Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-03-25
THE TARIFF.

which is now 10 DC al uScu-ihe oui. ioen ~ W.
course of The present Administration, and Wheh II
is removed. the Vessel of State will be IN snoo'h
water, for some time 10 come-muSt soon III US
cussed. Ii will come before the next congress oi
conrse-and the attention OF the Government must
h, called IN +, and the public mind must be pre-.
pared by previous investigation, for It's hnal anu
w;sesi decision. We beg leave to break the ice
nv LAYING before our readers the following capital
article from the pen OF very intelligent Republic
can member of Congress from Virginia:
FACTS FOR THE PEOPLE,
Illustrating tie effect Of high duties IN producing
lo,c prices Of -Four Tobacco, and Cotton.
The taxing power, in all Governments, is most
apt 10 be improperly exercised, and, therefore,
should be most sedulously guarded Whenever
Government has to substitute the indirect or I'M
post system of taxation in lieu OF d'rect taxes, 10
raise the adequate revenue for defraying lis eSi-
innate expenses this tendency 10 exercise the tax
ing DO yer, unwisely and oppressively, IS greatly
augmented. Our Federal Government having
selected The indirect system of taxation, as being
more conoenial 10 the genius OF our institutions,
il becomes the constituent body, now that their
Representatives have selected tins more subtle ana
complex mode oil levying contributions Tor the sup
port OF Government, 10 examine minu,ely lnlothe
whole scope aud operation ollhe imposl system up
ON all ofhe great interests otthe country. Because,
even admitting that mode OF raising revenue, when
fairly and Justly carried into practice, 10 be good
and proper one, yet in It's very nature, IT'S oi al
other systems mos, liable TO be grossly abused
WHEN dircct taxes are resortcd 10, We know al
once what each man, and each section Of The
country, pays towards The support oil Govern
ment Thus knowing whaleach one contributes,
we can easily detect unequal taxation as well as
qlneoual disbursements But il is within the
mower OF Government to taE each man and each
great division of The Republic equally, and YET
BY unequal disbursements benefit some sections
Of the country al the expense OF The balance. II
is vet more clear that il you combine unequal
TAXATION with unequal disbursements you will Con-
fer the greater benefits on the favored few, and
impose the heavier burdens on the oppressed
multitude But The evil may be aggravated in
much higher degree. For you may as is I'M
fortunately now our situation, under an imposi
system of taxation not only effect the foregoing
enormites, but, by its mysterious and refined de-
vices you may while taxing one section OF The
country 10 aggrandiZe some favored portion oil
the confederacy, also exact contributions from
particular branches OF industry 10 ios.er and en-
rich those employed in other pursuits So, there
tore by sly and subtle process OF Indirect taxa
iion imposed apparently for the equal beneiit OF
all persons and all sections of The country, we
find both from theory and sad experience, that
one section NAV be taxed for the benefit OF ano-
Their and that some branches vi labor may be
unnecessarily burdened TO enhance The profits OF
a favored one. When any community has to
bear The evils growing out OF this compound
mode Of taxation, it is no less the duty than the
interest OF the constituent body 10 give the whole
subject thorough and impartial examination
The doctrine OF protecting American manu-
factures is urged upon various pretexls. Some
OF the champions OF what is'crmed The "Ameri-
can system" say we mus; protect our American
labor against the cheap pauper labor oil Europe
This they propose 10 accomplish BY taxing Inc
cheap foreign goods when imported into The United
States in e.ccaange for our dgr'enAhTal produc-
lions. By the way, never heard Il farmer com
plain OF being able 10 purchase cheap goods IN
deed, the more he gets in exchange for his crops
The better Tor all parties. But al The urgent soil
citation OF interested manufacturers, Congress
passed high protective Tariff in 1872. As a
consequence Of that act commerce and aSricul-
ture languish, and the people complain. And
what think you is the crv NOW these farm gen.
,ry2 Why that HIGH duties make CHEAP goods
Then, as their suicidal policy has 7cdncei the
value OF our great agricultural staples, we pro-
pose 10 relieve them and the country from this
painful dilemma, by reducing the duties. lfihcy
are honest in their professions, they should mos!
cheerfully accept our offer since they admit that
their protective Tariff policy has had the latale-
feet of degrading all classes of american labor,
and thereby enabled OUR manufacturers 10 manu- |
facture CHEAPER than they can abroad Strange
as it may appear they object 10 our rc.iertng them
from loic prices, which was the very er4 that at
first induced them 10 dcn,nnd high tariff. Ihey
either PLAYED the fool in astiag for high duties,
or else they are playing the knave in hOidiag on
20 them. 1t is, however, contrary to the first
principles Of common sense, that any law making |
an addition TO The COS, OF manufactured goods /
should be a reduction Of the price, and II would /
be most cruel to suppose that the manufacturers |
were in fact such stupid fellows, that in their et-
forts 10 legisae in ftror OF high prices, they |
should in truth have egisaled in favor OF ior |
prices. But we all know that cheap goods are,
10 the MAN. the result OF Ter ScngeS and reduced
loSt of the raw materials, in conjunction with the
iow rate of interest on The capital invested. These
three elements enable Europe 10 manufacture
goOls al less cost than we can in this country. |
But il our high tariff has enabled our manniac-
iurers 10 manufacture aud sell their goods at
cheaper rates than the foreign goods can be pur--
chased AT, We must conclude that lo'c 1rases VIII
follow io7r prices, that our capital has been rem
.ercd less productive, and that our staple rroduc-
lions have bv the introduction of the high tariff
policy, been reduced in value. So, therefore, Inc
a5or!ag classes are mt benefited by The protec-
1--we tariff policy nor are the producers OF inc raw
materials But, on the contrary, The want OF
employment for The mechanics aud aborng PEG.
pie, and the olc prizes Of our leading agricultural
productions, all mos, clearly demonstrate The
proS,ralng and ruinous tendency OF The hiSh "a
riff bill OF 1872. That bill has reduced the wages
OF labor by destroyjaC the profits OF agriculture
and lily becomes lis friends to say has cfrap-
e,;ca goods, when il has thus destroyed our ability
10 purchase.
We can only grant what is termed protection,
or system Of indirect hounles, through the tax
ing power No one objects 10 contributing his
share towards defraying the Legitimate expenses
OF Government, because they all equally parlicl-
pale in lis blessings. But when indirect legislative
bounties are granted 10 foster any special class oil
induslry-it can only be done by imposing a TAX,
in the form Of enhanced prices, on the people al
large, or any particular section, and for thu BENG
fit OF favored few. II a protective Tariff CON
iers No pecuniary advantages in the shape ol IN
creased prices 10 the manufacturers pray, N what
other way can il or does it benefit them? The
sri the manufacturers complain OF, i The cnn!.-
tion of cheap foreign goods. Legislation j ask
ed for by them 10 exclude or tax this, 10 t1'",
much deprecated evil OF cheap toyetgn goo3s =
Certainly if we grant their request, those asking
il must expect by tering those foreign tbfits, 10
I've enabes, 10 obtain for their American inanufac-
lures higher prices
This being the object and the effect OF proec-
live duties, The agricultural interests and The con-
sumers generally, are most deeply interested IN
knowing, no. only the crteHf 1.-THE tribute levied
upon them for the emolument Of the manuiactu-
Iers, but also in knowing the depressing Influence
which The high tariff policy eyerts upon the value
Of agricultural staples. However much inclined
our Protective Tariff advocates may be, after the
passage of their exorbant bill OF 1872, 10 pro-
mitigate the absurdiiy, that "high duties make
cheap goods, yet experience and history both prove
conclusively, that high duties augment the value
of goods allure the foreign market prices, while
,hey reduce the value Of our great agricultural
staples, impede our commerce, and diminish the
wages of labor. But why should the peowe object
10 purchasing foreign goods at lo,c prices? 1t is
certainly the true interest of all to purchase in the
cheapest, and TO sell in the dearest market. II The
agrculturists who constitute, in fact and in truth,
the grea, laboring class of this country, can pur
chase with their produce Larser amount Of To-