The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-05-02
T H E r E P U BLIC
WASHINGTON:
THURSDAY MORNING. MAY 2. 1850


i Congress.
In the Senate, yesterday, the bill to
provide for an increase in the rank and
file of the army and to encourage enlist
ments, and the joint resolution authorizing
the President to accept and attach to the
navy two vessels fitted out by Henry
Grinnell, ESQ.,, to go TO the Arctic seas in
search of Sir John Franklin, were taken
up, debated, and passed.
The House of Representatives. were
engaged, exclusively, with the Census
bill. The general debate terminated at
two o'clock, when the Committee of the
Whole on the state of the Union com
menced voting on amendments. But
little progress had been zmade with this
measure when the House adjourned.
The Tarins-The Rights and Interests OF
| Labor.
We are well aware that in the excite
ment which prevails on the slavery ques-
ton, it is almost impossible to divert the
attention of the public and of legislators
to those great topics which are involved
in the tariff policy of the country, and
which are treated with consummate abili-
ty in the annual report of Mr.. Secretary
MEREDITH. But we are equally well
aware that our readers are more than sa-
tiated with speeches, essays and articles
on the subject that has now so exclusive
ly occupied their attention for some six
months. 1t is obvious, moreover, that
there are questions of WIG policy on
which the WHO'S are united, and for the
discussion of which comparatively brief
period of the session of Congress remains.
We think it quite time that the legislative
mind should address itself to these ques-
tons, which concern the property and
prosperity of the country quite as deeply as
those which have so long commanded their
undivided solicitude.
We are quite sure that the topics which
we have sought to discuss for the last
week-connected with the agricultural,
commercial, and mining interests of the
country-come home to the ebusiness
and bosoms" of quite as many American
| citizens as those which are evolved from
the consideration of Negrodom and Free
Soil. In ur'judgment, they can no lon
ger be overlooked nor much longer de-
ferred, and we desire to plant ourselves
in advance on that impregnable ground
looking to the protection of the rights
and interests of AMERICAN LABOR, on
which must be ultimately rallied very
large majority of the American people.
Among the promises made to the farm
ers of the Union was that of vast advan-
tage resulting from having two markets in
place of one. The question of low or high
duties, said Mr.. Secretary WALKER, "is
just the question whether he shall have
two markets or one, or whether he shall
sell more at higher price, or less at a
lower price," AT present, the question
seems to be, whether he shall have even
one market; for at the same moment when
all foreign ones have failed us, the system
of free trade is likely to be carried out by
dividing the domestic one with our Cana
dian neighbors-a question TO which we
shall hereafter advert.
The object of the tariff of 1912 was that of
bringing consumers to take their places by
the side of the producers, while that of
the tariff of 1916 was to cause the pro-
ducers to go abroad to seek consumers, un-
der the vain idea-and vain it is-that
where there exists necessity for depend
ing on two markets, near and distant
one, the quantity sold will be increased,
and the returns will be larger; or, to use
the words of the Secretary, there will be
more sold at higher price, instead of less
at lower one. In conformity with this
view it was that the Secretary displayed
so much anxiety for the building of steam
ships to enable us to obtain "the commerce
of Japan" He was haunted by the idea
of great SURPRISES of agricultural products
that would be wasted, yet, singularly
enough, the tendency Of his whole system
was that of increasing the imaginary great
surplus of food, by compelling the men
who made cloth, and mined coal, and
smelted ore, to become farmers; and now
the great foreign market, which was to alb
sorb this surplus, has totally failed.
Very slight observation would have sat
isfed the Secretary that when the home
market absorbs the whole product, the
price is invariably higher than when there
exists necessity for seeking a second
and distant one; as, for instance, in the
case Of wool. One market, and that the
home one, is sufficient, and more than suf,
fcient, for we import much wool, and there
fore 1t as that the price is so much higher