The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1847-03-16

Walker states that, in 1916, we took
s45.6o0,o0o worth Of British goods, while
she took but sl54,236 worth Of our bread
stufIs, 1885 barrels of -four, 900
bushels OF wheat, and one barrel Of corn
meal;) yet We are told officially that we
must take more than forty-millions OF
British goods, or she will have TO pay US
specie I54,000) for our breadstufs, and,
not having it to spare, will reduce the
price Of "oUR coTToxii" Why, sir, it Is
automatically true, that, if one-tentf
part of the value Of British goods con-
sists Of the "~breadstuffs" consumed by
The labor employed in the production OF
the raw materials, and afterwards in con-
yertinag them into goods, then we impor-
ted in lS45, 80 times as mnch British
brcadstufs in the form of goods as she
took from us in its raw condition; for IN
stance, in 1916 we imported $45,600,-
0e0 worth Of her goods. one-tenth of
which is 81, 100000, while she took but
s154,236 worth OF our brcadstuffs, being
about one-thirteenth part. Assuming that
onc-tenih of the value Of goods consists
Of breadstuffs. land he believed this was
short of the real amount, and this result
is undenlable. Yet gentlemen are con-
stantly boasting Of the importance of the
English markets for American breadstuffs;
and this, in fact, constituted the great top
ic of both the late message and Treasury
report. And he would here state a fact
that would astonish the American peo-
pie, and especially the farmers Of this
country. 1t was fair-that for the last 25
years, from 1921 to 1916, while we. i'm
port from forty to fifty millions Of dollars
worth Of goods from Great Britain per
annum, she took but one million of dol
lars worth Of all the provisions and bread
stuffs OF this country. The fact was es-
tablished by a table which he had made
from the official reports on commerce and
navigation, from their commencement, in
1921, down to this time, which he had
already revised and corrected by the IL
brarian Of this House, and which he in
tended 10 append to his speech. But
the gentleman's interruption had with
drawn his attention from the subject he
was discussing. When interrupted, he
was enumerating some Of the Injuries on
which the duties had been reduced by the
tariff of '46; he had mentioned brandy
and spirits. The next item, though
small, served to show the spirit and poll
cy Of that law; he referred to cards. The
duty on visiting cards had been reduced
from so to 80 per cent, and on playing
cares from 257 to 80 per cent. They
take ~seven-eighths of the tax off playing
cards, and put it on tea and coffee; and
this was Democratic policy, the policy of
the tariff Of 40. The duties by this act
had been reduced on crown and cut glass,
chandeliers, &C., used by the rich, from
90 to 80 per cent; on pimento, cloves,
c%assia, dates, &C., from 60 to 80 down
to 40 per cent; on ready-made clothing,
from so to 80; on silk hats and shoes,
from 80 to 80.
The duties on all these Injuries, and
many others, consumed by the rich, are
TINS reduced, in most instances. more
than one-half; and then the Secretary and
President turn round and ask us to tax
tea and coffee. no, sir, let them restore
and increase The duties on Injuries, and
then, if they have netreyenue enough. lei
them talk about a daty on tea and coffee.
Let them restore the three-and-a-half mil
lions of reeves hey have lost by the
reduction of tlEs Luiies on cotton goods;
tlo t,,,o ,slt:o~-o 49,, ,,ol Zee ,.,,,r,,
lures; the million anda half they have
lost on sugar; the million on woollens,
and the million and a half on silk goods.
Let them restore these protective and re-
venue duties-restore the nine and a half
millions taken off these five articles. Let
them restore the $4,000 taken off BRAN
CIV and spirits. Let them do this, and then
talk to us about a duty on tea and coffee.
He asserted that, with some modification,
the tariff of 40 could be made to yield
forty millions, not only without prejudice,
but with positive benefit and advantage to
the country; not by doubling the duties,
as al The commencement of the last war,
but simply by increasing the duties on
iuxuries, and some others, for revenue
and protection, extending them to some OF
the articles made free by the tariff of'42,
and making them specific. Such a tariff,
while it would give ample revenue and
protection, would truly ecover the eoun-
try with benefits and blessings restore
prosperity to every branch of the national
industry, put the country upon its own
vast and undeveloped resources, and give
| this Administration abundant means to
sustain the public credit at this fearful cri-
sis in our affairs. This was Wing poll
cy; this was the measure the Wings
would ado at il they had the power, in
stead OF tnls miserable and pitiful attempt
to put a duty on tea and coflee-a mea-
sure alike improper, unnecessary, and in
\ ,flanrofa t Cfr L. Gylr-- -