The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1844-04-24

that in England the price of coffee fell upon
the reduction Of the duties. Here he is I'M
fortunate again. Coffee is not produced in
England, and no raising of duties could pro-
duce domestic competition to keep down the
price. He selects an article TO which the
protective policy could not be extended, eth
er in that country or this.
Mr.. President the uniform effect of COM
petition is to reduce prices. But you can
have no competition unless you protect your
domestic establishments. The American
manufacturer cannot compete with the i'm
mense capital of England. Foreign goods
are thrown into our market, and sold at great
loss, which the foreigners can bear; and thus
| the price is reduced, and the domestic man.
ufactnre crushed in its infancy. The market
being thus yielded TO the foreigner, he makes
amends for his loss. Nor is this all: he has
often on his hands surplus, which the ordi-
nary maxims of trade require should be sold
at any price. After all is sold which can be
sold al a profit, the surplus is forced off for
what it will bring. The object of protecting
duties is not to give the manufacturer at home
| great profits, but to protect him against this
operation. 1t is to sustain the weaker party
in the competition.
The Senator from South Carolina can not
understand how it is thatwe desire protective
duties, while we insist that The effect is to re-
duce the price of the fabric. This is the par
adox which he desires explained. Sir, the
explanation is easy. The manufacturer if
sustained in his enterprise, is enabled, by the
gieater skill acquired by experience and BY
Improvement in machinery, to manufacture
cheaper at tho same profit. That skill and
that improvement will never be attained, if
you suffer him to be sacrificed in the outset
by the weight CT foreign capital. Domestic
competition will prevent great profits; and as
the manufacture is matured, and becomes
cheaper, the price Of the fabric is reduced TO
the consumer.
There Is at this time nearly three hundred
millions Of capital in the United States inves-
ted IN manufacturing operations, and the an
nual production Is computed at two hundred
and forty millions. Is not this an interest
worth protecting!
There are twenty millions of sheep in the
United States, and the amount of capital in
vested in real estate depending for its value
upon the growth of wool is immense. All
this rests upon the success Of that branch of
manufacture.
The opponents Of the protective policy
have resorted to many Gd eaPtdndum argu-
ments to render it unpopular. Itisrepresen-
ted, not only as an immense tax upon the
country, but as system Of favoriIism, al
tending 10 build up an aristocraey Of wealth
disregarding the interests of tho farmer, IA
voring the rich, and depressing the poor
Appeals are made to sectional feelings; the
people Of the North are told that they are
taxed to I'LL the pockets of the sugar planter
of Louisiana; the people Of the South, thai
they are taxed to support the manufacturer
OF the Northi New Hampshire is reminded
that she is taxed upon salt and iron, which
are not found there; and the farmer of the
| West is taxed for the benefit of the wool
grower of the East.
Sir, IN the great variety of interests, of pur-
suit and production, in this widely extended
country of ours, with all its variety of soil
and climate and resources, it is impossible to
find any one branch Of human industry in
which all are equally interested. If these
sectional considerations are to prevail, and
the peculiar interests of no one sec ton can
be the object Of your Legislative care, the
whole, with all its great interests, its means
of prosperity and happiness, must be aban-
doned. 1t is only by consulting the interests
of each portion, that the prosperity of the
whole can be promoted.
The Senator from New Hampshire asserts
that three millions Of dollars are annually ia
ken from the pockets Of the people. TO sus-
tain the sugar planter, and sixteen millions as
tax upon the necessaries Of life, which the
people might have, if il we're not for the pro-
tective system, for precisely sixteen millions
less" This is an unfair mode Of stating the
question. The sixteen millions is needed
for the support of the Government. Suppose
the'duties taken of; the revenue must be had,
and how will the people be gamers if they
get these necessaries at an expense less by
sixteen millions, and yetare compelled to pay
that sixteen millions into the Treasury in the
most odious form of taxation ever adopted
direct tax! Sir the true method Of stating
the question is this: If your revenue is kept
within the limits of your necessities, ia the
mode of levying it by duties, graduated with
a regard to the productive industry Of the
country, more burdensome to the people than
direct tax or imposts laid without reference
to that object
Much is said Of '.the rich and the poor, as
if our legislation was for the rich alone, and
all the burdens fell upon the poor. Sir, the
] great mass of the people Of this country are
neither rich nor poor. They are in condi-
ton TO command the necessaries, the comforts
and the conyeniences of life; but they are all,
more or less in debt, and dependent upon
their daily industry for the comforts they en-
ioy. 1t is for this class Of people that we
legislate; and if taxation is imposed, as it
must be in some form. let it be in way that
bestows the ability to meet it. While we i'm
pose burdens, let US consult the means of
those who bear them, and let us foster the
resources upon which we draw. Sir, the
poor man, If such there be in this country, is
the man whose daily labor is his only re-
source. Is the policy which gives him EN-
ployment, which prefers him to the foreign
iaborer, adverse and oppressive to him!
An effort is also made to convince the far
mer that his interest is sacrificed to that of
the manufacturer. The Senator from New
Hampshire takes this ground, and as anillus-
tration of this charge, adduces the article Of
leather. He tells US that the duty upon lea
Their is from 30 to 35 per cent. while that
upon hides is only five. That if he sell his
hide, he gets but five per cent. additional; but
if he buy the leather made Of it, he pays 80
to 50. | have already stated that none is i'm
ported, and of course the price of leather IS