Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-02-27

protected from competition with foreign industry
That argument has also been submitted 10 The
test OF The last three years, and so far as The ex-
perience of tina, period can supply an argument,
il is this-that large debt and heavy taxation
are best encountered by abundance and cheap.
ness of provisions; that they rather alleviate than
add to the weight of taxation. Let US take Inc
result Of the experience of The last three years
the result of constantly diminished protection on
wages, on trade, and on revenue. First, as 70
wages. Who can deny the fact, that during the
three years that preceded The month OF OCTOBER
last prices were comparatively low? There was
comparative cheapness and plenty, and yet al no
period were the wages Of labor higher, than dur
ing that period (Cheers If you take the three
preceding years, you find high prices, and CO.
existent with high prices Won will find low wages
(Cheers.) Well, then, have six years: have
during the first three years high prices and low
wages have during the last three years low
prices and high wages, (cheers0 and cannot re-
sis, the conclusion that wages do mol vary with
the price OF provisions. loud cheers.) They
do vary with the increase OF capital-With me
prosperity Of the Counry-with the increased
power 10 employ labor; but there is no immediate
relation between wages and proyisions-or II
there be relation it is in an inverse ratio
(Cheers) Now as 10 trade; as said, during the
last four or FIVE years We have been acting on The
admitted principle CT removing prohibilions-re-
ducing duties that is destroying protection TO ma
tive industry loud cheers.) That has heen
the principle, whether right or wrong, on which
we have acted-he removal of protection 10 ma
tive industry Now, what has been the resulll
will give YOU the total amount OF exports since
the year 1889.
The total value of British produce and manu-
features exported from the united kingdom was,
-, 1890 ego 000 mn in 1910 f,5t OflO O(lC in
lS4l, f5i 10000 IN 1912, f4700O,0O0; in lS43,
f52, coo; in 1874, f5S, 100000 that is, the
rise from the year when the great invasion up
on the protection of domestic industry was made
BY Parliament was from 1881 900 in 1872,
to f5S,5O0,00O, in 1874. (Lond cheers.) Bnt
it may be said the China trade made all the
difference. Now let US deduct, the whole Of that
trade. In 1912 cur exports to all the countries
excepl China amounted TO f46 900; and in
1914 they increased by flO,OOO,oOo, amounting
to f56,00000O. For the last year we can only
have the account for Ii months preceding De-
cember. In 1843 the exports OF our principal
articles OF manufacture 10 all parts OF the world
including China, amounted 10 t4l 10ll 900; in
1914, to 47,3l2,000, and, during the first IL
months of l845, TO f47,7G4,000. Loud cheers,)
Such is the stale Of our foreign exports under
this system of continued removal OF protection
(Cheers.) Now, lei me take the revenue
(Cheers)-lhe results of the revenue as bearing
on this question. Ought there TO be high prolec
lion in country encountered with an immense
public debt and heavy taxation? In 1912 pro-
posed reduction in the Customs 10 the amount
of f1,436,000; in 1914 proposed further re-
duction in the customs duties to the amount Of
f273,000000; in 1916 10 that of f2,4l8,000. |
estimate the total loss from these reductions at
f4,l29 000 How have these expectations been
realized7 Have 100000 been lest2 The
total amount of the loss has been FL 500 900.
loud cheers.) In the excise last year there
was reduction of a million in duties; the
whole OF the glass duties, the whole OF The auction
duty was taken of. The loss on that occasion
was estimated at f 600, 000 Observe, lha, was
no mere reduction of duties; there was no ex-
pectalon, therefore, of recovering the revenue by
increased consumption. lelt confident, that al
though the glass and auction duties were abo-
lished, still, by vivifying other branches OF in
duslry | should derive some compensation
(Cheers.l What will be the fact on The 9Th Of
April | believe that, Notwithstanding the total
reduction, the absolute loss OF a million, my firm
belief is the excise will this year be more pros
porous than ever. Loud cheers) Notwilh-
standing these reductions there has been a sail
en-, spring Of prosperity which has supplied the
void you caused by the remission OF taxation.-
(Cheers.)
wen, lnen, Win tlidt eViutUCc DtIUIc Hc COuNi
| contend, that on account Of high taxation or
great debt, you must necessarily continue high
protective duties7 have shown you that my
estimates as TO loss in The customs have been al
ready fasified that the customs this year amount
TO nearly 100000; that, comparing the customs
revenue OF l845 with the customs revenue OF
1912, after thai diminulion of taxation 10 the ex-
tent OF $4,000 900, the customs OF this year, ex-
GLIDING from both years the revenue from foreign
corn, are better by 100000 than in The former
year. (Cheers.) But will take more important
considerations than those either Of trade or reve-
nue.: | take The state of crime in The country. My
right hon. friend at the head of the Home De-
partment stated, that reductions hal taken place
in the number Of commitments in the year 1912
in ls43 there was also decrease; and the de-
crease in the commitments, remarkable in 1913
and 1914, continued in 1915. The total number
OF commitments in lS45 was 2l,35O-that is,
2,237 less than in The lowest preceding year. 1912
"a decrease Of 81 per cent on the crimes of the
preceding year. In 1913 there was decrease Of
81 per cent in 1874 decrease OF 10 3-l0ths per
cent; in lS45 decrease Of 81 per cent; and all
this time in an increasing population. This de-
crease of crime in the last year has taken place in
all the chief manufacturing districts and not only
in all the chief manufacturing districts, but, with
the exception Of five, there has heen correspond
ing and almost an equal decrease in all The chief
agricultural districts. (Cheers.) What is The
STATE of Wales2 In Wales The decrease OF COM
mitments is mure remarkable than in almost any
other part of the kingdom. So much for actual
crime With respect to crimes connected with
sedition, discomfort and disafection 10 the Co.
vernment-why, in the last two years the office
of The Attorney General has been sinecure.
There has been no prosecution for sediliouS
libel during the whole of the last year. Govern
- 10 orad;s for iS
because The crime OF sedition did not exist. In
ls4Ol-2-3, listen to this, and seriously consider
it, there were ,257 persons committed on charges
Of sedi,ious and riotous offences. In 1884 5,
only l24 persons we're committed so charged, in-
stead OF 1857; while, in the las: year, believe
there was not one. (CheerS) In lS45 there
were 422 persons sentenced 10 transportation less
than in 1872 In the last three years there were
I70l persons sentenced to transportation less than
in the three preceding years. (CheeIs) This
has been during period OF comparative abun-
dance and low prices. Is it possible to reslstthe
interference that employment, low prices, COM
parative abundance, contribute 10 The dlminuion
Of crime loud Cheers) Now, these are great
promoted by,-I say only they have been concur
rent with, the diminution oil protection to domes-
tic industry-concunent with comparative album
dance. Loud cheers.) Well, have these advan-
tages been purchased by any serious detriment to
that great interest whose welfare ought TO be one
Of the first objects Of our concern,-the agricultu-
raj interest? Protection has been diminished
have been The object Of repeated accusation and
attack for diminishing il, and deeply should re.
greet ifthose great social advantages TO which
have referred had been accompanied, in conse-
quence ofthat dminution of protection, with any
serious injury to agriculture. (Cheers.) Let US
take the four great articles in respect of which
there has been diminulion of protection. Fo-
reign fax has, for many years, been admitted at
very low duty into this country. What duty
remained we RENTED last year. There is
now. therefore, perfectly unrestricted import Of
foreign fax. In 1924 the duty on fax was tl0
l4s. Cd. per ION. 1t is now absolutely nothing
The reduction having taken place, what was the
effect on The price of fax7 The price of fine FAX
in Befas, market in ls43 vas 65s. to los; in 1914
il was 63s 10 6Ss.; in 1s45 from 65s. TO 6Ss; and
in January, 1876, from 70 to 80. (Bear.)-,
There was no reduction then made that caused
50 much alarm and which it was prophecied
Would do so much injury as the removal of the