The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-12-18
U-| From the Detroit Free Press.
Tasin-The Farmer and q Home Market.

.. .. From the Detroit free Ifess.
Tarin-The Farmer and Home Market.
To buy where one can buy cheapest and sell where
he can get most for his wares, is maxim universally
acted upon by all economists as well as
antprotecuoniss That laws should be equal and affect
alike the rich and the poor, the high and the low, is
also political maxim 10 which most men assent But
how, sadly are both violated BY protective tariff Il
would seem some men, while they cordially assent to
truth and justice in the abstract do not think il safe al
ways TO act upon them. Se6shness is too powerful for
their principles aud their love for their neighbor IS
swallowed up in still greater love for themselves. We
see this sefishness at work IN The cry OF the manuac
turers for protective tariff We surprised al IT,
We are only surprised they should have been able so
long to gull the people by coakng il under the popular
cry Of "home industry "home Market" and like
phrases
They ask thai the farmer the merchant the mechanic
and the professional should be taxed TO support the
manufacturing interest Why not the manufacturer To-
support the farmer Is il that the farmer can support
himself and the manufacturer not This is the reason
OF the thing, il 1t has any But where is the justice of III
The principle IL correct when applied TO classes,
the less so when applied TO individuals Now, there are
hundreds OF farmers, merchants mechanics and profess
equations, or who do not Why should community not
be taxed for that purpose Tor, which is the thing
why shou Id community not be compelled TO employ them,
TO purchase their higher price than ike
vices could be procured for OF those who had
been more fortunate IN the same business The manu-
acurer has no more right TO tax the farmer to increase
his profits, or enable him TO get living by that particular
occupation, than the farmer to tax the manufacturer
10 enlarge his farm III manufacturer fails, is attrib
uted TO the want OF protection the part OF government
but who thought of assigning such for the
failure OF merchant mechanic Why this differ
ence Is government bound To protect the and not
the other II the observation is correct If not, It is
destitute of reason. II shows, however, the understand
ing of the person making it, at least thai his feelings
are in favor Of conceding the right
Ii the principle OF protection be correct when applied to
naiions II must hold good when applied 10 the States,
and the several counties in each Staeyea, 10 the prnc
pal chief village in each county place of trade
business Tor villages are made up OF mechanics mer-
chants and professional men, who as great consul
OF the farmers produce the manufacturer Mich
gan should do her own manufacturing, let II cost what
il might, and not purchase her wooen cotton cloths,
Sc, the eastern States Why be taxed to build up
the manufacturing interest in New England, New York,
Pennsylvania II we must be taxed for that purpose,
let US be taxed to build il up at home. Neither New
England, New York. nor Pennsylvania will reciprocae
the favor. They will never consent TO be taxed for
Michigan They purchase our flour and our wool be-
cause is their interest to do and not matter Of
favor to u.s. They would not purchase them OF us il
they could purchase them cheaper elsewhere But they
not willing TO let US purchase our woolen and cot
ton cloths, iron &C., where can purchase cheapest
Let not be accused, in what have sad of making
unworthy appeal to local interest We would array
local interest against local interest," in order to break
down local nterestnot to pepetuaie or build up inus
tee, but to destroy it. LII III
This manufacturing for ourselves would test the bene
fits of the much boosted home market for the farmers
produce. II would bring home to our doors, and
longer be under the necessity of pnning his faith on
the imsy arguments and bold declarations of party
press.
So each county, being community in itself, should
manufacture for itself and thereby create market with
in itself for the farmers produce OF the county The far
should also do his trading at the county seat and
the State capital other large place out of the coun-
y. No objection be urged to this that will equal
~ hold good to protective tariff The home Market by
which is meant the market created by the manufacturers
would in this way be brought into the closest possible
uxtapositon to the farmer II would be- in fact home
markell market at his very door; but it will be said
would cost more than it would come to. That is true.
The farmer would have to pay greater additional price
for what he had to purchase than he would receive on
what he had TO sell 1t is precisely with nations and
protective tariff alike injurious to the farmer and the
country.