Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-11-03
The vice Presidents Letter.


founded and in fact, he forth the induce
his present aposaey, shall proceed consider
the leading points OF that report which will introduce
cidentsly, consideration Of the views of the letter to
which have referred.
And first let consider the famous proposition that by
the Tariff OF l542 the country taxed S54 900 for
the benefit Of the manufacturer and S27 900 for the
In order that may be suspected of doing
injustice to Mr. Walker, we quote his very words.
AT leas, wo-ihrds Of the imposed by the pre-.
sent Tariff paid not into the Treasury but the pro-
IeeIed classes. Tho from imports last year
exceeded twcnyseven million OF dollars. This, in ITSELF
heavy but the whole tar, imposed upon the peo-
po by the present Tariff less than eishty-one mil
lions Of dollars! Of which 27,0nU,00O paid the
government upon imports aud GOO 900 in the enhanced
prices Of similar domestic articles. Ths estimate based
upon the pOsiti,n, that the duty added the price OF
the import, and also OF its domestic rival"
Here reader will perceive, that without much as
attempt argument, the Secretary the whole
ground most convenient way OF arguing certainly, to
take the conclusion for the premises and consider the whole
question granted The first position of the Secretary
that protective duties taxes false and that So
reference few facts will demonstrate beyond the pos
sbility OF reGuuation.
Cotton goods, which before the Tariff OF 1916 Cost
eighty five cents yard, be bought for
eight. Before the system OF Poecon, the cotton goods
which used Tor shifting twenty five thirty
Sheetngs about ten cents; they before the
era Of Protection, high thirty thirty
five. Printed cacoes which in 1916 ranged from twenty
wonty five cents, sold in lS44 for twelve
These results that they would appear sufficient
satisfy Free Trader, but portion OF the
achievements of Protection 1t actually compelled the
British government dierenta duties for their
dePen ieneie of s. and 10 per CENT order
exclude American uaetures, which eating into
he bnvp nj thetrN and rivi tho
soil Of their colonies, their manufactured goods
entirely OF the market We leave IL any man
but Free Trader say, whether this mighty result bears
upon remOesi resemblance to tax upon the
American consumer.
But this is far from being all that protection has ced
The British duty cotton, from 1909 to 1914
less than So per pound. At that ume having
entered fully into the system Of protection, could not
cOurse, come in comp uOn with her, SOL
aud she could pleasure, levy hevy upon an
tce which she Obliged to have and make py for the
privilege OF furnishing her manufacturers the very sisp
of her enormous wealth. But different system nov
Contemplated the United Saes aud, anticipation the
Parliament OF Grelt Britain reduced the duty
cents pound in order that
might ours, who paid duty, equal ground The
duty fell las, to half penny, and against this duty
she has been compelled protect her by
the genius enterprise, and skill OF ours, fosieed and
encouraged by the Tariff Of 1912. But for this
protection raising up, and nursing maured strength
thousand manufactures, and sending forth their products
all the OF the EARTH should still have been in
the power OF England, and our cotton would sui paid
50 pound for the privilege Of being manufactured
into English goods.
Buttis goods alone that the beneficial e.
fects of the Tariff Of lS42 PercepubIe. wooen jeans
which lS40 sold 65 40 cents were bought in any
quantity after the passage of the Tariff Of 1892 at IS to
40, and Of superior quality Nay, so great change had
the system Of protection produced in the prices Of this
seTpuon of goods that correspondent Of the Journal OF
Commerce. not Elk months ago. informs the editor that he
had been assured by Yankee trader settled in Cansda
whom he Cleveland, Ohio that he could carry Anne
and other wOollens into that province pay
The duty, and then undeTse the English importers.
Nor the effect Of the system of protection confined
articles Of clothing alone. peTvades the whole house
hold economy, taking every species Of under
especial guardianship. Before the tariff of 1874 win.
dow glass sold for S05O per 100 feet In lS25 il sold
for $3.50. Alter the compromise it enormously and
reduced by the tariff Of 1912, S22 only twenty
FIVE than the duty. But it did thau this
In 1882 there IL anI-glass manufactures in the
United States. The compromise reduced them to 5, and
the tariff Of 40 increased that number to 49,
Let now look into the article Of iron manufacture,
entering does, largely than any other whsever
into the daily uvocsdOn Of fe in all its varieties Fortu
nutely, here, have document Of highly authentic
Committee Of Manufactures to the 25h Congress we
learn that reduction OF prices tweny different
articles ranged from 10 to SO per cent siupsndous re-
suit and that resembles any thing rather than 4 tax
Ia the benefit Of the manufacturer. Ia ninc articles
Of hardware protected by the taf Of 1872 the reduction
OF price had been from 10 80 per cent Nor did this
report "a invaluable documeLD conhne elf TO ar
ucss Of iron manufacture alone In % different aruces
connected with ship building and rig ing articles 100 Of
I'll n 80 4
five per cent That document still stands proud monu.
men Of the industry which collected the factp and the
wisdom which dedueed the nferences The highest praise
which be give H. Is that It has remained ineSpugnsbe
TO ell attacks Not Of lie points has been eonuoyered
not one Of ts positions successfully nssailed.
Lei US now turn article the product Of our ow
soil. Brown sugar according Mr. Walker himself in
1876 when we got oil sugar from the West Indies
ranged from l4B TO l65 cents pound. In 1870, IN.
der protection, he'd fallen to 81 and l2J. In ls25
down to ~ 10 cents. IL afterwards fell success
svely TO and AID 81 10 1891 and 1885 In 1895
20 there shrt crop and The price 10 and II
cents. This not occasiOned by short crop In ths
West Indies for there there failure; but the short
crop nome, left the mercy Of the foreign maket
always are, In free trade times aud with similar
when manufacturer their operations
In lsfI-5 the prices icl 60 four and five conts For
twenty year, pert Of the supply coming from abroad
the composition kc,t do~n the prices. - soon o. thai
Withdrawn, by The short CROP and were left at the
mercy u the foreign crop, they When the market
was again taken " the hands OF foegoers they sgan
fell.
All remember Mr. Calhoun's notable calculation when
the sriT Of 1912 under debate by which he proved
that according theory Of his own bagRing
be aHed million snd half Of dollars. He got at his con.
ousion a. NJ Walker by addirg the duty the Price
A. Tor the very purpose laughing his theory to scon
coiion.boggng fell 3Sl per under the operation o.
che tariff thereby expos ng the "honest nufef 10 the d.
rIsion Of every man Of PRACTICAL the whole coun-
Try
Nov ak The reader H there s any thing In oil these
facts u which W. Walker 10 have been profound
y gnoran', justify The ttat consumer pays
tsS Of s54oOOOOO 20 tho manufacturer Lett not perfect
~ evident ihst protection, BY reducing the prices Of oil
necessary srec has saved 20 the farmer sums
which he would Otherwise have been compelled 10 pay a.
far fofsigoors mot bis own countymsn) l. t not
evident hat taking average, n the gross fifty per cent
has been saved end that without The tariff Of 5l2 instead