Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1849-03-16

could not sell, and of course would have 10
stop. An immense debt would accumulate
upon us as people, for the manufacturers
of Europe; and how would it be paid! We
are told that we could pay it in fair ex-
change of commodities. This we deny,
They do not want thousandlh part of the
value in agricultural products which they
would sell in our market"
We are somewhat puzzled 10 know how or why
man who holds forth in this style, should take it
upon him TO censure others TO- offering assertions
without proof Ii he can make the above para
graph any thing else than assertion without proof
ne can do what we cannot. 1t is pro.ectipe tariff
observe, which he thus strongly endorses and deyo-
teddy pleads for; a tariff which even Boston wings
of the most ultra stamp, admit 10 be no longer me-
cessary That surplus capital, vested in Iabor-sa
wing machinery, should require the protection, and
the lavish patronage of the whole American people,
and that forever is what we presume our co:empo-
rary would not insist upon Take the leading
branches of our home system Of manufacture, viz
cotton and woIlen Our friend vii. not deny that
capital, in the form OF machinery, performs more
than nineteen twentietas of all the labor, and, o!
course, must receive more than nineteen twentieths
of all the protection which tariff furnishes TO
those branches of industry. Suppose the opera
tives in Walham, Lowell, Fall River, Chckope
Manchester, &c TO number $4,000. These might
receive one twentieth ofthe benefits of government
protection, (Which they do not any thing near
] ~ l.la ID
employ, receives nineteen twenteths of this nation
al patronage. In vast majority of cases capital
takes the Hons share and leaves only the crumbs
and scrapings to labor And this is pcrpetualiy be-
coming in an increasing degree the result under the
policy of fostering and forcing particular branches
of business, by governmental regulations. Capital
in the form of machinery, is more and more mo-
nopolizng; and hired labor more and more being
deprived Of its opportunity for profitable employ
ment. Thirty years ago there demand for
the labor of a score of spnners and weavers where
there is now call for one. Capital, flooded with
government patronage, has taken away employ
ment from the nineteen, and is mpudently boast.
ing Of being the liberal patron of labor because it
though not to equal extent, of other branches OF
industry fostered into an unnatural growth, and
forced into unnatural activity by government pat
ronage. Capital takes the lions share. and leaves
simple, ever credulous labor, beguiled and plum
dereI.
To peipetuate and enlarge this unnatural and
unrighteous system real estate, and all descriptions
of permanent property, must be wholly exempted
from taxation. The owner of hundred thousand
acres OF land, of a million ofdoars in bank stock
rail-road stock, "nnal stock, commercial captal
manufacturing capital; the owners OF almost the
entire wealth Of the nation are wholly exempted
from taxation as proprietors, and in common with
the laboring classes, only taxed as consumers. Ar
tlcIes OF common and constant consumption furnish
the entire revenue. Thus it is that under the tariff
system, wealth shuns the burdens, and at the same
time monopolzes the patronage of the national
government.
Again: 1t is not correct TO represent tariff as a
system for the protection OF American labor. 1t
is mainly fostering American capital at the ex-
pense OF the hundred fold more numerous class who
must continue TO purchase and use the various de-
scrptlons of duty paying commodities We are
not averse to talking over these matters in cool
and candid way with our friend out west. We
think be is in the wrong bat we deem him trans
parenty honest, and Just the man who will 60 the
whole doctrine OF free trade as he has done of late
the doctrine of free soil, when he has once given
the subject full and candid investigation
They do not want" (that is the nation of Eu.
rope) the thousandth part of the value in agrcul.
tural products which they would sell in our mark.
et' England alone buys of our plantation and
farming produce, almost half as much as we i'm
port from all countries, England included
Our friend pays but a poor compliment to Amer
lean skill, enterprise aid energy when he main
tans that we make no branch of industry prosper
without government patronage. An almost
boundless territory, with ineXhaus'ible resources,
and population energetic and enterprzng beyond
all parallel, and yet their prosperity wholly de,
pending upon interests incapable of sustaining
themselves without being made bill of expense
to all classes.