The daily union., 1846-06-27
TwENTY-NINTH CONGRESS,
First Session.
Fanny, June 26, 1886.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
THE TARIFF

MANY Of the remarks which have made above
apply with equal force to the cotton growing States
at the South. They have the raw material at hand,
and my belief is, that so far they have engaged
in the manufacture of this important staple produc
ton, they have realized a much greater average
profit than the cotton and woollen mills of New Eng
land. The most intelligent men of the South, De-
leye deplore-and among them are some OF 'he iree-
traders themseves--the exclusive devotion TO THIS
one branch of agriculture. They, on the contrary,
recommend, instead Of purchasing their horses ana
mules and cows and bacon, and other similar art-
ces, that they should raise them among themselves
Let them add 10 this that they should manufacture
their own clothing, and the recommendation would
be consistent and equally wise, and the only diff
Guilty would be- that of these theorlzers might,
IN both cases; find it necessary TO modify the apP-
cation of their favorte maxim OF which we hear IN
season and out of season, THAT they should buy
where they buy cheapest" IL they do not, they
may find another maxim exemplihed in this case,
''that purely agricultural country must always be
free country"
II had time would say few words about the
direct benefit OF the heavy protection afforded TO the
sugar planter and the important indirect benefit OF
withdrawing so large an amount OF labor and capt.
tai from the growth of cotton, but leave this to
southern gentlemen who can best illustrate it. \
will say but few words in relation TO the large
market for cotton already furnished at home
by he cotton mills Of the country. | arm aware that
some gentlemen affect TO despise this market. II
It was in any foreign country, 1t would be consider
ed very respectable indeed. m
The amount of cotton consumed in this country
in the year ending the 3st August, lsI5, was l76,-
800 600 lbs, and in Great Britain, the same year,
$50, 900 900. This consumption IN this country Is
double the amount consumed in Great Britain IN
1916 having been then but 49, 700, 600 lbs, equal
10 the whole crop Of the Union in 1925, and whole
consumption of Great Britain in 1896; and the In
crease from that time to theipresent, in Great Brit
ain has been seyen-fold, and IN the United States
sixteen fold. These facts speak for themselves
| cannot stop to comment upon them, nor to present
many other which have, as | think, an important
bearing on this question. They all show that II was
a wise policy on the part Of distinguished southern
statesmen, when they advocated, and carried, in
spite Of New England votes, the tariff act OF 1916
S. had designed, sir, to have commented upon
the effect Of the protective policy on the commercial
classes and the immensely superior importance Of
our home trade to merchants and shlp-owners on
our foreign commerce. did so, much at length, on
a former occasion, and must now leave for others
this branch Of the subject, simply remarkng that,
in our largest commercial cities, the commerce IN
domestic goods IL far more important even now than
IN foreign goods and that a large majority Of the
intelligent merchants OF the country decidedly in
favor Of the protective policy; and from IS TO 30 per
Of foreign goods imported are imported by for
srgners, on foreign accounts and very consde-
rabIe portion in foreign vessels
G. But sir the last point in relation TO which
Union is interested in sustaining this protective
policy that the beneficial results have been to the
lrhoie country rather than to any particular class,
and are national, rather than sectional
Although, SIR had designed, in the plan which
| had prescribed to myself to consider this branch
of the question, yet | would gladly have left it in
the hands Of my honorable friend from Yer
mont, ftime had permitted him to pursue the dis
cussion at which he only hinted. 1t is, after all,
the great point in relation to this question: and
regret that unable to give its due proportion of
time to this most important branch Of II.
The question is two-fold: one Of finance,
concerning dollars and cents; and the other of
morals and politics. In relation to the former,
! need add little to what ! have said IL l
right in those views, no one will dispute the fact
that The protective policy il, in its highest economi
al sense policy Of highest national importance,
and as such TO be cherished.
But let us look, sir for q moment at the question
in the aggregate Has nothing been accomplished
for the country by this policy? Are the 1876 200 900
of dollars annually manufactured of no value to US
as a nation' Has this constituted no part of the
national wealth. Has it given us no character as
natlon Has it given us no rank and influence in
peace, and rendered us no more powerful in war; Is
it So sir that any American regrets that these facts
exist and exist by the fostering care of the protective
policy of this country
But it ia said, sir, we have paid too dearly for
these things, and that the people have been mpov-
ershed, particularly the poor people, for whose suffer-
ings the heart of the tenderheared secretary seems
10 bleed. Now sir, deny the fact, and say with
the greatest confidence that the whole proof is pre-
ciaeIy the reverse. We have been obliged to raise
since the tariff of 1916 enacted large amount
of money in this country, many hundreds of millions
Of dollars. In raising these large amounts by duties
on imported goods, it Of course is impossible that
there should not be addition to the price some
Of the articles imported. What has been the effect
of so arranging the duties us to encourage the manu-
facure of various articles of necessity in this coun
try} The fact is that when this protection has
been sufficient to establish the branch of manufac-
ture, competition has reduced the price below what
it waR when the protection afforded and in
every instance. This fact is not disputed; and it has
been asserted, and think the assertion strictly true
that, without an exception, any article manufactured
in this country fully protected for period of seven
years has been sold at lower price by the domestic
manufacturer than the price Of the foreign article
when the protection first afforded. This fact |
do not understand to be denied but there are various
modes of accounting for it resorted to. In the first
place, II is said that other manufactured goods not
protected by the tariff and not manufactured here
have also fallen in price. The to this is that
1t is not universally true that such articles have fall
en-, and, as whole, far less than the protected art-
cles 1t is further said that the corresponding goods
abroad have also fallen TO the same extent in price
and would have done so If there had been no tariff
and manufactures in this country. The first part
of this statement is in the main true but the latter
Pa't ~ certainty unsupported ny any 1dctS, ana IS
n mere naked assumption. And when the country
told that system of robbery has been practised
and downright pIunder, and we answer that you can
now purchase anything which we manu- facture less
than we could some years ago, the public will re-
qulre some good reason for discrediting a system
which has been so uniform in its operations and 80
rapid too. system of financial oppression which is
uniformly attended and accompanied by the reduction
IN prices, will not be deemed very severe, although
learned gentlemen may undertake to prove that they
were only casual companions-accidenta associates
and had no actual and necessary connexon.
If gentlemen ask hoo this is to be accounted for
IT opens very wide field Of speculation upon which
can scarcely enter. We differ about the erplana-
tion, but still the fact remains unchanged; and for
the man who is to buy the articles and pay for them
it ls by far the most important point. have only
time TO state two suggestions on the subject which
have great force in my own mind II is we'll
known fact that the market Of this country is by
far the best and largest which Great Britain has
abroad Now 1t was well and truly said by
the honorable gentleman from Virginia, Mr..
in ~ ,bo Il