The Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1850-1852, 1850-06-27
TARIFF PANIC ~

| The free trade organs arc Jus. now
busy in charging the Wig. With n
desire to create q tariff pane Blu,
the charge is unfounded. No such
desire is entertained. Unfortunately
however. facts enough are being da,'
~ developed, without resort,nv to
speculations or 6ctions, to torc,bIv
impress the public mind with the Nc.
ccssity Of a change Of policy, 50 far
us regards the domestic industry Of
the country.
lron.~orks, giving employment to
over twenty thousand men, have been
suspended within the past two years.
These twenty thousand men would
cain ten millions OF dollars p.r an.
mum, # employed. But the FREQ
Tradc Democracy Of the country say
that this vast SUM shall be taken from
the pockets Of tile iron.wo rkcrs Of the
United States, and paid to the o. era.
tives OF Great Britain! II the state.
,ncnt Of this fact ia calculated to Gre.
ate 'panic,' the responsibility mus.
rest with those whose measures mado
it . fact, and not with those who gave
it publicity.
But the mischief resulsing from
the policy which has thrown this mum.
Der Of iron.workers out Of employ,
does not end with tho evils endured
by these men themselves. 1t reaches
every other interest in the country.
These men, when employed at their
trade, produce iron, but they con.
sumo every other c)inm n lily USUALLY
required by the working classes Of
the country. The ten millions of dol.
lars which they would have earned
would not have remained in their
pockets. 1t would have been. exchapq.
ed for the thousand produc aS.lyho
mechanics, farmers, grocers, and mer.
chants OF the country. A million
would have been expended in the E.
rectIon OF comfortable homestcads.--
Another million would have been ex.
pended with the millincr, tailor, shoe.
maker, and schoolmastcr. Another,
with the merchant and grocer. And
three or four millions with the farmer.
the butcher, and the baker. And
each interest would, to that extent,
have shared in the benefits which 81.
ways flow from well-reauited HONS
Labor.
These ten millions o. dollars, how.
ever, instead Of being thus benefcen,.
ly and probably diiuscd through our
own community, are sent abroad, and
ind their way into the pockets Of tho
artlzans, traders, and sgriculturis,s Of
Great Britain. So that, while tho
iron.worker is most directly injured
by the policy which has compelled
the SUSPENSION Of the establishments
in which We found employment, other
interests suffer indirectly, through
him. 1t is this fact, followed out
through all its phases, which demon.
strates the absurdity Of the argu.
Inents so frequently cited by tho one
mics OF protection, that while FREQ
trade may temporarily injure manu-
acturers. it benefits all other inter.
'sts who are the consumers Of the con-
manufactured,
Let US look for a moment at the
fleet Of this policy upon the farmers
u this country. Each Of these 20,
700 men thrown out of employment
ave osacrs dependent upon him. In.
luding women and children, tho
lumber is at least 100000. There
10000 persons will consume tue e
uivaient OF SOC, 900 bushels Of wheat
er annam. Ii Gas must be the cass
the existing tariff is coutlnued)
hese men are driven TO agriculture,
iey will cease to become consumers
nd become prpducers. In year or
40, Instead Of purchasing 100000
ashels OF wheat, they viii have l.
10000 to sell 1t requires nothing
ore than the statement Of fact Ike
rs, to show how deeply important
's protective policy Is 70 the farmer
J well a. 10 the manufAe turer.
But We INST 20 q step far.
er. BY having these 20,00J men
rorn oat Of employment, the Amer
an farmer will no, only lose mark.
for half . million Of bushels of
Assi, bu, a. tLss amount Of whess
ii ts consumed abroad during tho
oeess Of the manufacture o. the j.
n heretofore made by these OSCAR
u American iron. workers, 70 viii