The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-10-13
EDITORS CORRESPONDENCE.
From our regular correspondent
New YoRK, Oct. 10, l6


One of the phantoms held out to the farmers by
the friends of high protective tariff is, that il s to
secure them home market for the consumption OF
their surplus produce.
II is said, that by the returns Of the census made
OF Ohio, few years since, Il appeared the State
produced surplus of is, 900 600 bushels of wheat.
The manufacturing population Of the United
States was shown by the National census to be
100000. Il is said by intelligent farmers to be a
liberal calculation to allow bushels Of wheat per
head for each member of family, for bread per an
mum. According to this allowance, $500 900 BUSH
els of wheat is all that the manufacturing popula-
ton can consume.
Ohio, alone, therefore, can feed the 100000 man
uacturers with bread, and have surplus of nearly
ten millions of bushels of wheat left for export to for
eign markets--to say nothing OF her surplus Indian
corn, pork, beef, &c II Ohio alone can supply the
consumption of the manufacturing. population,
what becomes Of the vast surplus of Illinois, lndi-
ana, and other agricultural Statesi The truth is,
the idea held out to farmers that they create
home market by submitting to high taxes on their
articles Of consumption is one OF the grossest abb
surdities of modern times. Does not every man who
knows anything of trade, know that even day or
two's rain or sunshine in England affects the price
of flour and wheat in the United States, while pro-
lection the hearts content rules the at homer
Early in September a steamer came in from Liv-
crpool; the papers she brought stated the weather
was WET; and up went -four and wheat, and down
went cotton and tobacco.
The next steamer brought news that the weather
was DRY; and down went -four and wheat, and up
went cotton and tobacco. Genesee flour became
dull at 81 ga; while Michigan and Ohio were al
most without quotations. Where, then, was the
home market to keep up prices But, last week, in
pops the third steamer, and says the weather was
again wet, and the potato crop was about to prove
short by reason of rot; and up goes flour quarter
Off dollar per barrel What a glorious home mar
ket high protective tariff creates!!! A home
market, forsooth
What species, kind, or description Of protection
cause GO or 70 000,0 900 of dollars worth of cot
ton, about 5000 600 dollars worth of tobacco about
6,000,00 of dollars worth Of flour, and million
twos worth Of wheat, besides several millions of
dollars worth of other farming produce-such as
pork, beef, cheese, butter, whiskey, &c.-and
other things taken from the soil, such as slaves,
lumber, PITCH turpentine, lead, &C., now exported,
to be consumed in the United Statesi!!
fall ridiculous arguments in favor of protective
duties, this beats ALL save one, VIZ: that the more
you tax thing, the cheaper it becomes The latter
caps the climax
But, suppose the assertion true, that farmers
could sell the manufacturers their surplus produce
at the same price as foreigners are willing to pay for
it, would the manufacturers be willing to sell them
goods in exchange, as cheap as foreigners' There
lies the rub. Or will the manufacturers at any time
be willing to give the farmers sixpence more for
barrel Of flour than Liverpool price current will
enable them TO get for tin New York; The way
for farmer to put the case to HIMSELF is for him to
imagine that in his market town there are but
three or four sores-one is kept by factor of the
American manufacturers; another is kept by the
agent Of English merchants and manufacturers; an
other by agent for the French, and fourth by
an agent for the Germans.
The farmer arrives in this town with his barrel of
four or bushe Of wheat the result of his labor and
toll. As is just and proper with all people who
wish to get the best price they for the
fruits of their labor, and to obtain as many
goods in exchange for il as they can, he first
goes over to the American store, and says,
HSir, | have barrel of -four ! wish to sell for
goods" Every wel,, says the man, Il can't take
all your -four; my family only wants forty or fifty
pounds for consumption; am willing to take that
much in exchange; the rest of the -four you had
better sell to the foreigners over the way for cash.
then bring me the money, and will let you have
the goods" "But,' asks the farmer, "what quantity
of goods" "Why,n says the manufacturers store
keeper, 81 can only give you two piece Of calico,
or one piece of coarse flannel or one yah of broad
CLOTH for the forty pounds of flour, and the cash you
may get from the foreigners"
The farmer then goes over to the Englishman's
store, and offers sell the remainder Of his -four
for cash; when the sorekeeper says, "Sir, if you
want cash for your four cannot afford to give you
much for it; but if you will take it out in goods,
will give you good price for it.n Glow much \"
asks the farmer 81 will give you two pieces Of
calico, or two pieces Of flannel, or two yards Of
broadcloth.n 81 want the money; but however,
will 60 round, and see what can do; and if can
do no better, will call again"
The farmer then passes over to the German STORE
where he is told the same story; and then to the
French store, and again they offer to give him from
one-hrd more to double the quantity ofgoods for his
barrel of -four, which the American manufacturers
storekeeper offered to do. He then goes back to
the latter and tells him that the other stores won't
v,at him i'm cash his Aour Init
they offer TO give him, in exchange, nearly double
as many goods for his flour he is willing to give
Hereupon the American manufacturers storekeeper
flies into passion, and exclams, "Sir, you are no
patriot, if you prefer to trade with those foreigners
over the way, to trading with me-" To which the
farmer replies, that "he is pariot and that in or
der TO prove it, If the manufacturers storekeeper
will give him many goods of the quality for
his barrel of four he will give him the preference"
Hereupon the storekeeper grows more angry than
ever, and declares 1--WE can't afford III that to do so,
we would be forced to quit our business that, for
tunately for and our country, however, the
common council of the town had just passed law
to raise revenue to support the town government,
taxing the goods of the foreigners HIGH that they
would hereafter be obliged to raise the price Of their
goods to the same amount at which we sell them;
and the next time you bring barrel of flour to
town, you cannot get goods any cheaper from them
than you can from You will, therefore, be
compelled to buy from us; or, if you buy from for
eigners, you will have to pay the value Of their
goods, and from forty to fifty per cent. taxes be-
Sides for, before they sell you the goods, they will
add the taxes to the cost of the goods" "Good
Heavens!" exclams the farmer, shave not 1 a
right to sell to the store that will pay me the
most for my -four, and to buy from the store that
will sell me the cheapestr
"Not at pl, y says the manufactured storekeep-
err. at is found necessary for the protection Of
american industry, that you should be compelled by
law to trade with us, and pay us our prices for
goods, which we cannot efford to make, unless you
pay us as much for Them as you would pay tho
foreigners for the same, with the tax superadd-
sdn
''But," replies the farmer dis not farming Amer
lean Industry" "Why-eh-so--yes-e h''--drawls
out the storekeeper. "But you see we can't all be
clodhoppers-farmers mean" "Why noti" says
the farmer. "We have plenty Of good and cheap
lands, and it is an honest calling"
'Look here, my good fellow" exclaimed the
storekeeper, exchanging his anger for an express
sion of contempt, 81 see you do not understand the
question. Don't you see that, by protecting us, we