Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1851-11-28
The Lseofoeos and an Increased Duty on
Iron.

The remarks we made on the Berks
county locofocO tariff meeting, which re-
solved that an increased duty on iron was
necessary have called forth nearly col !
umn of comment in Yesterdays Democrat,
which, taken altogether, strengthens our
belief that "this move is nothing more
than an intrigue to secure votes for the
Presidential campaign" Even our neigh
Dor begins to squint in favor OF 8 Such
reasonable incid@atm protection as 'ctH
be for THE INTERESTS OF THE COUNTRY.
so, 1t appears then that the interests OF the
country have something to do with pro-
lection, and BY some hocus pocus, nolwlth-
standing the locotoco papers have been en-
gagged for seven years in demonstrating
that it is for the interest Of the people 10
buy where they can buy cheapest, iron IS
now an article that will bear more duty.
Very well-now let us see what our neigh
Dor thought Of the iron men a few months
ago. In the Democrat of March u, 1851,
in reply to i statement of ours that we
were in favor Of retaining in our town and
county every man who could find some
thing to do, and to retain him, ayowed our
readiness TO sacrifice British iron as well
as all other British articles we could man
ufaeture ourselves, the editor says:
tryvt-
are NOT WILLING THAT THE GOVERN
! MENT SHALL PAY ONE SET FOR RE-
NAMING HERE, at an unnecessary expense
to the balance. Our nelghbor's doctrine would
be to keep them all, and invite immigration here
and offer nduCement, bonus to all who
would agree to embark in the iron business
/ We think they should be satisfied with some
thing short OF their own and their over-anxious
! friends demands. When the iron men recover
from the present depression, which will be as
soon their surplus is disposed of, under
4 reasonable duty they viii be enabled to go
/ on again, and make reasonable profit, as those
engaged In other pursuits doing. THE
/ ARTICLE OF IRON Is NOT SO IMPOR-
/ TANF commodity that a few men should be
/ paid to embark in ITS manufacture, at the ex-
pense Of the many, and be secured from the ac-
cidents Of trade, TO say nothing Of over produc-
/ tons, when other pursuits are not similarly pro-
/ y!ded for"
We have capitalized few words in the
above extract, and leave it TO speak for
itself. Again, in the Democrat of March
20, 1851, while discussing the subject now
in hand, that paper said
"The home market, our protectionist friend
will tell us, IS the pauacea for all these evils.
But when at the present reduced prices, the
manufacturers not able to dispCs of all they
produce, how, pray, is that home market to be
made better, UNLESS BY AN UNJUST TAN
UPON the people, for which no suitable equiva-
lent will be received by them in return You
enhance the price of the article, to enable the
manufacturer TO reap larger profits, so that he
will not be required TO produce so largely
AND THIS ADDITION TO THE PRICE
COMES OUT OF THE POCKETS OF THE
CONSUMER. Thus a few are benefited at
the expense of the many, and the laws made to
operate against instead Of for the greatest good
of the greatest number.
" But take the other view Of the subject.
Give the manufacturers what they demand-a
heavy prUtection--and 1t Will result Just as it
has done in Great Britain, by still greater
amount Of competition and excess of production
over consumption, and ultimately result in ruin
to the manufacturers themselves, and loss TO all
connected with their establishments, as well as
the farmer who furnishes the grain, the merchant
the goods, or the laborer who performs the
work. This is the natural tendency of this sys-
TEN Of legislation If it is the duty of the gov
ernment to guard the manufacturers against the
risks and accidents of trade let them do so by
/ some other method that will be more certain.
g We have never denied that the iron interest
was depressed. 1t would be fool-hardy in US or
any other person TO do so but it is depressed
as we have shown, from causes altogether remote
/ from the operations of the tard and arises from
an excess Of production at home aud abroad
that will only be made worse by too largely
increased duty upon the foreign article, aud ul-
tImately result in ruin and loss to all in any way
! interested and connected with the business
/ But we deny that the iron interest is depressed
/ to the extent that these peculiar advocates of
/ protection assert. They are endeayorng TO ere
! ate the general idea of manufacturing distress,
and are propagatins it for mere party purposes"
/ We know nothing that has occurred
/ since March last to induce a change in
| public opinion among the locolocos as to
! Incidental or accidental protection to iron.
/ If eight months ago an increased duty was
/ an UNJUST tax upon the people and TAKEN
oUT or TIE POCKETS OF THE CONSUMER
/ if the . article Of iron was not so impor-
tant a commodity that few men should
be paid 10 embark in its manufacture" at
that time, pray what has caused this change
to come over the spirit OF your dreams,
that these UNJUST TAXES and BO-
MUSES. (as you style them) to few men
should be levied now Revenue cannot
be the object, for our excessive importa-
tons furnish more than government needs
for ordinary expenses, and unless some