Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1857-06-03
THE EFFECTS OF THE TARIFF UPON GOODS
and PRODUCTS,

The advocates of the Tariff contend that the
duty is not paid by the consumer, and some of
them even 60 so far as to say that high duties
make low prices.
We have only to say to this, that the manufac.
turers of the North who have fully tested this
thing, now and always have been very anxious to
have every raw material that they use admitted
free of duty. They give as reason for it, that
the duty so increases the price that they cannot
sell their goods at as low prices as those who pay
no duty upon them.
Do you want to know the effect it produces on
your Cotton? Suppose an English manufactu.
rer was to come to this country with thousand
dollars in gold to purchase your cotton, and the
government should make him pay 30 per cent
duty upon it? You perceive, he would pay the
government $500, and would have only $700
left now, he would have to get just as much of
your cotton for the $500 as be would have taken
for the $1,000. But gold and silver pay no duty
for two reasons; in the first place, it would make
the unjust and iniquitous operation of the tariff
too palpable and clear to the people, and they
would not stand it day. In the second place,
the government is sure to get the 30 per cent.
The gold and silver may come in free to pay for
your cotton, but your rulers know very well that
they are of no use to you but to buy something
with, and by putting the duty on every thing that
comes in, they are sure to get it for the govern
ment or for the Northern manufacturer.
There is another thing that may be learned
from this. Gold and silver pay no duty-cotton
goods and silks pay rs per cent, woolen goods,
manufactures of iron and steel, sugar and mo.
lasses pay 80 per cent, wines pay 40 and brandy
100 per cent; these things are all brought here
to pay for your cotton. Do you suppose if those
who manufactured them paid the duty, they
would bring them here? The merchant from
the United States pays in England precisely the
same price for his goods that the Frenchman,
Russian, or any body else no deduction is made
to the merchant of the United States on account
of the tariff Suppose the rs per cent duty
came out of the manufacturer, does any body
think he would bring them here9 Let US see
how it will work out
The manufacturer wants cotton-he starts OF
with hundred thousand dollars worth of cotton
goods to the United States-he sells them in
New York for money, and pays S25, 900 in duties
to the government, leaving him only $I5, 900 to
pay for cotton. Mark you, now, he could have
sold those same goods at home to the French
man, or to one of our own merchants for $780,.
600 in gold, and with the gold he could have
come here and bought cotton, saving $4,000
by the operation. Don't you see he would have
done better even if he had sold his goods at Is
per cent less for even then he would have
eighty.fve thousand dollars to buy cotton with,
making saving of ten thousand dollars. How
comes it then, that he sends the goods instead Of
the money! This is the reason: If he were to
send the gold he were to send the gold he would
lose the freight and insurance upon it, and would
get for it only what it is worth at home. Scad.
ing the goods, he gets as much as he would have
got at home, and gets freight and insurance be.
sides. The consumers here pay the duties
GUyuer Stone