The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1846-08-11
TUESDAY, AUGUST IL, 1896,

~ w ~ii "AAN W eAAS pOcP1O aOOut
ter. This was "a6Senfeeism." 1t was
the capital of Boston which had gone to
Lowell, and it was the same thing with
Manchester, in New Hampshire. That
too had been built up by absentee capital
from Boston. And now he supposed, if
that same capital should travel down from
Boston into Virginia and North Carolina,
and create other manufacturing establish
ments of similar character, at which the
surrounding farmers would find market
for their beef and flour, their hams and
chickens, and thus be enabled to make
themselves comfortable and happy, that
TOO would be ruinous ssabsenteeism." -
The editor of the Union complained of
this in dOlorous strains, and vet his own
scheme was nothing else but this in diff
ferent form. Instead of Boston capital
going TO benefit the people of New Hamp-
shire, and the people Of Virginia, and the
people of North Carolina, this editor and
his masters proposed to destroy Ameri-
can capital, and employ not only British
capital, but British labor TO supply all our
wants. 1t was not Boston absenteeism; it
was British absenteeism. Ii this was the
only tune which this government organ
could play, he thought the sooner the Adj
mlnistration and the advocates of the Bri-
tish bill stopped it the better it would be
Tor them; for it was playing most william
ousl ly out of tune. But he wished it to
60 on, for it had certainly suggested some
OF the strongest arguments. against the
free trade tariff that had yet been offered.
Mr.. S. had said that the effect of the
proposed legislation wonld be to strike
down the revenue one-halc. He would
present one or two instances by way Of
illustration. He would take as an exam
pie the article of iron 1t was now under
projecting duty of seventy-six per cent.
The Secretary proposed to reduce its pro-
lection TO thirty per cent. Why! What
for! Why, 10 increase the revenue
Well, how was the Secretary going TO
manage to increase the revenue of the
country by reducing the iron duty from
seventy six to thirty per cent! In order
to get the some amount of revenue from
this article that we got now, it was obvi-
GUS we must import more than double the
present amount. But how was the Sec
retary going to do this! He had no mag
ic power to increase the consumption Of
iron in the United States; and the effect
of his policy, instead of increasing, went
TO destroy consumption by destroying the
ability of the people to consume: yet, un-
less he doubled consumption, he could
not command the present amount of duty,
far less increase it. Why. then, did he
want to reduce the duties to thirty per
cent? What was it for! What object did
lie wish 10 obtain! The only object he
would obtain was to employ absenfees to
the destruction Of our own laborers. This
must be the inevitable effect of his scheme
Of reducing duties. The Secretary told
us in his report that he expected to bring
in two million of dollars from the impor-
tation of iron. Now Mr.. S. undertook to
say that if the bill reduced the iron duty
to thirty per cent, instead of increasing
the revenue on that article, there would be
a falling of Of two millions. He put him.
self on the result, and experience would
show that he was right. And this was
the great measure Of the Administration!
Instead of increasing, the bill would re-
duce the revenue on iron fifty per cent.
The Secretary tells us that our dutiable
imports are one hundred and one
millions; say one hundred millions; the
present duties, he says, average 80 40 per
cent, say thirty-three per cent, and he
proposed to reduce them to twenty, or
say twenty-five per cent, one third off;
then ii is manifest that to get the same
revenue he now receives, he must add
fifty millions to our imports; he must have
one hundred and fifty instead of one hun
dred millions Of imports. Well, now he
would ask the Secretary and the Cham
cellor of the Exchequer, (Mr. Mckay,)
why send fifty millions OF dollars out of
the country TO buy foreign goods without
thereby increasing the revenue one cent.
The only effect was to increase the bur-
then of the country fifty millions. Now
we pay one hundred millions to foreign
ers and twenty-seven of revenue TO Gov
ernment-one hundred and twenty-seven
millions of dollars. By this bill we pay
one hundred and fifty millions TO foreign
ers, and twenty-seven millions TO Govern
ment, making one hundred and twenty
seven millions; just fifty more than the
people now pay; and why! To favor
foreigners and destroy Amarican labor.
That was the effect of this measure. You
cannot increase consumption; and of
course you must destroy fifty millions of
ysur own home supply to make room for
this fifty millions of increased foreign
imports. 1t was system of absur-
dity. and a system of destruction.
But gentlemen were in love with the
scheme and the party had ordained that it
should be tried. Let its advocates 90 home