The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1849-10-04
From the Philadelphia Ledger-(an IndePeh
dent Paper.)
The Tariff Again.

dent Paper)
The Tariff Again.
There IS great bother Just now about
the ruineus effects of the Tariff, and eve
ry wild and improbable story Of effects
is forced into the argument. The half Of
fact, coupled with an erroneous conclu
sion, or simple fact, shorn of all expla
nation of causes, is considered fair and
honest enough, by some of those who are
politically and pecuniarly interested IN
having the prices Of home manufactures
raised as high as possible. They seem
ingly forget in their eagerness to amass
fortunes in few yeas, that the money
10 pay those high prices, and from whom
those fortunes TO the few are amassed,
comes from the many consumers, the
thousands of pIodding, hard-worklng far
mers and mechanics, in all the length and
breadth of the land. Unfortunately for
the iudicious adjustment and stability of
this important question, 1t has been drawn
into the vortex of politics, where all is
considered fair-as, for instan ce--it was
recently stated that eight mills had stop
ped IN Massachusetts. 1t was not long
3 before the paragraph, in its rounds, was
placed under the imposing head, EFFECTS
of the Tariff of '46'-when the truth
was, they stopped for want of water
More recently, an extensive iron manu-
facturer in New Jersey having, months
ago, accepted an order for large amount
OF IRON, al prices higher than the present
market rate, was busily preparing to
execute it. when the other contracting
party bought out Of bad bargain by pay
ing the iron master fifty four thousand
Ill. hn hn
works were forthwith blown out-and
this fact, too, was proclaimed as the ruin
inous effects Of the Tariff of 49, without
once alluding to the cause. Such ruin
does not often fall to the lot Of the farmer,
or in fact, any other than manufacturer.
There is no doubt that the recent revul-
sion that SO Frustrated all business IN
Europe, has thrown immense quantities
Of every description of manufactures on
this market at less than CoSt-iron as
we'll as most everything else-but these
are occurrences that it is impossible TO
guard against by any revenue law, and
it is not desirable that she advantages that
result to consumers in the United States.
The products held as assets by the bank
rupt manufacturer, as well as of the bank
rupt farmer, are usually sold at forced
sales, at u loss, and It is preposterous to
attempt to prevent any one who chooses
from buying them. That the manufactu-
rers know and feel that they can com
mand the home market, even under the
present Tariff, is manifest from the spring
ing up of new mills and works all over
the country. If the business would not
pay, they would not invest farther in
them, as they are almost daily doing. AT
Trenton, new iron foundry has Just been
started, Notwithstanding dnot her manu-
facturer in that State made more by
pocketng $4,000 and relinquishing
contract than in fulfilling it. A company
of IRON workers in this State, which it i,
known have made much money, ant
which have recently added largely to thei
facilities to manufacture, few days ago
evidently for political effect, posted tn,
following notice on the door their count
ing house:-'We regret that we canno
find work for the men employed; but II
fault Is not ours-it is owing to the Tar
iff of 1916 Now, this very company,
the reports be true OF the extensive add
tons to their works, must feel assure
that there'is market for all that they ca
produce-else why add more TO losin
capital! Balder bats have rarely bee
put in political traps, and it can hardI
be expected that they will catch sensibl
voters. 1t is great pity for the realI,
working portion of our manufacturer
that this important matter has fallen int
the hands of unscrupulous politicians
who making it a hobby, hope by mount
ing tito ride into power and place, know
little and caring less for the real .interes
ofthe subject they profess to have S
much at heart.