Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1845-12-18
FROM the BALTIMORE AMERIcAN.
THE UNITED STATES TREASURY REPORT.

of this document which relates to the Tariff !
The Secretary is special pleadcr, acute and
ingenious on particular points. His scope of
vision does not seem to cover a large field at
one view; he looks at objects in detail His
faculty of analysis appears to be greater than
his power Of combination. lie uses micros.
cope well but larger instrument would be
rather unwieldy in his hands,
The basis of the Secretary's reasoning a.
gainst the protective system is simply this
that protective duties operate exclusively for
the benefit of particular class, the manufac-
turers, and that they are consequently tax
upon the rest of the community. II this po-
sition be sound there may be defenders of
the system, but we are not of the number.
The position is not sound it is without
foundation it is utterly lallacous
Let us hear the Secretary state his assumed
axiom. cat least two thirds of the taxes"
says the Report, "imposed bv the present ia
riff are paid not into the treasury, but to the
protected classes. The revenue from imports
last year exceeded 100000 of dollars
This, in itself, is heavy tax but the whole
tax imposed upon the people by the present
tariff Is not less than eghly-one million Of
dollars-of which twen,y-seven millions are
paid to the government upon the imports, and
hity-tour millions to the protected classes, in
enhanced prices of similar domestic articles"
Again the same view is presented: "lf the
Marshal," so runs the phraseology, "were
sent by the federal government to collect
direct tax upon the whole people, to be paid
over to manufacturing capitalists, TO enable
them TO sustain their business, or realize a
larger profit, it would be the same in effect as
the protective duty, which, when analysed in
Its simplest elements, and reduced 10 actual
results, Is mere subtraction of so much
money from the people, TO increase the re-
venue OF the protected classes"
We are further told that ",he number of
manufacturing capitalists who derive the ben
eft from the heavy taxes extracted by the
tariff from twenty millions of people, does
not exceed Ten thousand"
Against the protective system, then, as thus
defined, the Secretary makes unrelenting war.
He arrays himself as the advocate of the ma
ny against the few, of the poor against the rich,
OF the labourer against the employer; and
with such odds of numbers on his side, if he
only had sense and justice and reason, he
would be invincible.
has the Secretary ever considered the CUES
ton how or why protective duties first came
to be laid in this country? Were they es-
tabllshed by the influence of the manufacture
ing interest! There was no such interest
When the first memorial went from the CITY
OF Baltimore 10 the First Congress- signed bv
mechanics and artizans, asking for protection,
did overgrown capitalists prompt the move
ment? Was GEORGE WASHINGTON the dune
OF moneyeG few when he recommended en-
couragement to domestic industry and signed
the first bill extending protection TO manulac-
lures Is no sentiment of patriotism, no prnc-
pie OF sound policy to be imputed TO JEFFER-
SON when he declared that our manufacturers
must be put side by side with our farmers Z
Or in 1921 did Gen. JACKSON speak as the
mouth-plece OF monopolists, when he wrote
to DIR. COLEMAN that the best way to benefit
the agriculturalist was to extend his home
market by rearing up manufacturing popu-
lation on our own soil?
No; that patriotic feeling, that senlimen.
OF independence, which prompted the struggle
for political freedom in Seventy-six gave rise
to the first organization of the policy of pro-
lection to American industry. We were free
inname only while the shackIes of commercial
subjugation hung around us. What was the
lesson taught us by the war Of 1872? Let
the tariff of 1916 answer. The wars of the
French revolution and of NAPOLEON, involv-
ing all Europe, had thrown a large carrying
trade INTO our hands our measures Of pro-
lection for home industry, sufficient to ndi-
cate the policy, were yet slight and imperfect.
because the condition of the European world
rendered further measures of that kind unne-
cessary. But the experience of three wears
OF hosplliies, ending in 1915, and the cessa-
ton OF war IN Europe, demonstrated in man
ner too lorcible to be overlooked the true pol
icy Of this Republic in that particular
Yet at this very moment when the Presi-
dent OF The United States is appealing to the
national spirit and 10 the patriotic feeling, the
strongest of all feelings in the American bo-
som; while he is assuming position of III
dependence, almost of defiance, as TO the ma
tons of Europe, and to the most powerful one
OF them especially, warning them that the
GREAT REPUBLIC stands alone as the guar
dian OF It's own destiny; at this very moment
his Secretary of the Treasury seeks TO strike
away the basis of our self-sustaining strength
and to bind anew those chains of dependence
upon foreign countries which the genius of
our nationality would shake off,
Mistaken Interpreter of the public senti-
ment! You have coldly felt the pulse of the
American People.-Your appeals to social
prejudices, TO class jealousies, to the pretend
ed rivalry Of interests-the common staple of
demagogufs on the hustings, will be overpow-
cred and lost in the grand resounding tone
which rises, as rise il must, when the true pa
triot!c chord in the heart of this nation is
struck The time is at hand when the Amer
lean Republic must stand on basis all IFS
own, and be sure of every part Of it, 1t can
look for no sympathies from monarchcal Eu-
roDe it must Journey alone ON The hinh rnnd