The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-07-20

Thus think it is shown by facts and figures most
clearly that the promise of home market is an idle
humbug.
This whole land from the Atlantic to the Pacific,
from the st. Lawrence TO the Rio Grande, would
have to present unbroken lines of workshops and
factories before their inmates could consume the
grain and other provisions raised by the farmer.
This preposterous argument in favor of home
market may be exposed in another way, 1t is es-
timated that there are fourteen times as many per-
sons engaged in agriculture as in the protected
branches Of manufacture, to wit: 3,719 607 persons
in agriculture, and 1884 35l in the protected manu-
featuring and mechanic classes.
Now, before home market could be furnished,
the whole business pursuits of life in this country
would have to be reversed, and fourteen times as
many people would have to embark in manufactures
as were engaged in agriculture, thing totally out Of
the question. These fanciful promises and fine
spun theories of the manufacturer hollow and
baseless, and the farmer should no longer permit
himselfto be taxed to support any branch of bust.
ness that will not support itself.
The next humbug to be noticed, and per
haps It Is one Of the most barefaced and impu-
dent connected with this prottive policy, is
that "hlgh duties produce low prices" The
story of the miller and his toll, (which orig.
nucd in Illinois, and went the rounds of the papers
in 1874 shows up this heresy in its true light 1t is
this: A democratic miller enlarged his toll dish, and
on applying it to the grain Of his wing customers
taken TO him to be ground, some of them COM
planned and he produced wing speeches to prove to
them that the higher the duty the lower the price,
and consequently the greater the toll taken by the
miller the more meal the customer would get If
speeches from their own parusans would not con-
vince them of the truth of such monstrous absur.
dty of course nothing else would
This whole absurd theory Of high duties produc-
ing low prices has been so completely exploded by
the venerable member from Massachusetts, Mr.. j.
a. ADAMS, i that cannot forbear introducing what
he has said; and may add that he doubtless enter
tsns the same opinions still, for never heard of
his changing or retracIlng them IN the slightest
degree;
Slr Adams from the Committee Manufactures May
"a 1882 made the report from which these extract
taken. . ....- ......
The doctrine that duties Of import cheaper the price Of
the articles upon which they levied to conflict
with the first dictates Of common sense But its supporters
first appeal with confidence 20 the fact that most Of the ar
tclcs upon which additional duties were levied by the tariff
Of have since that time fallen considerably in price
and then they argue that must be by the excitement Of
competition the market Is ainly contrary 70 the
natural things that addition to the cost should
he reduction to the price Of article True is that the
duty gives spur the production OF the article at home
price OF any article in the market must always depend
upon the relative condition Of the demand and supply at the
time and place ssle But very slight variations Of time
place Affect osn very great extent the relative proper