The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1846-09-26
WING STATE CONVENTION.

most simple in collection and most secure against
fraud the other, discrimination in the rates of
duty, with view to foster and protect the indus
try of the country, and TO invite capital into the
establishment of manufactures These principles,
distinctly recognised in the first act of Congress
in 1883, more fully developed in 1916, and in
subsequent acts OF legislation, were fully consum-
mated in the act of 1912 an act, which, moder.
ating and reducing the protective duties of the
act OF 1892 Gan act receiving the sanction near
ly the entire democracy Of the country was pre-
pared with more labor and care, as is believed,
than had been bestowed on any previous revenue
law.
RESOLVED, That under this system, the whole
country has prospered in degree which has no
parallel in the history of nations. Whilst the
western wilderness has been giving place to Gull
tivation and civilization, the older States have
been transplanting and establishing the arts and
manufactures of Europe, thus converting the
whole country into a scene of active industry, in
which diversified labor, mutually exchanging its
products on terms of equality, realizes a remu-
neration and reward wholly unknown in the over
peopled countries of the old world
ReSOlUed, That we. deprecate the changes in
troduced by the Tariff of lS46. for the following
reasons We deprecate the change from specific
to advalorem duties, as affordng increased facil-
ties to fraud, setting aside the light of all expe-
rience, and the opinions of all commercial men,
We deprecate it as revenue measure, inasmuch
as 1t reduces the revenue upwards of Five Mil
slions OF dollars, on the average importation of the
last three years, whilst our war expenditures re-
quire great increase of revenue, and are actu-
ally met by an increase of debt in the issue of
treasury notes. We deprecate the principles of
attempting to provide for this deficiency, by an
increased importation of productions to come in
competition with our own, displacing and paralyZ-
ing to an equal extent our own Industry, and
eventually producing general reduction in the
wages OF labor. We further deprecate the prn-
ciple OF increasing the importation of foreign man.
utactures, always tending to excess, and to caus-
ing the importation of specie in return, the fruit
full source OF arrangement in our currency and of
embarrassment in all branches of trade and in
dustry. We deprecate this sudden change, as
wantonly sporting with the interests of capital
invested under the implied pledge of government
for its continued protection. But we deprecate
it lar more, as wantonly sacrificing the interests
OF labor, by opening upon it the foreign COMPETE
ton OF the under-ted and worked labor of
Europe, the avowed purpose of the new policy
We deprecate it as the result of Executive dieta-
ton and stringent party discipline adopted under
the coercion OF minority, without examination
and without discussion, against the sober udg-
ment OF majority in both Houses of Congress-
ReSOiUed, That the allegation that the protect
i've system favors capital more than labor is equal
ly contradictory to every sound principle of poli-
ical economy, to all experience, and to common
sense. Whilst capital is considered necessary to
set labor in motion, it is an admitted principle
that there is a uniform tendency, in capital en-
ployed in different pursuits to an equalization of
profits through free competition. Whilst ether
propositions are disputed, this never contested
1t is confirmed by all our experience Every
branch OF manufacture which has been success
full has been subjected to occasional checks and
embarrassments, through over-action The pros
perity which has followed the establishment of
the tariff of 1912, has led to new construction and
new expenditures in all branches of industry be-
yond any former precedent In fact we are told
by the friends OF the administration, as If in double
mockery OF their own reasoning and our own APP
prehensions, that the manufacturer has more TO
fear from home competition and orer- production,
than from any foreign competition ,chich can
reach ham under the present tariff. 1t is in fact,
obvious to the most simple understanding that the
investment OF capital in works which can only be
made productive by the employment of many
hands, is putting capital in the power of labor,
rather than in position to control it.
ResOlUed, That the assertion so oft repeated.
that the tariff of 1912 has operated as an uneoual
tax upon the laborng classes in the manufactures
consumed by them, is wholly destitute of truth
Our application OF manufacturing industry has
always been made in the first instance, to those
productions requiring little labor in proportion to
the raw material
III these tne success mas been greatest and it
is notorious that in the manufacture of cotton.
wool, leather, hats, &C., the common articles used
by the laboriDg classes, are produced of prices
which may defy all foreign competition. Even
the cotton minir 'm, the object of so much un.
deserved oblooo is well known to be all but
nominal in Iesl 81 TO the lower branches of the
manufacture, "a iiat its only actual effect was to
levy high duty its higher branches on what
may well be termed luxuries
ResotUed, That while the loss of capital bv this
change OF system is sudden and determinate.
the effect upon labor will be a continuous vast
ing disease, with no remedy, but the retracing
our steps.
RESOLVED, That The high reward of labor in all
its branches is, the peculiar advantage of our
country, is intimately connected with the general
diffusion of education and Intelligence, and is the
best security for the permanence of our free in
situations. The protective system acts as the
proper guardian OF this boon.
Resotoed, That whilst we welcome and an
prove the repeal Of the British Corn laws. as
concession and benefit to the depressed labor of
England by increasing its means of subsistence,
the government is acting a very different part to-
wards our own labor in opening its products to
free competition with those of the underpad la
borers OF Europe.
ResolDed, That the principle Of free trade adj.
vocated by the modern economists of Europe Ia
founded on state OF society essentially different
from our own. IL contempates labor in evcess