The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-11-03

my last two communications demands some farther
remarks and calculations, before proceed to others
appertaining TO the general subject of public
omy The doctrine, that protective duties are taxes
and taxes measured by the amount of duties, has
been 80 generally received, and SO generally con
coded, that it will take small time and pains to
explode the error, and TO bring the public mind to
full conviction of the real truth of the question
and so little attention has hitherto been paid to the
enormous system of taxation imposed on the people
OF the United States by foreign nations, from the
beginning OF our history down to this time, for lack
Of adequate protection, and which, for the
son, we are still subject to- that this feature of the
general question is to most minds, and
quires TO be brought out into clear light Both points,
indeed, are new, in far as no elaborate argument
had ever been made TO establish them, till Mr. Col
ton undertook the task in his work I" Public
Economy" and have been forced to adopt his argu
ment as a text, in my own notice of the subject.
II is proper here, to distinguish between
point elaborated, and thoughts on that ponrw which
have been common property in mems minds for
indefinite period. So far as have observed, the
thinking of Mr.. Cotton these and other points is
not new, any farther than the reduction of the
gument to form, by the collection and collation. of
the facts which constitute the proof, is concerned
He himself, in his Introductory chapter, has dis
claimed novelty, as follows:
Scarcely thought will be found within these
pages which has not been common property with
many minds, and which the intelligent reader will
not probably recognise, though it should be the first
time he ever saw it reduced to form and adjusted
in satisfactory place. - Feeling the inn
portance of his subject the author has desired to
be understood and appreciated Now--at first sight;
and he has, therefore, studied not to make state
ments which would require study in others.
He does not consider, that what he has done that
may appear to be new, is really new in most mems
minds; but only in works Of this kind
He also says, in the opening Of his second chap
ter, which is devoted to an exhibition of the "new
points of the work -" BY the new points it is not
meant, that all specified as such, are entirely SO,
though many OF them are (; but, on account Of the
Importance given to their position. as compared
with the slight notice taken of them in other works
OF this kind, 1t is thought proper to present them as
new. Many of them, will be seen, involve fun
damental and all pervading principles, such as have
not, heretofore, been incorporated in works on
public economy"
Such, for example, the two points, that s'pro-
tective duties arc not taxes and that ''they are
rescue from foreign taxation" The propositions
are new, but the facts which arc adduced to sup
port them not new; and the same similar
forms of argument in Mr.. Colton's work will be
recognised, though they have never before been
carried out to the same definite end. The intelli-
gent reader will find himself at home though he is
introduced by new door, finds new compartments
there, those he had not seen before, and though
he goes out by new door. Much is new to him,
though he recognises the house. To be at home Is
agreeable to all !; and 10 find ones own house bet
ter, larger, more complete and more finished than
ever before, Is by no means disagreeable.
As have intimated, there is really nothing new
in his argument but the collection and collocaton OF
facts, bearing the ends specified in the PROPOSE
TONS so to clear the way to their full and COM
pete establishment In regard to the first OF these
points have cndeavored, in former article, to
exhibit the great principle the practical operation
of which, in defiance of all dwiori reasonings,
brings about such result to wit the rivalship be-
twsen two great commercial spheres-the Ameri-
can and European, or foreign. Without protec-
ton there could be rivalshp, and American
labor and art would be compelled to succumb for
lack of position; whereas, by protection American
skill and labor installed in the position, not
only of rival, but of an effective rivalship. By
projection of our own labor and arts, machinery,
on an immense and stupendous SCALE is erected-a
moral machinery, which produces at once literal
shock of empires Ii is not a mean encounter, but
one which shakes whole natons-all but our own.
II shakes the thrones of despos in every part OF the
world with which we trade; for they are supported
only by usurping the rights of labor, and being
able 10 underoid own labor in our own market
70 long it is unprotected.
Rut the moment American labor is protected, it
is not only prepared to compete with foreign, but
ON the platform of that immense margin OF taxation
which enters into the cost OF foreign products, as
shown in my last, American labor, If protected,
can not only reward itself handsomely, but furnish
he a
much lower rate. II is this immense and amazing
system of foreign taxation which is invaded and
disturbed by an American system OF protection; 1t
ia in consequence Of rescue from this foreign tax
alton in the cost Of foreign products, that American
labor under protection, able TO enter the held OF
.competition make satisfactory profit, and reduce
lhe prices of its products.
What then, under this ANGLICAN system OF pro-
lection becomes of that sepenfy,fpe per cent cost,
composed Of foreign taxation, since, as result OF
nrotecton the articles are produced at homer Pre-
risely this fraction, the largest, goes TO main
tam the freedom price Of American labor, and en-
i.rs into its reward and the other fraction, the
nallest goes to reduce the prices of the articles 70
the consumer, that he actually gets them lower
than he would without this system OF protection
Thus the American consumer Is benefited, Amerl'
can labor is benefited, and the American people arc
rescued from immense system OF foreign TAXA
ton-a system, as shown in my last, which mounts
ca at least sepy foe per cent of the cost OF foreign
products. -, ,.,,o,.,
Cd articles had long been perceived; but It's appa
rent violation of the principles OF toTt reasoning
has oocasioned tardy admission OF the truth The
.dvocates of free trade always treat II as an absur
dity and ss such, they claim that II mas no ute ''
!. renly Sill the facts are urged, and cannot DC
denied and the still is that II II an absur
ditvl The absurdity is proved by an a-Triori De
duction 10 wit that the article must, necessarily
cost "a much more as the duty. Tins Is ue oegln
ming middle, and end OF the reasoning. frescn
them with a ward Of cotton, the price OF winch II
ono cent less than the duty, and the foei is an 40
,tpdityi Mr.. Clay once read letter IN the senat
from an importer in Boston, complaining oil losse
on certain goods by the imposition Of higher duties
lin the tariff of 1898 believer the goods havint
been imported under a lower scale oil duties
a. For /" said the merchant, cit really appears ina
the hi pher the duties the lower the pricesj re
.ult which aprtori reasoning would never arrive al
Nevertheless though this statement OF the BostoI
merchant IL not always true, II IL generally 80 u
application 10 protective dutiss-- OF which he wa
,paakinR But every body takes Tor granted ina
The prices will be higher by the measure OF the du
ties that Is that the duties are tax ON consumer
20 that amount, when, i'm fact, az eSperlenc
proves the prices generally lower; and there
fore the duties (protectiye) are not tax Dat qui'
the contrary. .,,. -.
IL il the establishment Of An effective riYaship' %
an immense scale, that sccomplishes tins apParen,
lv incredible result IL is the restoration oil Amer
can labor and arts 10 their nghuul position,
which they are not only able 10 yindicate thelr gus
claims, in sustaining a competition agains, All II
ponents whatsoever, but able also to produce w
yery articles in question at lower rate, and rescu
the country from an unjust and immensely onerou
system Of foreign taxation. There Is the seventy
five per cent OF cost Of these foreign articles, CON
posed Of taxes, all s1ped the greater part Tor W
benefit Of American labor and art, and inc h,n'