Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1846-09-24
Extract from tho American Review for September.

ana niaV we remark, that none OF those who
have SO ally discussed this subject, either in the
formidable tones which are too generally regarded
as infallible textbooks of Political Economy. or in
the able debates Of the last session of Congress,
seem to us to have contemplated directly and given
sufficient weight to the pecularies of our Ma
tiona' condition. We are one people but diffused
over rapidly widening area, which far exceeds the
civilized portion Of the Old World Our country
presents diversity of soil and climate of cnpac-
ties and products which all Europe combined can
not rival. IT is quite common to see arguments
pnss unchaIIenged which rest on such bases as
these France Injuries herself in refusing the Iron
and Coal, Spain in rejecting the Cotons, RUSSIA in
declining the Woolens of Great Britain: ergo, zoe
ought not to protect our own Iron, Coal Coltons
and WOoens But the logic falls short admitted
in all its legitimate force, it would only prove the
expediency Of a Free Trade between the various
sections or States Of our own vast empire, which
nobody is dsputing. Prove that nations separated
but by an imaginary line, or few hundred miles
at most, may advontageously exchange products,
ard you have barely begun u prove like aAyan-
tage in exchanges Of commodities, bulky at least
on one side between nations whose shores are
thousands of miles distant.
But in truth no intelligent advocate of Protec-
ton contends Tor anything like the exclusion of
British Coal from France and of French Wines nd
Silks from Great Britain assuming such TO exist
The lippant aphorisns and sorry PESTS of our adj
versarles uyerIng The 0bsurdlty Of attempting to
grow Craps IN NOVA Iembla aud abrcate ice in
CeyIon-to make sugar at Lab rador or extract sun
beams from cucunbers-urc based on an entire
misrepresentation or culpabe perverslon of Our
views. What we do maintain, as we have :hous-
and times re stated, IS that sound policy dictates to
each cuuntry-Or mt least to each country so vast
and so versatile in capacity of production as our
own-the eXpediency of producing within its own
limits all articles requisite 10 its own susrenance
,,I, :
siacle IT, for example, Nature has decreed that
the plant shall flourish only in China and It's Vi
cny, unless by an extraordinary bestowment of
labor aud care, then the production of Ten ought
to be nowhere else object of National solicitude
and protection. But prove to us that Tea will
grow in parts of this country as well as in the cor
responding ATTITUDES of Eastern ASIA, and we would
urge the immediate imposition Of protective duly
on Tea sufficiently stringent to encourage our PEG.
pie to engage in this branch Of industry and to en-
able them to overcome the difficulties and dsap-
pointmens alwayJ incident to such an enterprise.
Admit that our annual supply Of the fragrant herb
would for time be enhanced in cost by II, arly the
amount of the duty, Uhe difference mainly going
INTO the Federal lrcasury,J and we could not doubt
that the ultimate reduction 10 cost consequent on
production within the neighborlood Of the consul
mer would more than compensate the orr Iinal dis
advantage of Protection, looking at the matter
merely IN the narruwcst mercantile point of view.
" Dear-bought and far fetched" is an axiom the
truth of which but partially depends on the cost of
transportation. Wherever A and B, producers res
pecuvely OF articles desirable to each other, are
neighbors and exchange their respective SURPRISES
directly, the cost OF such exchange is usually ri-
fling and the product Of their united labor is shared
between them. But place them lew hundred
miles apart, aud you have now not only transpora-
ton, but reciproca risks OF damage or decay and
the profits of two or three traflickng int mediates
y subtract GCn tho min nrodurtc oft I,k
before you arrive at the amount left for their en-
loyment. Increase this distance to thousands of
miles, and place formidable barriers of mountain
and valley as well as more pliable water between
them, and you have greatly increased the proper
ton of their joint product which must be subtract
ed to satisfy the Legitimate demands of commerce.
Hence the circumstance that the naturalization of
new branches OF industry has scarcely ever failed
to reduce the cost To the domestic consumers OF the
articles produced thereby. Thus. while the whole
of Europe and Western Asia tor century after cen.
tory procured their Silks from lrda and China by
SLOW expensive, perious overland journeys of car
avans, the cost of pound of SILK averaged nearly
a pound of Gold, though Gold was more valuable
then than al present. Probably it cost a good deal
more than this 10 produce the first pound, or the
first hundred pounds of Silk grown in Europe
but after the Silk culture and manufacture bad been
thoroughly established there the price of the pro-
duct inevitably decllre, and is now as low as in
IIlDd. 30 Win HuUQTeQS OF OtiGr articles III all
parts of the world.
But we deny that the mercantile Is the only light
in which this subject should be viewed. Suppose
it were true that our cloths aud wares would for
many years cost twenty-five per cent more it made
here than if brought from England it there
fore be proved advantageous to buy them abroad
We Say it would not, tor these among other reas-
ons
]. Because the price of Agricultural staples is
enhanced and the nrpdur of fprutun in
creased by the creation of markets of consumption
IN the midst Of our rural population Does any
donbt this !? Let hun compare the value of farm
in Hamilton county, Ohio, wherein is Cincinnati,
with that of an equally good farm IN Richand or
Stark county, in the northern part of the State
The character of the population is not materially
different; their industry and thrift are much alike.
Yet the Hamilton county fern is worth thrice to
ten times the Richland rival. And why? Flour
or pork is no dearer in Hamilton but the mmedl-
ate vicinity OF a populOus community, who con-
sumo but do not produce food, enables the Turner
here to secure thrice great return irom each
acre Of ground as he could obtain in Rlchland.--
His fields not more fertile, but he can here sell
fruits, vegetables and other products more prolita-
BILE to INN than pork or four-lor which he could
find but capricious or no market in Richland. So
everywhere; so will it be wherever manufactures
are extensively introduced. Yet Free Traders look
only to the price Of such great staples as Pork,
Beef, Flour, &C., and if these have not advanced
IN price they argue that the farmers have derived
no benefit from Projections DO they not clearly
affirm upon insufficient and unreliable premises?
3 Again the difference in position between an
old and new country is never fairly conslderedb by
those who argue against Protection, We are
new people, lnhabiuug country as yet not ONE
tenth redeemed from the primitive wilderness. In
such Il country, If rapidly increasing in population
and improving IN the arts of life, labor is generally
..ls