The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-12-10

Their inquiry is limited the simple ct Of existing
banassments, and they other agency capable OF
aoing relief and their necessities their Judgments
force them to the conclusion that the government not
only can, but ought to relieve them moment Of calm
reflection must satisfy every that such is not the true
theory of government 1t is Of limited powers,
TO be exercised for specified purposes Its operations po-
ltcal and financial should be conducted within these
prescribed limits in that that 1t will most certain
y effect the object for which the power conferred
In doing this it should he the policy it Is nnques-
| tionably the duty, of the government so to con-
duct its affairs to confer the greatest good upon
the greatest number of the people. This msappre-
hension OF the powers and duty Of the government
has led to the suggestion OF OF relief which
have been pressed with such eanesness upon this depart
ment as to demand brief consideration OF them pri
vae individual who finds that his income is reduced at
feels the propey of bringing his expenditures with
in his reduced means The suggestion to such person
to increase his expenses would instantly be rejected To
characterize such advice folly would not be considered
harsh unjust The estimates of receipts into the treas
ury for the present fiscal exhibit the fact that the in
OF the government will be considerably reduced In
this state of things it is seriously urged that expend
lures should he increased for the purpose OF aordng
lief to the country Such policy would doubtless furnish
employment to large numbers of worthy citizens. 1t
would require the of large amounts of money to be
raised either by loan the issuing of treasury notes
and would thus afford temporary relief to the country to
extent limited only by the discretion OF the govern
ment in this unauthorized of the public treasure and
credit But where shall look for the power to do this
in the constitution What provision of that instrument
reply to these inquiries is unanswerable argument
to the suggestion In the discharge Of its legitimate
functions the government is required to expend large
sums of money in the building of vessels war the
erection of custom houses and other public build
ings the preparation of the deiences of the country
and in variety of other ways which give employment
to labor and draw from the treasury the money which
has been collected from the people for these purposes
There might and would be just Of complaint if the
government, under the pressure of either imaginary
real monetary crisis should suddenly stop these ex
tensve operations, and by throwing large numbers Of
employees out of service add TO the distress and suffering
which the revuson had already created Being engaged
in the prosecutions of necessary and legitimate works for
the public service it would be the policy and duty of the
government to continue their prosecution though it
should occasion the necessity Of increasing its available
means by extraordinary measure. The discontinue
Of such works has not been and Is not contem
plated and to this extent the country may look with
pToprey to the operations of the government for relief
There other public works of less necessity which for
variety of have not been commenced tenn
poary postpenement of them will violate existing
contracts will deprive Of employment to which
he is authorized to look will nfiict wrong upon any
portion of the people but will enable the government to
realize its in advance of its expenditure Of them,
and perhaps avoid the necessity Of increasing the public
debt. system Of public economy, regardful alike Of
the just claims of the people and the protection OF the
treasure and credit of the government must command
the approval of the country and it is upon such prn-
cples it is proposed to conduct the financial department
of the government in the present crisis.
As Of relief to the country it is proposed to
increase the tariff return to high protective system
regarded by the sures mode of exricatng the
country from its cmarrAssnens and afordng immediate
well permanent relief to the public distress. The
people already suffering from Distress and the propo
stion seeks to diminish their suffering by adding to their
burdens The earnestness and ability which have been
brought to the support of this proposition demand that
its merits should be examined with some care and with
out attempting elaborate exposition of question
which has heretofore commanded much of the public
attention. is deemed proper to refer to of the
sdcations which render the adoption of such policy
unwise and improper.
The theory of the proectonsts is this that under
low tariff the importation Of foreign manufactures is
couraged and being brought into the country at lower
prices than they be produced the competition with
the domestic manufacturer inous to his business The
remedy is to raise the duties upon the foreign article to
such point that either it will be excluded nd thus give
to the domestic manufacturer the entire home market,
else it will be increased in price by the additional duty
to enable the domestic manufacturer to receive remu
nerating price for his productions That the effect would
be temporarily for the benefit of the manufacturer is
ceed but that the ultimate effect would be alike inur
to him well all other interests is equally clear
In looking upon the operation of relief
must consider its effects not only upon the domestic
manufacturer, but also upon the consumer
If the increased duty neither dimnishes the importa
ons nor increases the price, it manifest that no ad
vantage has been derived by the domestic manufacturer
If the effect should be to exclude the foreign article then
the domestic manufacturer monopozes the home market
and commands his price. The relief he needs is a
higher price for his goods and matter OF course,
|
will raise his prices remedy the evil of low prices
of which he had complained. The effect upon the
is clear He must pay the increased price thus put
upon the article of consumption Nor docs stop there
Under the existing state of things when he has purchased
the article he has not only furnished himself with the
goods he needed at the reduced price, but at the same
time has paid into the treasury the tax required of him
for the support of government. The measure of relief
proposed by the protectionists increases the price
he is required to pay for his goods and where the
| foreign article is excluded leaves his tax unpaid
| This deficiency in the revenue must be supplied,
and he is called upon to pay 1t from his other
sources. The proposed measure Of relief thus inn
poses upon him these additional burdens in the increased
pay IT. however the increased duty should not exclude
the importation of the article, but simply advance the
price to remunerang point to the domestic manufac-
tuer, the effect upon the would be to require
him to pay the additional price not only upon the for
eign article ~but also upon the domestic manufacture
The amount of taxation put upon him for the benefit
spectycy Of the treasury and the domestic manufacturer
will depend upon the relative proportion of the foreign
and domestic article he may In event can
the increased duty operate the advantage and relief of
the manufacturer except by corresponding injury to the
consumer The amount Of benefit conferred and injury
sustained by the proposed relief would depend
upon the relative number of manufacturers and
of the articles upon which the increased duties
laid and as the number Of consumers exceed THO NUM-
Der of manufacturers, would the injury sustained
ceed the benefit conferred policy partial and
just in its operations cannot command the approval OF
| the country.
Regarding The suggestion proposition to return to
the protective system it is obnoxious to all the objections
which have been heretofore orcib and successfully
= 81 a .