The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-07-03

longer, since 1912, exchange her silks and wines,
either free, or at low rates Of duties. We have dt
minished her capacity TO sell 10 us, and she can no
longer buy much of US even at greatly diminish
ed prices.
II we wish then, to furnish the supplies Of grain
To the English market in preference over our n
walls in northern Europe, we must reduce our du
ties on foreign manufactures TO secure the oppor-
tunity. With this advantage, we may readily Sc,
cure the larger share of the British market for for
eign grain. Our lands cheap or cheaper, our
facilities for internal intercourse, and our skill are
far greater Ii they have any advantage over us IN
freight, even that would be removed or greatly d.
minished by facilities for an exchange Of commod-
tiles, which would give cargo both ways,
whilst the present commercial system IN northern
Europe being So restrictive as it is, would diminish
the ability to send cargoes Of goods m return
Here, sir, is the point TO which the attention Of the
grain growers in this country ought to be turned
They will fallacIous hope II they suppose
that the and fertile grain growing region with
which we must come into competition, cannot sup
ply the British market, provided there is an IN
creased demand for and increased proht upon It's
production The quantity now produced there UNI
der the past demand and past profits 10 no test by
which to estimate that which might be grown I'M
der better prices and larger demand in a country
vast portion of which there 10 80 little agrlcul-
rural skill and artificial improvement. We are in
formed by Porter, in his progress OF the British ma
ton, that "hom 1901 10 1885 the average annual inn
portation Of wheat into Great Britain had fallen
from than peck to one gallon TO each con-
sumner; and that while the total number Of families
in Great Britain had increased at the rate of "a
per cent the number of families employed in agri-
culture had increased only at the rate Of 7. per
cent. "-(Vol. l., pages lac, l47, l4S) He says
that Everywhere the condition Of agricultural la
borers il stated 10 be yisibly amended" and that
| with scarcely any exception the revenue drawn In
the form of rent from the ownership Of the soil has
been at least doubled in every part Of Great Britain
since l790."-(Vol. 1, p, l64) Now this vast IN
crease of production with a proportonably less
amount Of labor has been the result of agricultural
skill and science stimulated by increased demand
and growing profits in that branch Of industry
Can Il be supposed that like causes might not pro-
duce great effects in countries portions Of which
are for behind what Great Britain in 1890 In
point of agricultural skill and Improvement But II
may be said, how can we hope TO supply
the British market in view of this portion Of
their agriculture before usl Ii will be recollected
however that the demand and the prices which en-
couraged this high state Of production was brought
about by their corn-laws, which gave an artificial
profit, whilst il diminished the capacity Of other and
larger classes TO consume. Remove these restric-
tons and the manufacturer, If he exchange his
goods for il, may furnish, not entirely, but to great
extent, cheaper corn than can be raised at home.
The capacity Of the whole nation 10 consume will be
vastly increased, has already been SHOWN by the
experience under Sir Robert Pee's measures Of
lS42. Large quantities Of lard, meat, flax, and
wool have been imported since that time, and yet
the domestic prices have increased, because the de-
mand grew even beyond the greater supply, under
rise in the profit Of production throughout the
kingdom, and consequent increase Of capacity
TO consume these articles View this question, then
Mr. Chairman, as we may, whether upon general
principles founded upon the long-setted and unver
sal experience Of mankind, upon the particular
experience Of our own country, find the result
the same. In either way the great truth is Demon
strated that the result Of restrictions upon for
eign commerce is to diminish the amount and the
profit Of the productions oft country which adopts
them.
But, Mr.. Chairman, have asserted that the effect
Of removing these restrictions has been TO increase
the of taxation and the capacity of country
bear its burdens Ift be true that the effect Of
such removal is to increase the wealth Of coun-
try, II follows, a necessary consequence, that il
can bear an increased taxation But here two facts
may be produced to sustain this theoretical conclu
sion. have already adverted to the effect Of Sir
Robert Peels experiment in reducing and removing
duties and excuses in Great Britain since lS42. We
lind that the removal Of "a, % 600 duties led to
4 reduction of only 81 500 900 in the revenue
whilst II increased the foreign exports alone about
S5O, 000,O0O. The reason was, that these reduce
ions diminished the expenses and increased the
| amount and profits of production, which brought
a consequence, greater capacity TO consume the
| articles upon which duties were imposed. The du-
ty, whilst high enough to be protective, imposed
tax, in the shape Of enhanced prices at home, for
private as well as public benefit. In proportion,
then, as the consumer relieved from the burden
of private taxation for the domestic producer he
enabled to contribute more to the government
w hatever reduces the tax upon article reduces
its price; and the price descends, the article
makes a larger and larger circle of consumers,
who thus stimulated to increased production,
and add more and more to the wealth of the nation
For some time past much attention has been d.
rected towards English statistics, that have been
enabled to trace the practical effect of reduction of
taxation upon the consumption of the country. We
are informed THAT between 1891 and 1891 taxes were
repealed beyond what were imposed, amounting
to eli, 1921 ,404, and the effect Of the reduction
Immediately seen in the proportionally greater con-
sumption of articles upon which the old modi-
fed duties were continued. The amount received
| into the exchequer in 1881 was greater than the
amount by computation to the extent of Ella, 1885,
1872, and was within $3.50 1876, which it should have
| reached considering the increased number by, whom
it was contributed 1t will further be that, in
1886, when the public burdens had been still further
| reduced by R4,9Sl ,26l, the amount of duties and
taxes received greater than it should have been
by computation to the extent of f22, 072, S04 and
greater, also, by e632O, 1893, than the remaining
taxes would have yielded at the same rate of con-
sumption by increased numbers of the people,
(Porter's Progress, poi g p 309) From 1901 to
1911, when the taxes were higher, as we are as.
diminished as compared with the population.
When we consider the immense duties imposed by
our present tariff, we readily imagine the inn
meDse increase of consumption which reduction of
these duties would produce. Six articles, "wool
manufactured" "worsted and stuff goods, '"colored
cottons exceeding 80 cents per square yard
colored cOttons not exceeding 90 cents per square
yard" and "brown sugar." imported last year TO
the amount of S2l 500, 55S, and actually paid du
~ OF S9,45O,3s1 or more than 40 per cent.
larger amount Of similar articles of domestic pro-
duce are sold here at the same price, with the for
eign commodity thus enhanced by the duties actual
~ paid. The precise amount ofthe increase of con-
sumption, Of importation, and, consequently, of ex
portaton which would be occasoned by the reduc-
uon of this rate of duty to 20 per cent, cannot be
stated in figures, but all must that it would be
enormous. The Secretary of the Treasury has es.
tlmated the probable loss Of revenue, upon the bill
under consideration, at 81 500O and the probable
increase of imports, and consequently of exports,
Sl4,OO0,000. Now this amount of agricultural
products according to the principle of computation
heretofore adopted, afford employment to $685.
900 900 of captal. independentlv Of the value