The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-10-30
From the Detroit Free Press, Oct.

From the Detroit Free Press, Oct IS.
The New York Tribune, in answer 10 an article in
this paper, says;
This looks msrveously the Fee Press took its
readers to be fools II projection manufacturers is ruin
to farmers, how happens 1t that the products of the latter
down at so low price under the appfoxima-
free trade Or the farmers OF ichigan par
canriy stupid that they eau be humbpgged into believ.
ing il is b-terto send England Tor red
Articles paying the heavy cost OF transportation both ways.
than II is 10 have manufactures at their doors, with
little OF no transportation TO pay, and steady market Tor
crops great deal more profitable and less exhansng the
soil than wheat"
There is "eaher. edge upon this argument that dis
closes the bdrber-ous. quackery OF the writer IL is
something, however, 10 get protectionis 10 admit that
the farmers wheat be sent 10 England all Il is
no, many years since that they asserted that we could
not send forward agricultural produce England on any
terms, that we could rot compete with the cheap pro-
ducers OF the Baltic, and that consequently, we re-
duced the tanh, the only effect OF such policy would
be TO open our markets 10 the introduction of foreign
manufactures al the expense OF the domestic Ex
perence has shown the folly OF such IDEAS it usually
does The theories oil mere personal interest Now. it is
conceded that immense quantities OF the farmers pro-
duce has gone abroad for consumption and the Tribune
asks IN triumph, If II is better for the farmer pay the
expenses OF transportation than 10 have ready and
steady" market al home' ii this is not twaddle
worthy OF sinking cause, then do not understand
what's. Would the farmer have reader and seadier
market II the millions OF produce sent and consumed
abroad had been kept in this country Oh, says the pro-
tecuonIst and FourIerle OF the Tribune, would take
from the farming interest great numbers of its men, and
transfer them TO the manufactures and thus, the
manufactured articles This would equalize the matter
and the association" thus regulated would raise Just
wheat, corn, and potatoes enough for their and
manufacture Just goods enough for the consumption OF
all Then we should be walled in, and the useless
work OF ships and steamboats, would be avoided
But here comes another difficulty The Tribune is a
great stckler for the Improvement OF harbors and are
we but what would there be for harbors III the de
lecaole policy OF non-iniecourse carried OUT Blu,
again after the association" shall have effected its out
side work. there is another formidable lob on hand in
frec.
trade We should still prefer 10 sell in the dearest market
and buy IN the cheapest; and II is this, after ALL Tor
which the democrats coniending. They simply want
the privilege Of selling produce where they can get the
most for IT, II England be that place. very good and
may be that in selling their produce in England, the
Michigan farmers buy articles required for their
cheaper than they buy the same articles in New
York Can the New York Tribune urge any good rea.
son why they should not have the privilege of such
trade But that paper answers the expense of ranspo
auon both ways is so heavy. In reply TO this, we
venture 10 say that few silly 10 ship produce
at loss There vlcsstudes of trade, and there will
be excessive losses but on the other hand there are
excessive gains These are what are called mercantile
risks, and have nothing to do with the general prof, and
loss. No. The farmers Of Michigan will not send their
produce TO England az general thing, to sell it at lower
rates than they obtain for in this county and the
MILLIONS OF wheat which have gone forward this wear
have been sent on no such basis. We repeat, what
want is the privilege OF buying and selling in The
markets OF the world, and what the wings want il 10
compel buy of and TO sell TO the manufacturer
Which s the most reasonable pocyi Who proposes 10
place restrictions upon the people IN this respect Have
they government set over them, they acting the
part OF governors through constitutional reforms Sure
y, If our neighbor wishes TO buy goods in Woodward
avenue instead OF Jefferson avenue we do not ace any
gooc resson for preventing his doing so And II he
would sell produce in Buffalo or New York in prefer
ence to selling here, we reason why he should
be prevented Think you, tha, one farmer viii send bis
produce New York and cell it for less than he could
sell il herei WE'LL II TO send IT to New York he not
wrong, why is il wrong TO send to England There are
:, transportation expenses N sending j TO New Yo,k
To carry out the TbuDes idea, every farmer must ca,
up all he raises for there less expense in send
ing his production TO market, however short the distance
These the arguments by which il il proposed 10 get
our consent to tax Michigan four or FIVE hundred thou
sand dollars year for the benefit Of eastern manufacto
rIcs