Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1844-05-31


Rome ex'eafed between and the Apprentices
death of Constantine, and the evidence aetna
suv" an exemption granted in favor 800 600 En-
glsh acres OF desert and uncultvaed land. which
ted 70 oneeigh,h of the whole surface of the province
the footsteps of the arb,rians had ye,
italy, the Of this amazing desoaton which
ded in ' laws, can be asefosd only to tho
Of the Roman emperos
, We have here presented an instructive lesson
OF the disastrous consequences resulting to an ag
, rlcultnral country from free importation OF
, grams Consequences equally destructive to the
mechanical interests of this country would flow
from free and unrestricted importation of man
ufactu-ed fabrics. If we desire to foster the in
dustry of our own ctizens-to render ourselves
independent of foreign nations for the ries
of lIfe-to furnish within ourselves, tho articles
necessary to clothc populatlon-to provide
ourselves with the means of national defence in
time of war; we must adopt such protective duties
as will limit the importation of these articles.
My colleague upon my left (Mr. Wright) as
sumcs the position, that the tariff of 1912 rests
upon the labor of the country, and that it is espe
cially oppressive the agricultural interest of the
west. This position is utterly untrue. SO far
from being oppressed, am firmly convinced that
no portion Of the United States is more highly
benefited by the operation of that tariff, than the
agricultural States of the west The manufac-
turers of New England are not more Imperative
| ly required, by their intesest, to cherish and
| SllStitlIl IL, IMAM are the people OF luuldnd
| The great staples ofthe west are bread stutfs
and provisions. In proportion the demand for
these staples is increased, and their prices
| HANGED, will the prosperity of the country be ad
vanced. The price of pork and flour is a matter
to which we look with much solicitude. When
the market for these articles is depressed and pri-
ces arc low, we complain of hard times. When
the demand is active, and prices good, pros
Pority sheds its gladdening influence upon every
department of industry and business. Our far
mers will always give their support to that policy
which is best calculated to produce this desrable
70 suit.
That protective tariff, embracing such rate
OF duties as will extend our manufactures, and
increase the home market for the sale Of their
commodities, will facilitate this result, is, to my
mind entirely clear. The advocates of low duties
toll that we must look to foreign countries for
n market for our surplus produce, and that the
imposition of low duties will increase the extent
Of our market abroad. The faacy of this posi-
i eM i San be made aDparent by the sf"'""' =
In the first place, those European nations to
which we should look for market for our agrl-
cultural products, almost entirely exclude them
from their ports, by the imposition of high rates
of duty. Our sales abroad are limited to very
small amount. No portion Of the United States
derive less advantage from foreign commerce
than tho west. OF all our exports, but a very
small amount consists of their agricultural pro-
auctions.
The exports of articles, the growth or man
ufacture of the United States, for tho year 1889.
amounted to sos. 533. S91-about one hundred
and three and half millions of dollars. OF this
sum. only ST., l2S .66S, little over eleven mil
lions ofdollars. consisted of western productions.
including beef, tallow, hides, cattle, pork, hams,
bacon, lard, hogs, butter, cheese, horses mules,
flour, wheat, corn and every other species of
grain, potatoes. and apples.
The exports, in 1910. of articles, the growth
r manufacture of the United States. wero 5 49,
1854, of which, but Sl665l 6l5 consisted Of
the agricultural products before enumerated.
The exports, IN 1871, wero SlO6, 3S2. 722, of
which Sl4727 49,, werc of agricultural products.
The exports. in 1912, of articles produced in
the United States, were So2,969, 1916, of which
l4,o65O37 wore of the western productions
which have before specified.
These statements show that during period of
four years, the exports of the productions of the
western States amounted only to about one-se-
venth part of tho gross amount of our exports
This period too. embraces the timo during which
tho duties on foreign goods reached the lowest
point under the compromise act. We were then
in the full enjoyment of the advantages resulting
from low duties, and if the positions assumed by
those who oppose the tariff of 1912 correct,
VIC should then have found the advantages which
they contend will result from reduction of our
duties. During the four years above specified,
the duties were each year diminished under the
provisions Of the compromise act until 1912,
when they reached the minimum point of twenty
per cent. Did our exports of western agricultu-
raj products increase the duties dlmlnished!-
The facts which have presented show that they
did not-for in each of the years of 1871 and
1912. they were less by an amount exceeding two
millions of dollars than they were In 1910, not |
the duties were much higher in tho |
latter year than they were in the two first Eamed.
1t is idle, Mr.. Chairman, then to tell US. that
the foreign market for western productions IS to
be increased by reducing the duties on foreign
imports. The experience of the past proves that
it is not true-the principles by which those ma
tions, with which we trade, uniformly regulate
their commerce prove that it is not true-in short,
every fact, every circumstance, which tends to
elucidate the subject, proves that it is not true
Every nation both of the old world and the new.