Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-04-20
From the i" Republican s:n,mei."I
FACTS FOR THE rEopLE-ruE TARIFF.


the evidence of the iron masters, before the Wing Ia
riff Committee of 1872 on the prices of iron in Eng
land propose now 10 quote the testimony OF The
sugar planters Of louisiana and Of The manufacturers
Of shoes, cottons, &c.
On page g. Saltonsali's Report, is inserted memo
rial Of the Legislature Of Louisiana 10 Congress ui
the sugar interest After exhibiting the capital, charges
Sc, Of The sugar estates, the memorial represents
From which IS evident. that louisiana with lis
hin climate and erPeHStre operations, Cannot produce
sugar under five and half cents while in the West
Indla Islands, with cir esaiai eiimate aad cheap ope
rations mIscoyadoes be produced, so as 10 yield
fair remuneration, al two ana half to three cents. ;"
And they ak in consequence the revival Of the high
duty Of 1916
| ask the people Of virginia 10 pause, and seriously
reflect on this memorial The sugar planter comes to
the high Tariff Committee and tells them, We cannot
make sugar for less than five and half cents per
pound and why Note the rcason-because our ''ci-
mate is uacerain,' and Operations cIpensrc' In
The est India Islands, with Their genial climate and
cheap ogera,ions,' sugar he made for two and
half 10 three cents per pound exactly half The price at
which it can be produced in Louisiana. And what do
they ask That Congress shall lay aN CT two and
half cents per pound West India sugar, To raise IL
price five and half cct per pound, that Louisiana
sugar growing may be profitable. The Wing Congress.
under the plausible prcicnce Of encouraging domestic
industry lay the tax And Virginia is taxed on every
pound of sugar she consumes, TO remunerale the SUI
gar grower for losses from "uncertan climate aud eX
pensiye operations"
appeal TO the farmers and planters oil our state.
For several years past, the climate oil Virginia has been
uncertain and repeated failures IN wheat and tobacco
crops have nearly ruined Close nomv and unlns
Industry have alone protected US from utter ruin
Never have the agrcu!turiss been so unproably en-
pioyed Inslead Of yielding fair profit our estates
have not cleared per entfew OF them have paid
expenses We cannot make tobacco for less than i've
and half cents hound l. il not enough that
suffer losses unaided by the fostering hand Of
Congress Must We be likewise taxed 10 enhance the
profit OF the sugar plancrto protect him from the
uncertain climate which Heaven has assigned his
ST te, and encourage the waste Of his own "cXpensse
operations :" Ours is Government OF equal rights,
eQua ben fits and burthcns, fair and just laws in its
constitutional limits But in this odious measure, Con-
gress uverslcps its bounds and lays tax my indus
try, 10 foster and enhance in value the industry oil an
other planter. This protective policy may be beneh
cent 10 the Louisiana sugar planter-but lis benign in
fucnccs are produced by laying the iron hand OF DIES,
polc oppression upon other planters for their benefit
Tie high Tariff secures 10 them five and half cents for
all their sugar but two and hall cents are taken
from my pocket and placed in his under The provisions
Of this infamous law. He is benefited by punlerns
me-his profits are reapcl from my robbery.
The census riurns show that lac 6i, G44 pounds Of
sugar were raised in the United States in lS40 the
bounty of two and half cents, laid By the Tariff, makes
an aggregate tax Of S3l50,0O0 levied upon the
nunity for the sole benefit Of tie sugar producer They
who receive this substantial benefit Of more than three
millions of dollars may raise the voice OF praise for the
Tariff but it must ever receive the berest denuncia!on
from those who unjustly pay it. The report on com
mcrcc, Of $780, from the Secretary OF the Treasury,
shows the amount Of sugar imporcd 10 he l2l, 100000
Of pounds or five millions less than the domestic pro-
!ucon. From which il Is evident, we pay more III
bounty 10 the producer, than tax 10 the Treasury.
The census returns state the quantity OF bar iron,
tho tnd ut
which, ut Of S25 ton, amounts TO 81 925 600 OF
aggregate tax. imposed bounty for the iron masters
On these articles there can be doubt but the duty
raises the price its entire amount. For the price here
is equal TO the foreign price, duty and charges OF trans
portation.
Let US proceed to the manufacture Of shoes "a
mi,tee appointed by The Dealers manufacturers, and
operavcs engaged in the shoe and leather business, in
the State of Massnc usetts," appeared before the Tariff
Committee and made the following statement: The
committee have learned from merchant, who has i'm
pored fourth of all the boots and shoes that haye
been brought from France 10 this country that the re-
atiye cost the two markets is 60 10 100. Thus,
pair of shoes costing hundred cents here, he
had in France for sxtytive, and the relative cost Of
German shoes is s!ill less'-page "a. "Shocs now
be imported, that will cost only sixts five cents in
France as ood as can be made il ths country f3y one
hundred cents They ask Congress to lay such duty
will make up the dierence-They do not pretend that
Massachusetts shoes can he sold as cheap with or with
out high Tariff as the French shoes, good can
be made in this country" No-thcy candldiy tell the
truth, that France make and sell them thrty-lve
per cent cheaper and. therefore, must be taxed.
The paper manufacturer appears, and states (pagc
Sl) The prices of labor in this country fro &c
to % per week for In France, and other cHun-
tries with which we shall have 10 compete, in
formed that The OF labor for the services
but from one-fonrh 10 one-ff.h of the above. The pa
per manufacturer pays by the year from 1912 10 Si6S
lo~.r th.s
formed for $50 for year. They ask Congress 20 lay
such Tariff will raise French paper TO the same
price as theirs and thus the people for the benefit
of the paper manufacturer The Wing Congress COM
plies with this modest request and their voice Joined
to the chorus Of praises this benefcent Tariff
The cotton manufacturer comes before The commit.
tee, and tells them (page $50 1.-The price of mere
labor withou, skill is about cents per daythe st
grade with SKILL i, about ST. 10 81 50' tina, is, they
paw the unsklled laborer 1926, and the skfu laborer
from 1913 to s470 per year. The same witness tells
the committee, (page so 1he profits hare been rery
pooa"a fair business till within the last four years"
They ask Congress 10 raise The Tariff, 10 enable
them TO make every good profts"and still pay their
laborcrs 1910 per year Congress complies, by laying
an average duty OF fifty per cent on cotton goods, and
the cotton manufacturer becomes its champion.
The aborer employed in the tobacco culture, receives
from fifteen to thirty cents per day. or from Si5 TO $50
per annum-and the planter make no profit al these
low rates But he must be taxed all his cotton goods
to such m extent to enable the manufacturer 10
Every good profits, after paying his day aoorer from
IS to RI so cents per day. He must be taxed in his
iron sugar, and salt, tools clothing, and furniture,
average rate Of forty cents in The dollar The ingenuity
Of Congress, aided by the Committees Of Manufac,u-
rers must unite to impose upon him the greatest share
OF burlhens their joint skill can devise. Is the plan
Ter once consulted Is his interest regarded NO !
The Government was Instituted for his encft and
protection He is looked upon in the laws with as
much contempt as the Greeks looked on barbarian =
This is fast becoming Government, whose sole aim is
the encouragement of nonopoly-which is rearing up
exclusive privileges favored classes
favors on ome-and all this by unjust impostons.
equal laws unconstitutional and arbitrary assumption
Iof powcr. PLANTER