The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1852-08-27
rhat ouestion AnswaradI.

i4 At the meeting Wnlcn aDotst9 nave peeii
held at .he Market House. on Saturday, if it
hadn't been for the rain, and there had only
been more people there, one of the speakers
MIR. Stevenson, of Kentucky, asked the ques-
y tion why we should not manufacture our
own railroad iron. We will try to answer
him. If the manufacturers tell US the truth,
it is simply becauseit would cost us more
than we could get for it.. We have always
supposed that. this was a pretty sufilclent
reason for not engaging in the production 9i
ami article. But Mr.. Stevenson would say
;"put on sufficient tariff to exclude the for
eign article, and it will be oil right--we can
manufacture at profit then" Undoubted-
ly. Railroads have become ahnecessity in
our country--tbey must be built-tos build
them, iron is Indispensable, and it therefore
must be had BY imposing heavy duty
!, upon the foreign article, you may enable the
American manufacturer to demand cores
pcndiugly, advanced price and compel the
consumer to pay it. There is no doubt Of
all this. But We ask yoI sir, where is the
JUSTICE in it? We ask you in what code OF
ethics you find the principle that justifies
you in taxing the constructors OF railroads,
and through them, the whole mass o., com
r,aunity who use railroads, for the benefit ol
the manufacturer We demand of you in
the name Of the PEOPLE, who are interested
in the construction of these vast thorough
fares these mighty engines for the develop
ment Of The resources of their farms and the
country generally,--by what right you
come here and endeavor to wheedle the com
munity into the support of policy which
would render some of these enterprises I'M
practicable, and all Of them more difficult
rby making them SO much more expensive
The people find It difficult enough to sattl
on these great works as il is, and you ant
your protectionist frien DIS are endeavoring t
heap new burthens upon their shoulders
How are you to justify yourselves tc
tksm, we repeat, for this unwarfantable inter
ference with their interests?
80, butt MI. Stevenson, would sayagaln
2" this is all party slang whang,-The con-
sumer wouldn't be injured at all. Compe'
tition would bring down the price OF iron
again, and SO it would be all the same in the
end" Nonsense. Hon. ,pilI competition en-
able our manufacturers 10 make railroad
iron for less thann costs9 Competitor may
and will, where it is free, and the means o.
production unlimited, bring down the price
ola commodity TO that poinI, which affords
o profit corresponding to that. realized IL
other. branches Of business. Further thar
this it cannot 60, and even this, in regard e
such commodity as railroad iron would re
uuire considerable times during which thf
manufacturers would be making exorbitan
profits at the expense Of the consumers
And how are you to justify compelling th'
consumer 10 pay the difference between wha
it'can be manufactured for here, and what
can be bought for abroad aS
.s Rut Mr.. Stevenson, perhaps, has anothe
reason ready. He might perhaps say-a
many q protectionist has said--"Giye tn
manufacturer protection for the present.
will be somewhat burthensone just.now, !
is trae-but when be gets well established, b
will be enabled to manufacture cheaper thai
now--and eau sell as low as the foreig
manufacturer. Ay, ay. We know YER
well, that when all the elements which go 7
make up the cost of manufactured ariel
when the raw material, capital and abol
all become SO abundant and cheap that th
manufacturer in this country can produc
an article at, as moderate rate as those Q
any other county, he will do it, But iii
very certain that he will not do it till ther
And how long that will be, we may judg
something from the past. Although tn
manufacturers have enjoyed more or less pre-
teciion for two entire generations, they ar
aclamoringfor Il yet. We cannot see th
justice or policy Of making generationaite
generation Of the masses OF community pa
tribute onset Of manufacturers, in consld
ention Of a promise on their part that some
time inthe remote future they will sell the
productions to the grand, children or gres
grand children Of thole paying such tribut
al as lairG price as t!ey can get them Of oil
ersh We do NOT think there is much equa
.'ityinthe advantages Of this sort Of an
rangement.,
..But you must protect home industry
s,you must protect the labomr from Sthe !,
inous competition Of British panpea labor
"PYotsct home ind,tstryp Alying cheat,
defaud ihe laborer Of the fruit ofhis toil.-
Can there be aman on earth 50 stupid as
n believe i'll That man must have large iail
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Of hemanuiactoreis, WI
believes thai they would spend their tin
and their money; ~ freely allfoI theihensl
ofsAe labOer. pashOwaoes lhc tarik ben