Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1857-03-13


ti9n to our home industry am opposed q tariff for
protection mociy, and not FOR revenue"
At the time this was written. the man who
is TO be our President for the next four years
interpreted the doctrine to Pennsylyanias TO
be discrimination and protection. 1t is to be
presumed that he will not now turn his back
upon his own commentaries. The official ac-
tion Of the President must be. whatever toll
Grafton may be conceded to ultra opinions Of
individuals, in favor Of discrimination and
protection; and that is all that it is now
necessary to insist upon.
No one here can hope to have a bill in all
respects as he would make il: but he must
amend where he can, and finally accept OF re-
jcct it, as he may think best. In my judg-
mcnt, ad raiorem duties are the worst possi-
bic for either revenue or protection. They
are expensive in the nistration-variablc
at every ustom-house-subject TO systematic
frauds-ofcring most protection when prices
are highest and require the lcpsi-and then
atording the least protection whcn prices arc
lowest and require the most. Spcrfc duties,
on the contrary, dispense with the whole
crowd of custom-house appraisers and ex-
perts. and are therefore cheaply administered
NOT liable 70 cheats, and are uniform and
certain, as well for revenue as protection.
WOOL
Mr. Chairman. / feel some interest as to
how wool shall be cared for in any revision of
the tariff which may take place. Ny con-
stituents, though by no means indifferent or
uninterested in the mining and manufacturing
interests, arc more largely engaged in the
wool-growing business than any other one
pursuit which can be affected by the tariff. In
1850. there were l,0l4,122 sheep in my State.
producing 3,iO0,7l7 pounds of wool--my
district contributing over ono-third Of the a.
mount. But, sir, our people do not ask any
thing for this interest beyond what it may de-
serve upon its national merits and nothing
which they are not ready 70 concedo TO any
other interest Of equal importance in any por-
ton Of our Union They do not come here
as supphants. DO what is proper and just
for the whole Union and then. if they are
not included they will be content to remain
outside ! stand on the principle of protcc-
ton-moderato but certain-such as a wisely
adjusted revenue tariff will abundanty afford.
no think American capital. American indus
try, and American genius entitled to the fa-
vor of the Government and that, 'if any pro-
vide not for his own, and specially for those
VI MS NMu nNNNts lh udAil NtullA inc ldlAlls
and is worse than an infidel' | prefer a Penn
sylvania forge TO a Birmingham one pre-
fer the sugar of Louisiana to that of Brazil
or Cuba. prefer an American clipper to
any British OF Dutch bottoms and / prefer
who does not five miles of Lowell fac
tory girls to forty leagues of Norks shiremen,
or any number of Flanders mares | am
for ruling America for the benefit, first, of
A 1 e. Al. L .
afterwards. American labor has the right to
find employment and reward at home. Amer
lean capital has the right to some security in
vested in the development Of the vast re-
sources of our country. American skill
should have sufficient encouragement TO pur-
sue ''the track Of glory under our own flag.
The bill which was first introduced by the
chairman of the Committee Of WAYS and
Means provided that all wool should pay a
duty of thirty per cent. except that costing
fifty cents and over, which was TO come in
duty free. Now. sir, suppose that commit
tee intended precisely what they said but
practically such a provision would. in less
than twelve months time, operate so as to
bring in free of duty overy pound of wool
which should be imported. Every gentleman
who understands the sharp practice of custom
AhhNI lAANi NAlAls az LAH NJ Nv ANN IAtNN vi lHl
eign importers who now monopolize the bust
ness, and who have driven Americans, the
solid men of integrity, almost out of the
field, knows that with such law as that in
dcated, all sorts of wool would be imported
and that it would cost fifteen cents and under,
or fifty cents and over, in every instance, and
therefore come in free. | confidently assert
that every candid importer will so admit and
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however he may covet free wool. will deny it.
In order to make the bill in fact what it
purported to be, | gave notice that | would,
at the proper time, offer an amendment, as
follows:
That any wool hair Of the alpaca the goat and other
like animals, which shall be changed in les character for
the purpose o evading the duty, which shall be cleans
cd purified assorted to raise the value at the
port OF importation 20 nifty cents per poundu over
which shall be reduced in value hy the admxturc Of dirt
any foreign substance TO fifteen per pound
less shall be subject to pay duty Of thirty per cent.
But a new proposition having been brought
forward, my amendment is no longer germane
to the bill But in this connection it is a
significant fact under the tariff of 1912, which
admitted wool imported, costing seven cents
and under per pound, free of duty, that while
in nine months Of lS43 we imported but
1882, ga pounds of such wool, it rose in one
year to l3,S0S, ,645 pounds, and in two years
(lS45) to 23,3S2 ,097 pounds the price OF
wool falling at the same time. Vide table c }
The committee have now proposed a duty Of
ten per cent. on wool That will prove who'll
ly inadequate, in my judgm' mt, to protect the
wool-grower, and is not fair compensation
for the thirty per cent which he will be com
PEELED TO pay the wooden manufacturer for all
the goods made out of the material he fur
nishes | would be liberal, and make a dis
elimination in favor of the manufacturer but
this is altogether too liberal
! am aware there are some who go still fur
ther, and would place wool at once on the
list The agriculturist scarcely needs proteo-
ton on anything save wool. In other things
he only receives the indirect benefit of having
some portion Of agricultural competition
withdrawn by being employed in other indus
trial pursuits His cordial cooperation is
expected to protect everybody else, but when
the sole opportunity arrives of giving him q
small boon, he is told that, although he has
been badly treated for ten years past OF more
he must now offer himself up as a sacrifice
90 But still the great have Kindness In reserve;
He helped to bury whom he helped to starve."
Those who urge that wool should be adj
mitted free of duty start off with the sober
assurance that the effect will be to raise the
price of wool, and they assert, in the mex
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