The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1851-11-13
From the Keystone.
What the wings Mean by "Free-Trade.''

| w thS w nAbo mcGu Uy s-PEcGel EduCs'
| It is usual with the whig party to call the
tariff of 1916 "free.trade tariff" and to in
sist upon Increased duties upon imports "to
protect American labor" We quote the fol.
lowing from an article in late number of
the North American, to show the manner
in which that party speak of our present re-
venue system
"But while we wonder at the folly Of 9th.
er and distant people, we have much rea-
son 10 inquire whether we are any wiser our
! selves at home. We have long commended
with the growing infatuation as we are now
suffering from some of the direct evils, of
American free trade. At the last and most
critical moment, Pennsylvania, whose inter-
est in the protective policy is vital one,
more close, more obvious, and more su-
Prrnu rfrur rfIur or uif irrr sIsrur 5rutovy -i--
liberately places herself on the side of free
trade BY electing William Bigler, the avcw-
ed candidate OF that policy, over William F
Johnston, the tried, the true champion OF
protection, and Pennsylvania Is protec-
tion, then. TO be deemed an "obsolete idea"
in Pennsylvania-in the United States 2"
"'We cannot but regard the result of Tues
days election as the evidence of an infatu-
alton having come upon the majority of our
fellow citizens OF Pennsylvania promising 10
work them much evil. Whatever they in
tended. they have pronounced actually a
gainst the protective policy-against increas-
ed duties on coal and iron--in favor OF the
tariff law OF 1896"
Now let us enquire little into the Opera
ton Of the tariff of '46 and see whether il
is not more likely that the people of the u
nited States will call for dimnuton of du-
ties rather than an increase. During the
present year il is universally conceded, that
the collections under the tariff will amount
TO at least $4,000, ,oOo-the cost of collec-
ting being about ss,oOo,OoO, the net pro.
ceeds will be s47, 100000. This is first paid
by the importers and enters into the cost of
the imported articles upon which they charge
profit of from 10 TO is per cent. Next the
goods go into the hands of the city whole
sale merchants who add their profit of from
12 10 90 per cent From these they pass in
to the hands OF the retail merchants through
out the Union, who again charge their pro-
fits of from 20 10 80 per cent. II will be OBJ
served that the profit upon profit, is COM
pounded at every transfer. By this process,
aad il is the true one that cannot be contro-
vered, the last purchasers, or consumers,
who are the whole people of the United Sta
les, are taxed at least s75, ,000, 900. to place
S47, 900, 900 in the national treasury
In addition TO this vast sum, the manufac-
turers of dulable articles, who produce a.
bout four fifihs of all that are consumed in
The country, under cover OF the tariff, in
crease their prices, SO that they levy upon
consumers more than the government This
can be proved by an investigation of the
proper statistics. But we will take lower
figure, far within what the facts would es.
tablish, ard call the levy made by the manu-
facturers only equal TO that made by the
government with its expenses and profits
say S75, 100000. BY adding This to the gov
eminent tax above, we have the enormous
sum of Si5O,ooo,0 900 actually paid by the
people of the Un:ed States, 10 place $47,-
600, 900 in the treasury In other words,
the collection of 81, 1000 900 actually COSTS
the people slo3, 100000! And yet, in the
face of these astounding facts, and in def
ance of this crushing burthen upon the peo.
pie OF the United States, the whig leaders
have the inconceivable hardlhood 10 denom-
mate the tariff of '46 "free-trade" tariff,
and 10 olamor incesantly for an increase of
duties
On further examination of these figures,
and coming nearer home, ii will be found
\ that Pennsylvania, having tenth OF the pop
alation. of the Union, pays tenth of this
vast imposition amounting to SAB, 1000, 900 an-
nuaIly or 10 about 81 each for every man,
woman and child in the Commonwealth =
a sum sufficient to pay off our State debt in
three years! An aggravaton of this system
is that it operates unequally and oppressively
people are taxed, not in proportion 10 their
means, but in proportion TO the amount they
| CououHiC-tuO pooij dnu tuOoo III fHOu6Tdte
circumstances, oftentimes paying more than
! the rich. 1t increases all the expenses of
living-every thing we eat, drink and wear
rents, labor, SC. >. sc. 1t is perpetual
drain upon every body. and meets all with
charge of more than 80 per cent. whenever
money is paid out, no matter what for In
this way it taxes all labor, all producers. The
farmer, in effect, is taxed over 80 per cent.
on all he sells, and the mechanic and day
aborer are burthened with an equal imposi-
ton. The pressure is universal upon all
| transfers of values that enter into daily con-
sumption, and yet, good heavens, the Wings
persist in calling it free trade
If we had free-trade truly, and our gov
eminent were supported by direct tax upon
property, who can calculate the immensity
of the burthen that would be removed from
the national industry and business? When
Congress assemblies now, no question of f.
nance is agtated for raising ways and means
the money flows into the treasary SO rapidly
that the question is, how can 1t be expen-
ded 2 and millions of it is lavished upon Gal.
phin.claims, and other profigate or unneces-
sary objects. Were direct taxation the re.
- - an =