that both its arguments and
its facts are derived from sources unlriendly
to American interests, and more disposed 70
color, distort, or suppress, than candidy TO
disclose the whole truth. You are hearing
the arguments and assumptions Of British
importers from the mouths ofAmerican states
men. The hostility of the bill to domestic
labor is so thinly disguised, If, indeed, there be
any attempt at concealE:ent, that it seems a
work of supererogation to point it out; but
so far as the policy il inculcates can be Ie
ferred to any ineligible principle, it is this {:
u uldhC SuOM VI pTOlCG-lOu " raw
terial, by slight reduction, or, as in the case
of wool not grown in the country, slight in
crease of the duties imposed by the existing
law, and then 10 neutralize this prOtectlOn,by
admitting the manufactured article at much
lower rate. The manufacturer can be in
duced to purchase the raw material only by
the hope of the rates that the foreign manu-
facturer can sell them in our own market, he
will suspend his operations and buy the raw
material no longer. 1t avails nothing to the
American producer to protect his wool by a
duty of six per cent, if YOU admit wooden
goods at the same, or lower rate Of duty
You destroy his market, by destroying the
inducement of the domestic manufacturer TO
buy. This is too palpable TO require any
calculation beyond the simple statement In
deed, so unequivocally is the bill character
lied by unrelenting hostility to American in
dustry, that it in general reduces the duties
imposed by the tariff of 1912 on foreign man
ufactures just in proportion to the amount Of
foreign labor expended upon them. This IS
point of so great importance that desire 10
draw to it the special attention of the Com
mittee. By the tariff of 1912, the highest du-
ties were imposed on those wares in which
the value of the raw material bore the lowest
proportion to the amount of the labor re-
quired for their fabrication, and so far the
duty operated as tax on foreign and bounty
upon domestic labor. The bill now under
consideration proposes to abolish this just and
salutary discrimination, and in effect to give
psemium to the foreign laborer. Thus, the
the duty on raw silk is reduced three and
half per cent; the duty on silk goods from
five to forty per cent. The duty on iron four
per cent. on manufactures of iron from four
to one hundred and severn per cent. The du-
ty on common wool, three cents pen pound,
on wooden goods from five TO fifly-seven per
cent. The duty on the simpler glass wares,
one per cent; ifpartially cut, sixty-twO per
cent, if cut from one third to one-half the
length, one hundred and ffty-six per cent,
and upon the larger sizes of crown g MSS two
hundred and thirteen per cent. To what
principle, but hostility to domestic labor, can
we refer system Of duties which favOrs the
admission Of foreign wares, in proportion rs
their value has been increased by the en-
employment Of foreign capital and foreign la
Dor!
The avowed principle Of the bill, that,
namely, Of providing for revenue alone, is not
merely opposed TO the doctrine Of legislative
protection-it goes beyond this, and wars
directly upon those interests which most re-
qure protection. A revenue duty must be
SO framed as to invite importation. II you
discourage the the importation OF particular
article, you diminish or destroy your revenue
from it, and if you aim to draw the greatest
amount of revenue from each description of
goods, you must so regulate your tariff as to
induce the greatest importation of those goods.
This you can do only by giving the foreign
producer preference over the domestic in
our own market. A revenue tariff, then, is
such an arrangement of duties rs will enable
the foreign manufacturers compete success
fully with the native, and is consequently an
tagonstic, not only TO that which is imposed
for the specific purpose Of protection, but 10
that more rational system so happily exem-
pIifed in the tariff of 1872. which, with sin
gular felicity, combines increase of revenue
with competent protection to most branches
of domestic industry.
| am aware that northern democrats, in
general, dare not openly avow hostility to
home labor. Like the chief priests and scribes
Of old, they ''fear the people" and even pro-
fess friendship for the cause. But this bill
comes from the democratic Oracles. Sooth-
sayers, of higher rank than the magi OF his
House, nave Deen taken lltO CouHCl' anu
mighty astrologer has pronounced upon the
horoscope. Doubtless the report speaks the
real sentiments Of the party; and its policy IS
destined to be carried out, if the scattered
and dispirited legions Of democracy can yet
be rallied in sufficient strength to wrest the
victory from the growing and gathering for
ces of ''that army with banners" which has
already smitten them with panic terror. 1t
is in vain to deny that the bill is both calcua-
ted and designed to overthrow the whole pro-
ductive industry of our people; and the
self-styled democrat for the laborer is that OF
Quaker skipper for the enemy'S captain who
boarded his vessel. Friend said lchabod,
flinging his Ibrawny arms around him, 81
will not hurt thee, but l presume thee can
SWIM" and, so saying, threw him overheard.
l do not propose to inquire into the con-
stitutional power Of Congress to legislate
with view of protection; for have not OBJ
served that constitutional scruples oppose
any very serious obstacles in gentlemen's
way, when favorite project is to be carried.
Besides, these scruples are particularly |
rife among the very same class of politicians |
who entertain no doubt Of the right Of this
s;noIe House TO exercise power, in restrict