Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-12-16

protected manufacturer eventually obtains labor very
duced rate The effect Of protective tariff in truth is not to
enhance wages but depes hem and render capital
ed in manufactures profitable by enhanced prices OF the
protected fabrics Wages throughout the whole country be-
lower than they BEFORE because the aggregate pro-
fits Of the capital Of the nation engaged in all its industry is
diminished Wages in branch of industry cannot be
high when they low in all others for wages like all other
commodities unfortunately will find the level
The aggregate profits of all the labor Of the country and not
Of particular branch Of industry, constitute the fund of
which wages paid and that general fund reduced by
diminished profits wages throughout the whole country must
eventually FILL fhen the great mass Of labor in this coun-
try and Of capital invested in agriculture Commerce. naviga
ton and such branches of industry require protection
and these pursuits injured by protective tariff either by
diminishing the market for the surplus raised by those thus
employed reducing the price OF what they SELL or compelling
them pay for what they buy, there must be in time
general fall OF throughout the country even although
particular branch Of industry may have been rendered
profitable by protective tariff This duty them instead Of
protection, upon the whole industry Of the country in
vested in pursuits requiring no tariff
Nor ii mitigation but aggravation of the evil that
some oher nations impose high duties their
sun'ers of foreign products.
The foreign duty may may prove injurious in
dusty If the American article is still in sold
abroad to their at price enhanced by their duty
the injury may have been to that extent them only and
to but when, by way Of relieving from this injury
whether real imaginary, impose tax upon our own
people consumers, by compelling them pay high prices
for foreign products by high Duties only augment the evil
Reciprocal free trade is best for ALL and reciprocal nigh duties
worst When il is said, if foreign nations tax produce
by high duties, must tax theirs in the MANNER
forget that their duty foreign imports falls mainly their
own people who purchase such imports, and likewise
our tax foreign imports falls chiefly own
people who purchase them. Let us buy such imports
desire low prices and the difference of price that thus
saved to people, is much gained additional capt.
tai encourage industry, increase employment
| and the wages of labor
But the system of reciprocal taxation wrong what
gumen be offered p favor Of high duties upon fabrics Of
faro0p tuba 0trray RIA
duty exchange Formerly poteconists admitted that
if Great Britain would freely receive breadsuf should
take their fabrics at low duties free of duty exchange
Then the laws full force in Great Britain, and it
supposed would for but the system
repealed and chief agricultural products invited
free of duty or at nominal duty, the first of February
next into all their ports Our proectonists abandon
their former position, and maintain that Injuries farmers
purchase British fabrics at low prices though England
will take beadstufs alta nominal duty in exchange.
Wages only be increased in any nation, in the aggre
gate by augmenng capital the fund out OF which the
paid and the capital gained by saving in the diminished
cost OF production and prices the will invest itself
in pursuits necessarily augmenng the demand for labor
and consequence its aggregate products profits, and
wages On the other hand the destruction diminuion Of
capital by destroying reducing the fund from which labor
is paid reduce wages. II not however, by the
fer of the amount Of capital by law from pursuit to
another that the aggregate capital and profits OF national in
dusy be increased but by the augmentation of capital
whether by saving otherwise and the radical defect OF the
restrictive system is that the tariff augmens capital
but simply changes the pursuits in which is invested and
therefore augment wages On the contrary, 1t
must in the aggregate depre wages, by preventing saving
of cap for the employment Of labor and the increase Of its
wages
Our arguments for low Duties has heretofore been
ceded by most distinguished proeconss ensured the
repeal OF the British laws. Arguments here in favor Of
protection present all nations the supposed benefits of
stcion, and would therefore persuade them all high
tariffs. Our argument in favor of free trade appeals all
nations reduce their duties on our products whereas our
arguments for protection offered to all nations
raise the duties exports One argument would per-
suade them all Of the mutual benefits of reciprocal free trade
and teach the doctrine of international unity Of interest
whereas the other attempts prove that their interests
tagonistca and will be best consulted by each ncng the
greatest injury upon the others by nigh tariffs The
would be read abroad in their legislative and executive
ellis, in favor Of reduction Of duties products; the
other would be quoted in favor Of increasing such duties
High tariffs should be most useful where they the most
effective. Let take the interior Of New York.
only from the ocean, but from railroads and canals. Now
if the duty twenty per cent the import arriving a.
the city of New York its vicinage that city and its neigh
borhood, by the protective theory should be injured by
the importation than the interior Of the State, the freight
which, many foreign articles might add twenty per
the cost making the whole enhancement Of price forty per
cent, and thus operating double protection in the ine
rior compared with the seaboard Now the restrictive
theory be true the resident of the INTERIOR being pro-
teced the tariff and freight the foreign article operating
double duty should be prosperous than the resident Of
the seaboard.
But the farmers products are highest upon the eaboa
and lower every point retire from lower at Alba
ny and Buffalo still lower at Erie, Cleveland Detroit Chi
chago, La Sale whilst the price Of all the farmer buys is
poportionaly enhanced and nothing but the fact that his
lands cheaper in proportion they from the
foreign market enables him to sustain the competition.
The protective system is agraan and upon property
II attempts organize labor and capital by law adding
profits Of pursuit by reducing those Of another Isincom-
pabe with the security Of capital labor for capital the
accumulation OF gains Of labor and therefore whatever
stroys the security profits Of capital results in equal
jury labor Besides its injurious effects upon Industry it
arbitrary and despoc power and if the people should
become accustomed TO its exercise looking for legislative sup
port and protection, it would terminate in struggle for the
division and distribution by Congress- every year. proper
ty profits and capital among the favored classes No legis-
laion Of change the law Of capital and wages
namely, that capital augmens being the from
which wages pail there will be increased demand for
labor, and consequent addition TO its reward Capital and
wages the weights in the opposite sides Of the SCALE vi
bratng under unchangng laws wages ascending capital
is augmented, and descending the capitol reduced r.
them would augment wages every lover Of mankind
must desire, must increase capital which tariff
ganzaion Of labor effect although Il may transfer CAPT.
tai from pursuit TO another always diminishing the agqe-
gate profits when the transfer is forced by law.
The belief is that manufacturers increase in
NUMBER skill capital and products, they will perpetuae
high tariffs. When they attain this condition, and their
fabrics exceed the home demand they will desire free trade
open to them the foreign markets Ia England this now
the case and their manufacturers the great advocates
free trade, manufacturers time will be- and ultimate