New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-09-24
Whns is sought to be Effected by a
Change in ihe Tariff.


What ia sought to be Effected by
Change in ihe Tariff.
We are this year importing not less than
One Hundred Millions of Dollars worth Of
Metals, Wares and Fabrics from Europe
a part ofthese are paid for with Cotton and
Tobacco another portion with Grain, Flour,
Meats, Butter, Cheese, Lard, &c. while
very large portion we are not paying for at
all, but running in debt in the shape of Puo-
lie Stocks, Railroad Bonds and Mercantile
Balances. We estimate that at the close of
1850 the Country will be in debt to Europe
by not less than Fifty Millions of Dollars
more than it was on the lst day of January
last.
ALI this large amount, we deeply feel, is
q dead loss to the country through mistaken
policy and perverse legislation. Had the
Tariff of 1912 been permitted to stand, we
should have produced this year all we have
now done-should have constructed quite as
many buildings, as many miles of Railroad,
cleared as much land, dug as much gold,
&c. yet not incurred one dollar Of Foreign
Debt A great deal of Labor which has
stood idle or wandered in search Of some
thing to do would have been well employed
In producing large portion of the
Iron, Wares and Fabrics we have
SO profusely imported, while many
Millions wasted in useless and irration-
al transportation would have been OBJ
solutely saved. Millions on Millions are
now annually wasted in transporting the
Food and Wool of the West to Europe "a
process inevitably though insensibly ex-
hausting cur soil and elements Of produc-
ton, which once gone, can never be ade-
quately restored, and bringing back Fabrics,
when the same Labor which now produces
che Cloths and Wares in Europe might pro-
duce them in Illinois, and save enormous
sums now sunk in the double transporta-
tiOn. 1t is only the start allowed to
British fabrics-the command of the ave-
nues of access to their consumers possessed
bytheir producers-tbec common prejudice in
favor of the long established in preference
to the first crude attempts of young rival
that give European fabrics their mastery
on this continent. We can make, do make,
many important articles better and cheaper
than the English, and yet can hardly force
sale for them at lower price, because Of
the popular presumption that British fa-
brics are more tasteful or dnrable, their
colors faster, or something of the sort. A
hardware house in Philadelphia, which for
merly sold wagon,boxos (for axles) of
European manufacture, at length became
convinced that the American were better
and undertook to introduce them. But it
was not so easy to convince their customers,
and their customers customers, and they
were finally driven by experienceto the trick
ofleaving their American boxes exposed to
the atmosphere until they becamerusted and
oldlooking, when they were readily bought
as English and gave ample satisfaction. 1t
is the same in almost every department. OF
Manufacture. If our Home Market could
only be secured to Home Labor, many arti-
eles which can now only be made here at q
loss, would be afforded cheaper than they
now are, yetmanufastured ct a profit. Reg
ularity and extent of demand would ensure
and Justify productien at rates now impos-
sible. Even Iron, which is moSe simply
embodied Labor than almost any other arti-
ole, would inevitably be eheapened by the
improvements, facilities, discoveries, which
an expanded market for our Home Product
would be sure to call forth. Give us ten
wears Of adequate and assured Protection
for Iron, and if the Country is not supplied
ct less cost at the close of the period than
it now is, the Free Traders shall be welcome
: 10 cast us into the handiest furnace.
All that we desire by Protection is the
employment Of our own Labor in the man
nsr most advantageous to the Laborers, and
thus to the entire community. The Free
Trade system, with It's needless compliOa-
ions Of Trade and wasteful transporsations
Of Products, is system of misapplication,
unthrife and depression. 1t is exhsusting
our Soil, dooming Labor to Jdloness apd