The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-05-29

allow it to be true in its whole formidable extent,
would 1t not be queer basis for predicting the ruin
OF the c0untryf
Let Us look at the subject q little nearer. The
chief articles which i is feared we shall be able TO
buy cheaper-the only ones, In fact, over which the
opponents of reciprocity grow lugubrious-are
breadstufs and lumber. Lumber is an article whose
price affects the expenses of every man that needs
root to cover him. All the newspapers have raised
the price of advertisements, and many Of them are
threatening to raise their subscription price and
prominent among the reasons assigned is the
TACT that rents are so high that the workmen
they employ cannot live without advanced wages.
Workmen are combining for strikes all over the
country, ard offer the same plea OF high rents and
increased expenses Of living. Would 1t not be
great pity to have this state of things remeded by
permitting our workmen to live in cheap tenements
constructed Of cheap Lambert But, 1t is said, the
owners OF our pine forests will be ruined. II would
be an extensive crash, no doubt-so very large
part of our people own pine forests! Cheap houses
for the million of industrious lab0rers Is Of course
matter OF small account when balanced against the
lumber interest Seriously the few who own tim
Der lands have cause to fear that lumber will not
be at least reasonably high, when the only compet
ton that can reach them must come from the dis
tant forests of Canada burdened with the expenses
of transportation And they should rec0llect, too,
that they are numbered by dozens, and are for the
most part men Of wealth, while the consumers Of
would make that article cheaper it would diluse .
general benefit.
With respect to the other article, wheat, part Of
the same reasoning. will apply. II wheat should be
rendered cheaper by q reciprocity, great many
people would be benefited and rejoice at it. We
are not all grain growers on this side Of the line;
but we all have mouths and are consumers, and not
many of US are hkely.to complain that it does not
cost enough to live. But we must not be too san
gGine that the admission of Canadian grain, free
duty, would make -four SO very cheap. While the
foreign demand continues as great as It is at pre-
scnt-and it is likely to increase instead of diminish
ng-breadstufls will inevitably be high, too many
of US are likely to learn to our cost. But setting
aside this important consideration, what reason
have we to suppose that the Canadians can grow
wheat more cheaply than we cant Their soils are
no better their agriculture ia not advanced or
enlightened their implements are not superior, nor
is the price of labor essentially different in the two
countries. Let not the large class OF consumers-
and we may remark in passing that their in
terests ought to count for something-let not
the large class OF consumers ailiict themselves
in advance over the prospective ruin OF the
farmers, for the farmers themselves have not yet
exhibited any symptoms of alarm. They are
too intelligent not to have noticed that those whp
are now loudest in the pretended advocacy OF their
interests are the very persons who, a short time
! ago, were the equally noisy and over-zeaious advo-
Gates of the manufacturers who according to the
recent confession of the most noted OF these same
advocates) were "buttering their bread at the ex-
pense of the farmers" They were protectionists
formerly because they thought it important that we
should have home manufactures and in this we
went with them; for we were of the same opinion.
They are protectionsts now in direct hostility TO
the manufacturing interest; for it is demonstrate
that whatever makes the price of provisions high
enhances the cost of manufacturing Make aericul-
ture the most profitable pursuit in the country, and
you direct capital and labor into that employment
Keep breadstuis cheap in Canada, and you tempt
the Canadians, by the small profit of agriculture, to
turn their attention to the establishment of manu-.
features; and when they shall supply their own
market with manufactured goods they will no long
or buy of US. Let them come into our market and
get good price for their grain, aud they are GER
tain to become large consumers of our manufac
lures.