The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-09-21
Pennsylvanta--A further Reduction Of
Duties,

The tariff of 1916 has produced the
effects in Pennsylvania which were an
ticipated by all her Representatives in
Congress, (save one,) by both her Sena-
tors, and by hundreds and thousands of
her citizens, who put their objections to
the system into petitions and memorials.
Wages are falling, the furnaces are blown
out, and the same state of depression ex
lists in the iron trade which prevailed be-
fore the passage of the tariff of 1S42.
This leads her miners, golfers, and iron
! masters to inquire into the remedy, and
they can find it only in an increase of the
duties on coal and iron The Democracy
of the Keystone State have always been
in favor of the tariff of 1872 During the
canvass of 1914, Mr.. BUCHANAN assured
| them on the stump that Mr.. Polk was as
good tariff man as Mr.. CLAY; and all the
banners of the Democracy were inscribed
with s'Polk, Dallas, and the Tariff of 1S42;;"
and the last, perhaps, the most popular Of
the three. The Pennsylvanians have been
made the victims of gross fraud; and the
leaders of Locofocoism in the State have
taken the field in support of it. They go.
to the people, on the coming election, in
favor of the tariff of 1916; and if they
should carry the State, it will be regarded
and claimed as triumph of the free trade
principles and party, If Pennsylvania is
satisfied with the present duties on coal
and iron, and are willing on this ground
to join the opposition to President TAY-
LoR, there will certainly be no effort made
by the WHO'S to force upon her measures
of which she disapproves.
There was time when the Democrats
of Pennsylvania thought these great in
terests entitled to the fostering aid of
the Federal Government. There was
a time when the voice of labor was heard
and respected by men of both parties.
Even Mr.. BUCHANAN, with all his strict
party predictions and prejudices, did not
dDe to oppose the just demands of his
own State. But now the state of things
is different Mr.. WALKER and Mr. Dali
LAS insist upon the tariff of 1S46-the
first as It's author, the latter as its finisher
by his casting vote in the Senate. But
when the tariff of 1912 was before the Sen
ate, what said the great champion of Penn
sylvania interests. We turn to the Con
gressional Globe for 1S42, and on page $50
we find that Mr.. BUCHANAN said that "af-
ter the late war, when the manufactures
Of the country were in depressed condi-
ton, and at a time when patriotism was
alive, and it was considered necessary,
in the language of President Jackson, to
protect the iron manufacturing interest
for our protection in war, as well as in
dependence in time of peace-a duty of
$50 ton was imposed on rolled iron.
The effect Of this high rate OF duty had
been to enable the State of Pennsylvania
to produce between twenty-one and TWEEN
ty-two millions Of dollars of iron manufac-
lures per annum more, he believed, than
the value of all the cotton produced in any
one State. From all the information
that he could obtain, duty less than
S24 or S25 ton wouLd destroy ,arly
: all The furnaces in the State of PennSyl-
rania. Did any Senator desire the oc-
: currence Of such an EVENT. That vast
{ interest-which had been raised up, not
; at the suggestion of the manufacturers,
: but by your own law-would be de-
stroyed, and the demand for the foreign
article would be increased, add eonse-
quently the price would be increased al
least 331 per cent. For the manufac-
{ turers themselves he cared very little;
they we're nearly all of them opposed to
! BIN in politics, a laugh, and he had no
/ 60 feeling with them, except so far
II. --nuld benefit the coun-
try. But the real condition o. WV
of Pennsylvania was, that the furnaces
furnished an ertenSiUe market for agricul-
'"' P' """tttO|fo " b1e "Sfg"OWHOoUJ m
immense number Of poor persons were en-
pi0yed aJoH The work, md they were al
most entirely disqualified from any other
business. HIS heart Uithered at The idea
Of tie distress that wouH be produced
throughout lint part Of the country by the
{ cessation Of The operation OF those iron
manufactures"
The "yast interest," of which Mr.. Blu.
chANAN spoke is in the way of its destruc-
ton. The market furnished by the furnaces
IS cut off. The number of poor people
employed about the work are thrown out
Of employment-and the distress which
" withered his heart" is pervading the
coal and iron region of this State. And
what now say Mr.. BUcHANAN's friends
What say the Locofocos Of 1892 They