Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-10-09
RICH NJ OND, VA.
Monday Morning, October 3, Is40.


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Monday Morning, October 3, ls40.
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Resolved, That the Tariff of 1886, being wrong in
principle, and ruinous Ia practice 10 snbversive Of the
long cherished policy Of the Wings. who desire The
speedy restoration oil the Tariff Of 1912.
for great and united ef,fl overthrow the Ta,G Of
ls46, through the power Of tho ballot box.
The above resolutions, adopted al Wing
meelisg t. Ptsburg are but link in the great
and universal movement OF Whiggery 10 put
down or emascuale the Tariff OF 1916. The
chief object set forth, is 10 destroy the al palo en-,
principle, and substitute The monsrous and ni-
quitons system of specific duties This they do
in defiance of the opinions OF MIR. Clay, who, in
his last speech in The Senate, clearly demonsra.
ted the superior wisdom and justice OF ad valorcm
duties. The New Orleans Courier, in The fol-
loving article, graphically exposes The mischets
OF system OF specific duties:
40 VALOREM DUTIES.-The Wings
seem 10 BIZ determined on altering the features of
the Revenue Act Of 1876. They find fault in
special manner with The principle of collecting
duties on imported goods in proportion 10 their
value or, as they are usually called, al valorem.
We cannot, for The lie of US, perceive ally rea.
son for annulling this mode oil collecting the re-.
venue. II strikes US as The most fair ard eQu-
able that ca be devised, and Infinitely preferable
TO specific duties, or duties levied on goods ac-
cordins 10 quantity, weight or measure. In This
latter way, thousand cigars that were pur-
chased in Havana Tor 81, pay no higher duty
than cigars that were bought al $40 a thousand.
"A cask OF clare. that cost 50 in Bordeaux, will
tie charged with no more duty al The Custom
House than a casK that cost SIS or 90
This plan is lnanifeslly unjust. IL favors The
rich man, because his Injuries are taxed no
higher than the poor mah's necessares. Thus
tea al 81 pound pays no more Than Tea al SO
cenls'-ihe same Thing OF sugar. CT flee, wines o.
all kinds, cigars Camel coal al two dollars
barrel pays no more duty than the common qua
lily US, d by blacI smi,hs.
Mr.. K. ]. Walker, in one Of his reports 10
Congress, puts the cas. OF Stale law, which
should exact the same amount OF taxation on
marble palace thai is exacled from poor mans
dwelling that was built for $500. Exravagant
as this supposed case may seem, il is really in
strict accordance with the principle Of specific
duties.
We cannot forbear from introducing here an
able and Interesting vndcalion OF Free Trade,
from the New York Miror-a paper which,
strange 10 say, was the very first in New York
TO nominate Gen. Taylor for the Presidency, aud
has been his consistent supporter. While The
peued organ, The Republic, 10 hammering
away at The Tariff Of 1886, and urging its sub.
s:aniial repeal, in spite OF the tact that 10 The
late canvass, The Wings were perfectly clark" on
the subject and no measure OF policy was made
nm ssur-whiIe the net oroan ;c ,hpa auep Min q
10 sustain ultra Wing measures, The New York
Mirror, an original Taylor organ, is galanly
resisting the scheme Of the selfish ricksers to
break up The present wise and benidcent system
10 this aspect, its views are doubly interesting:
FREE TRADE.-Already the advocates and
benz feia,ies OF the protective system, are mar
shalliog their forces, preparatory TO an assault
upon The Tariff Of 1916. They entertain the hope,
by combination OF those interested in The re-
establishment OF that system, that their designs
can be accomplished.
Single banded they are unable 10 cope with
The farming and commercial interest. But by
arraying The COTTON manufacturer. the iron mas,
Ter, the sugar planter, the salt manufacturer and
all other branches OF "home industry" they have
every confidence in their ability to impose bur-
deus upon agriculture and commerce, Tor their
mutual bereht.
Any one al all conversant with The INFLUENCES
brought 10 bear al Washington, Tor the accom-
plishmenl OF fayorile object, can al once dis.
cover The difficulties which the advocates OF free
trade have to encounter. II the Representative
from an iron district can procure the establish.
menl OF specific duties, he will crafty The mem.
Der Who represents cotton manufacturing dis.
uicl, by voting 10 insert minimum duties, and by
this quiet understanding, they succeed in tas,en-
ing their swindling system upon the COUNTY,
Scruples, they have none, al The palpable injus.
lice inflicted upon the Other great interests OF the
country; provided they can put money in their
pockets. They iorcib!y remind Us of The advice
OF the interruptions father to his son: Get
money. Honestly if you can-but gel money"
What ~ lhaIe about cotton mill, or an iron
foundry, which entities The owners thereof to de.
mand that money should be taken out OF the
pocke;s OF others TO be put into their own7
Why should the firmer, by far The largest
class OF our citizens, and al least as worthy, be
forced 10 purchase OF Inc American manuiaclu-
rer articles which he can obtain at lower prices
OF The ioIeignei7 VIVA. does he gain by the ops.
ratonl
We will fairly put the arguments of the
friends Of the protective system. First, they
say that ultimately protection will enable them
10 sell goods as cheap as they would be-. il the
foreigner had command Of the market IL thi,
assumption we're true, il would be no reason,
as we shall hereafter prove, why bountiss
should be paid BY consumers to The domestic
manuf, cturer
But assuming. for the sake Of illustration,
that this assumption is correct, and that iron,
sugar, salt cotton goods, silks, &C., can be
manufactured here as cheap as foreigners can
land them at our wharf, unless some one would
ofa nd
the tariff on the foreign fabric, it would be ex,
cluded-no revenue would accrue ,herefrom, and
direct taxation would be the result.
But these premises to consent to reduction
of the tariff TO revenue standard, after a few
years Of protection, have again and again been
violated. A few years Of protection only was
asked for in 1916. 1894, and 1928. 10 1893 it
was solemnly proclaimed by Mr. Clay, The IA
Their of the protective system, that If all agita.
ton and Auctuation was avoided for nine years,
the manuJastories ~ every branch will sustain
themselves against foreign competition"
What has become OF plighled iaIlh upon the
part Of pfoectionisls Il is wholly disregarded
aid they are as clamorous as ever for protec-
tive tariff But they insist that the prices OF
manufactured articles have fallen since The year
1916. We admit il. Bul prices have fallen, moi
only here, but throughout The world. Mechani-
cal skill has made wonderful improvements 10
machinery, which has been substituted for hand
labor. This has undoubtedly contributed more
than any other event 10 reduce The price OF goods.
The farmer boy hesilales 10 cultivate The laI
which, when manufactured by his mothers hand,
is TO become his raimenl; The busy hum OF The
wheel which we Listened TO in our childhood is
hushed; the sound Of the blacksmilh's hammer is
seldom heard moulding his nail from The Kissing
iron; and 10 their stead The confusing sounds Of
the loom and The factory, as their complicated
machinery, almost without the aid of human be-
ings, unfods 10 view the curious specimens Of its
skil', While the steady and unceasing fall of The
wel.iashioned nail, as it drops from The mill,
proclaims The substitution OF artificial for natural
power.
The low price OF The raw material, and Of
food, as our vast forests disappear before the
wooiman's axe and broad acres yield their har-
vests as reward for Toll, is a by no means un-
important cause OF The fall OF manufactured
goods within The last twenty years.
Notwithstanding all these clemens 10 aid The