Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-08-14
YE ENQUIRER.
HICH MOND, VA
: .5ne.day Morning, August IL, 1916.
.rur OLD AND THE NEW TARIFF.
:. ...-:.,s roiar 10 the nnuaruino

LII
Tho pro,ec,onisls refer 10 the unvarying
.,,n, Of the imports during the last two or
49,. Years. as one of the triumphant effects Of
-, Tarif OF 1912. This might be conceded, had
..,ms,ances continued the same for series OF
s,,,. For several years prior TO The passage Of
:, law. The financial affairs OF the country had
/ So, in confused and disordered state. The ex-
.,rasaui speculatons, induced by The expan-
.ioos # Inc Banks, had broken up and conlrac-
,;,,s had naturally ensued. This result had con.
s,sa The imports 10 very narrow limits, and when
n, Tariff of 1912 went into operation, the stock
:; o,cs was nearly exhausted. AT the same pc
,io also, the currency OF the country had &C
oair-d some stability and uniformity, and the LA
slny 10 contraction and imitation, which had
marked the former years, had been corrected.
This improved slate of the currency, and no.,he
Tariff OF lsi2, will account for the regularity OF
II. imports. The Tariff Of 1912 had The benefit
Ossach result but had no agency in producing it.
Ls;us look on the other hand 10 the mischief 10
Southern Commerce produced by that Tariff.
The New Orleans Courier furnishes the follow
Ing startling facts:
"The value Of foreign merchandise imported
here, and the amount Of revenue received al our
Custom house, are not so great as they lcers ten
vars aga, when The population of the city was
one.lhird less than it is now. The mass OF mer-
camille capital is confined 10 the Northern ports
OF our Union-and the &C, Of lS42 prohibits, in
the most efectual manner, men OF limited capt.
;al from engaging in the business OF importation;
a, least, men of ibis description would be ruined
by continued competition with individuals and
corporations, who can raise millions by dash oi
he pen"
We believe that the three great measures, the
Tariff, the Independent Treasury, and the Ware
hons ng System, acting together, will produce
mos, favorable result in The financial and COM
meycal policy OF the country. The able and
elaborate reports of the Secretary of the Treasu-
~ brought out BY the calls Of The proectioniss,
have shed food of light upon the great question
oreyenue. They will open the eyesoi greatmany
consumers of goods 10 the heavy taxes they pay
Indirectly every year for the support OF parlicu-
Il, interests. This fac, has been mystihed by
,ps arts of The Tarifiies. They contend that
prices are lower, and that it is owing 10 the effects
OF protective Tarif-but they cautiously Keep
Gu, Of view the steady Improvement OF manuiac-
turing machinery, and other causes, producing a
gradual reduction 10 The prices Of manufactures
Above all, they put aside what is The true test Oh
the effects Of protective Tariff viz: the en-
hancement OF manufactures here over the marker
prices OF goods abroad. To this extent are Inc
consumers taxed for The support Of manufactu-
rers. The present Tariff correc,s much OF this
evil, and utterly abolisbes the fraudulent system
Of minimums and specific duties, so pregnant
with mischief According 10 the presen, bill,
every man pays in exact proportion TO The value
OF what he consumes. Under The Tariff OF 1872,
The poor paid as much tex as the rich though the
fabrics he consumed were vastly cheaper and
coarser. The new bill, then, will do justice to
all classes. While il may reduce The heavy pro-
fs OF the capitalists, it still gives them ample
protection.
With industry, economy and energy, we be-
.ieve all our manufacturers can sustain 'hem-
selves. The enlerprisirs spirit and character OF
our people will be able 10 cope with foreign COM
petition. Blu, 20 do so, they must quit The politl-
cal field. Instead OF raising "panic" and cry
inc OUT Tor the s'repeal" Of measure, which
oneh, to be and will be fairly tried, let them trust
10 their own energies and TO The aid so Literally
bestowed upon them by the new law.
The Independent Treasury will give stability
10 the currency, and render the amount OF Imports
regular and unvsrying. IL will check the i'm
men.e impor,a,ions, which are The fruits OF an in
fa,ed and deprecated currency, and will also
have favorable effect upon the manufacturing
interests, as it will cheaper The price of produce
lion. While, then, the Banks, from The loss OF the
Government deposits, may be unable to grant
large Accommodations, the deficiency will be sup
piled b. The operation of the WaTehousing Act,
which gives 10 each importer the privilege oil
storing his goods until he has sale for them, and
OF retaining in his business the amount OF The
duties now paid 10 cash. This las, act more
over, viii give fair opportunity tot the merchant
Of limited means 10 compete with the large ca
piaIisls, who now control and concentrate The
whole business. lin this particular, it will exert,
We doubt not, most beneficial influence upon
the S,u,h, which is now nothing but tributary
10 the immense capital Of the North) These
great financial measures, therefore, will &C,
together, and will give vigorous and healthy
prosperity TO the whole country Their united
action will benefit the Government, and all The
interests of the country, in producing regular
and stable course of trade. We hope that THEY
will have !air trial. The people have demanded
il, and The manufacturers will find il 10 their in-
erssl 10 accommodate themselves 10 the new sys-
TEN.
The Wing states, thar Mr.. Jones, of Amelia,
an intelligent engineer, estimates the cost OF the
Railroad from Richmond TO Danville, via The
Black Heth Coal Pitts, recommended by The
late Charlotte Convention, at 5000 dollars per
mile, or 100000 dollars for the entire distance.
The struggle in the Convention was between a
Railroad and the Improvement of The navigation
Of the Roanoke, Dan and Stanton rivers. The
Eii,or OF the Milton Chronicle delegate from
Caswen county, the only county in North Caro-
Ina represented, is displeased at the result; and
that paper publishes call for another Conven-
ton al Oxford, n. c., on The Sd November, TO Sc.
cure the improvement of the three rivers named
above.
The Thompsonville Comm Manufacturing
Company was one ofthe instances cited, 10 show
that the new Tariff had begun its work Of ''run."
TIE wages OF operatives were reduced, and in
sanity the panic makers raised the cry, tina, the
new law was the sole cause OF the move.
msnt. But the following facts narrated by the
New Haven Register, show, that even under the
Tariff of 1912, the capitalists manifested but lit
tie regard for the interests OF their workmen.-
They eagerly seize the new law as prelext 10
save their own high profits, by cutting down The
wages Of the operatives:
"The Carpe, Company 10 Thompsonville, who
have reduced the wages Of their workmen 25 per
cent, since the passage OF The tariff act, and ex-
press great solici'ude for the nteres, OF The work
ing classes, IS The same company tina, few years
since, ts,sv several Of their rmkmen into prison
for combining 10 raise The price of their labor
which was hardly enough 70 keep body and soul
together! These are the men who clamor for
government protection" that they may make
eOormnns pro6tS IN thar rpota md. J,