Washington telegraph., 1853-06-29
Horace Greeley on the Tariff.

NJ. Greeley. OF TIE Tribune who has written
much and well rpon the -r1jert of the tariff and
who IS gaiara'',- con1idered and spoken ot b. the
De lorrati' editors as an ultra advocate OF high
protective duties, ma Ses the following moderat
and jndcious remarks in thel asst number of his
paper:
Ii we were permitted to adjust the tariff to our
owh Ideas O. rational policy, it might and it might
not, DE little M, ief iii tne average than it now
i9 but il would not Weld uea ly so much revenue
in ~ Tear as t., p.eselt ta,if will in the year
1858; While, ol tie other hand, it would never
yield 80 little revenue this tarii; will the year
after El 5aal stops trusting on railroad bonds
&C., at tie ale o, millions per moth, aud brings
US i!p al aodlag ay Jen2ad that we henceforth
pay we go Mo- ,hould We impose SO high a
rate OF day in oehali OF any existing manufacture
as the pTesen tariff imposes i'll behalf OF the home
prod1ct OF whiskey. new i'll n, aa1 beer with
the extla-poi>onons gi;, brandy, champagne Ma
dera, &r., o. which ten gallons fabricated IN
tins country to every one on which duty is paid
Nor Ea5 IL ever our desire to aid in the esta5-
ish-ne OF a great manufacturing monopoly in
this conntTy. has been million times ialselv
asseI ted. We seek to break down not merely
the practical Clonopolies of our own and other
markets ;oT certain abrics now eaioyed bv Brit
ish French and German capitalists, but to DESTROY
any snch monopoly winch may exist OH this side
the Atlcntic How could this be done but 5y
calling llto existence new manufactures and
stimulating inrention and enterprise among our
people. we would nave our great manufactures
no longer confiled to New England, but diffused
all over orr country; and thus we would seek to
encourage OTHER nations to initiate our example,
and achieve for themselves industrial iudepend-
ence.
Nor do we consider it now desirable that high
er duties should be imposed on most descriptions
OF fabrics already extensively and successfully
produced III this country. For these, protection
was al excellent thing iii its day; but they have
very generally ontgrown the need of it. Most
descriptions of plain cotton and woolen goods. for
instance, wit. edged tools, nails, pins cast iron
and tinware, ard ,n,ireds OF kindred articles are
no ~ produced in this country as cheaply as any,
where il, the wide world. If the tariff of 1912
had been allowed to st,nd five years longer we
believe iron, steel, the finest cotton and wooden
goods &C., would by this time have stood in the
same category.
What We now desire is to bring forward new
branches o. production. rather than foftily those
already well established We would cheeriully
consent to the Importation henceorth of all cot
ton goods free o. duty, il might thereby Sc
cure the imposition ior twenty years OF an ade-
quate protective duty silks. So with regard
to linens, beatsuSaT, tea, and many other articles
of large consumption, which might be produced
here as we'll rs elsewhere, yet which we have
never allowed halfa chance. We only ask that
each be set fairly on its feet; then, if it cannot
stand, let it fall.
But, as we have said already the great measure
OF protection now required is the Pacific railroad.
Give us that, and our own country, instead OF
England becomes the centre of the commercial
world, with Europe aad Africa conveniently dis
posed on one size, and Asia Oh the other With
that railroad ii operation, we raturalize and
profita5ly follow hundred pursuits now engross-
ed by Europe, and can have more revenue and
more protection from low duties taan are attain
able in It's absence by high ones. Let us ALL pro-
tectioaists and free-traders, unite in urging for
ward the Pacific railroad.