Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1845-06-12

-Tr<----,
THE TARIFF q our MECHANICS"
usasrshis caption The esprit Of yeasr.oar pro-
eetds % shov that sons of The deceptive srtihees
reaerted TO By the atsoesss Of high tariff policy,
y 70 sPssk of De proi.slioa 70 home manufacture
ssroietHoassp our meshaniss4s
That the TsziG policy i niuiiesl 10 the prosperi-
y Of ne mechanics Of car country Is aoelriue
sniea pc seldom hear sdVaneed. bee.use Of the
snsouadneas shish ]. esrriea on ia face. and be-
es1se q Presames ruher much on the guliibility Of
the insriligent meshsnies Of our country, ~hO, i
thoash ne. toll for their bread have suisen, dis
eern@eatto perceive that The doctrine !. as false
it's ifsulting to their understanding.
Kneeds but I" lhimbIefulp Of common sense
20 knor that Il sufReient daty IS laid spon goods
% dehar foreign pauper labor from competing With
that Of our mechanics that their labor must be ems
haneed IN ProportiOnale degree TO The profession
sasrded. And every one has sufficient diseernnenI
to pereeivetthst the great object Of discriminating
duties is to RrO,esfhe industry Of the country a
gainst the PsuPer labor Of Europe.
The necessity Of prutselion, and the intimate re-
lalioas existing between the Tariff policy and the
interests Of meehsnies is foreiby illustrated By
zone q 'Juniuss" publications. in which he declares
thst sour lsborers ask aolLing bu, fair field On
the grbund Of just reciprocity, they have nothing
10 fear; but without protective duties the odds are
fesrfuIy against them. The two great items which
20 into productions Of all kinds. capital and Ia
Dor and in both Of these the foreigner hasa msni-
fest advantage over our citizens. In England, and
on the continent capital is worth only three or tour
ner ceat. while in this country il is worth from siA
+ 10 eight, European labor costs from h'eto nine
sAiilugs per week, including board, while IN lh's
eosSntry labor eosts nearIy that Ter day. Under
I these circumstances, how can the american manu-
fsetnreE mechanic compete with those Of Europe
We want protective duties mainly to sounefsct the
influence or cheap capital aud cheap labor. Give
us duties barely sufficient to make up these ineqsI
ties, and our farmer and meehanics-our manlfac-
turers and navigators-or. in word our iaborers
can contend, successfully with those Of any other
nation.
We, asa people, are peculiarly situated. Our
vast unsettled country creates demand for capital
and labor. which raises them in value Ear above the
European standard. We feeeparsied from the old
world by distance and BY the nature Of ouriRstitu-
tons. The leading charaeteristicsof country is,
That Dur laborers are eitkens-are freemen.
This tends to elevate the working classes, and
10 secure 10 labor its just reward. View the cond-
ton of our laborer compared with that Of Eu-
rope. The European manufacturer, in estimating
1.-THE cost 81 which be can produce fabric, inquiries
what is the lowest sum that will barely feed and
clothe theiaborer. Hesets down nothing like profits
to his laborers, but Sarely allows them animal sub
sistenee But the<American manufacturer must
inquire not what will barely feed the laborer, but
what sum will give him a comfortable support, and
lesv6 him fair profits. 10 Europe the lshnrer gets
nothing la miserable subsistence from day to day
lin this country he must share, with his employer,
the profsof the business, by the increased rate OF
his wages This difference between the character
OF American and European labor constitutes the
necessity for protective duties. If our laborers
we're like the serfs Of Russia the paupers Of Eng
land, compelled to labor for the lowest possible
sum which would sustain their corpnreai ~ stem,
We might compete successfully with foreign manu-
acturers without protective duties And do the enc
mics Of the tariff wish to bring down the labor Of
hhs country to the low level OF the European stan
dard This is the direct tendency Of their doe
! trines and it becomes the working men Of th'
country, who. by being vast majority, have at al
times the destiny Of the nation Jim their hands, Il
inquire whether those can 81 sheir friends wh'
would reduce their wages, so asto deprive them o
or the ability Of supporting themselves and fami
because arIieIesE N an ufaciured in me East ar
:, brought here and sold ID our Stores, that there
= fore, the Tariff affords no protection. And pra
: what remedy does he wish the mechanic TO a
: |dopt-why, we suppose, that he would have th
Tariff repealed, and ihen, have not only ID
"A eastern work" br,ughl into competition, but III
e whole foreign paup.r labor also brought 10 bear
0 the hOOdgates Of lhs old worlds pauperism rsis
+ ed ,and the land woald then be delused with eve
e ~ necessary and luxury Ct life from for
/ eien workshops, and where then, We ask woul
. our county mechanics. be' wouldiheir situa
y ton be benefiued' Because work can be manu-
y featured cheap in the Eastern States, doe
u that argue lssfthe Tariff is NOT protective 10 GU
mechanics 1ho are equally under its wise salutar
20 provisions If fault there be, let Il be traced
\ its proper source. II cur stores innovale upo
the rights Of me mecha'ical portion of our com
munily, The remedy isl, their own hands. The
can easily resolve 70 pltronize no establishment
<. which goes bsyond9ls proper pursuit, and thu.
Of they the mselves hold he power, If they cheos
lis 10 exercise H.
n But the aspiri" Should remember that xhe
ID il asserts "harin erac.ing high protective la
he the object is benefit the owners Of large cap
be tails, and NOT the daily-laboriDg mechanics,
Cd it ueads heavily upon Presiden. Folks toes.
be should scar 10 mind that the Tariff of 1873;
Mt which was signed by Gen. Jackson, and whic
a. received The un,ninos support Of Tennessee, an
H. lamopg oiher Members JAMES X. PoLK'S
is, was higher in many Of tsproteetivs features, iha
d. the Tariff ofaS49, anl thus it places Mr. Polk
q. The position Observing lhesrieh capitalist 10 Ii
v delrime nj Of ID meshaaics Of The land.
To show that what we SAYS no, all 'gamm"r
Il. We annex for the convsnience of refersnce.e.'
ID following brief pafalsl between SSo 49, arm
D. certain staple ar.islU, and the "Wbip TsTtS,
Of 1882, for 1912:
ne lr.r Il 1870 ,e.a
Cotton Goods, - fact. Bct. so, x,,d
Iron, rolled, $40 sa5. ~. 'a'u'
Iron, not ruled, Sls sIT
Sugar, brown, 2ic. Sic
l0nOar