The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-03-17

Mr. Merednh-The Tarns-O.r Commercial Letter.
The National ntelligencer which may be regarded prt
tempore at least the organ OF the administration
published yesterday the letter of the Secretary
the Treasury to political meeting in Potsvie, Penn
.ylvinia, written some weeks ago We have already
laid this production before our readers it is
therefore, to publish again. Its striking feature u.s. lha
condemns the revenue bill Of ls46 insult to Penn
sylyana, and demands the restoration of the tariff
1912 necessary to appease her wounded honor TIL,
National ntegencer publishes this letter at this time
conessedly to silence the which have been aoa
to the effect that Mr.. Meredith is imbued with free trad.
principles. We consider that the head of the trea
suy has been officially placed in his position before
the country, and offer thanks to the wing organ
for thus revealing his present opinions. The eminent
of the financial and commercial policy of the late
administration has forced many OF the fedealss
admit its wisdom. Many who believed four years ago
that high tariff levied with view to furnish the great
amount of protection indispensable to national
prosperity have yielded up their theories obsolete
ideas, and believe that has the hardhood in
face of the practical operation of the present revenue
laws to change the system OF the government We have
entertained this belief We have known the char
acter OF the wing party too longthe elements OF which
composed. and the influences which control ito
believe even for moment that any degree of public
prosperity would induce ii to abandon the interests of
corporations and monopolists 1t derives its strength
from this source; and if it dried up the wing party
could not survive single campaign against the great
labor interest OF the country The article of the National
nteigence proves ncontestably that Mr. Meredith will
not desert the lords of the loom 1t quies any fears
I of 40 Al IL, lu..~
caused and gives them the strongest that the
head of the Treasury Department still believes that the
revenue bill OF 1916 is insult to Pennsy lvana, and
that he intends to do all in his power restore the tariff
Of 1872 We therefore consider that the admnistra
has taken ground in favor of the restrictive policy and
that the question which solemny decided by the
people in 1914. again forced upon public attention, to be
decided not by the country but by administration
which placed in power without reference to its
views this important subject; and thus issue of
the gravest Importance. which has agitaed the
try for years until it finally acted by the people
themselves, to be brought before another tribunal and
the action of the people reversed.
The advocates OF free trade, other arguments having
failed. for long time denounced as vain theorists
and idle absractonists 1t alleged by the monopo-
lists, that nothing but protection could Withstand the
operation of trade and Many persons. hav-
Ing the good OF the whole country heart and having
interests that not identified with the public pros
periy, were made to believe the assertions of the mo-
nopoists But the history of the last two years has uh
deceived them They that under liberal commercial
policy the country has prospered in despite of foreign
war, that the revenues of the government have in
creased, and commerce been expanded in spite OF
the revolutions and commissions which have shaken the
'Od World. Under these circumstances the voters OF
our country will demand the of change of pol
icy, and will hold those who trife with the national
prosperity to heavy account They will not be de-
ceived by the unfounded clamor from the coal region
They will know that the imported coal constituted
larger portion of the whole supply in 1916 than ii did in
1918, when this clamor arose The doctrine that high
duties make low prices has already been tried, and the
public sentiment agreed with John Quincy Adams in
pronounclng it absurd. The other nducement urged
| BY those who clamor for legislative bountes, is
the exploded idea OF home market for our agricul-
ural products. The experience Of the country has
thrown additional light this branch of the subject
aso and the agrcultursts of the country have proed
oyt The home market is built up by taxing the
sumers OF domestic manufactures They pay roundy for
all the benefits they receive from that The money
required to constitute this market is taken from their
pockets and even then all of it does not 60 to swell the
nome market, bat most of it remains in the hands of ia
Vored classes The improvements in machinery enable
corporations to conduct their operations without en-
'poying many laborers Machines have displaced the
operatives, in great measure; and, as a natural
consequence. have concentrated the benefits of pro-
lection IN narrow compass. The owner Of
engine that do the work of thousand men
and there are many such-receives in his own person
all the benefits which the thousand men would otherwise
nave received. The number OF those who are engaged
IN manufactures is comparatively SMALL and they con-
suie the boosted home market which is to be sufficient
o all our agricultural products As said yesterday,
IN order to produce this rcsut-ths enlargement of the
must desert the soil, for they produce than the
nome market consume and the only method of in
uucng this deseTon is to reduce the profits of agrcul
afe and drive. by legislative enacments labor from the
great interest OF the Union: thereby kindly running the
Amer' IN order to supply him with home market after
wards How insufficient the home market is now, and
MUST ever be. be estimated by reference the facts
sailed In our commercial letter. in another column From
Statistics presented by correspondent will be seen
a the average cotton crop for the last years was
i'04s''7s bales. The quantity purchased by the Amer
'an manufacturers in 1s45 3ss,0O6 bales, and in
$40 was 4a2,597 bales-the average being 405, 1901
DAes' During the time the import from Great
Dh averaged 2a,s5327s yards Of cotton goods, which
may be fairly estimated at 100000 bales If this est
ha -