Delaware State reporter. [volume] (Dover, Del.) 1853-1859, 1858-09-24
The Unfairness of High Protective
Tariff

We have ever entertained the opinion that a
high protective tariff is unjust and unnecessarily
burdensomc to the people generally. But we
have rarely if ever seen anything so convincing
Of its injustice 1--WE mean tariff for the sake Of
protection alone, such as the Peoples party of
this State now advocate) as an article which
appeared in the SATURDAY Bulletin of Aug. 2Sth.
This paper advocates the opposition cause in
politics, whatever therefore it contains on such
a subject will not be gainsayed or its truth and
correctness doubted by our opponents.
The writer in the aforementioned paper is
speaking of the manufactures of Philadelphia,
and his object in the publication of it is to give
a correct statement of the condition Of the
manufacturers without reference 10 any political
bearing. For that paper appears to be one Of
the very few of those opposed to the Democracy
of the country, which views the common good
as paramount object, and a regard to truth
and fairness as outweighing partizan consdera-
tons.
The article alluded to gives list of all the
manufactured articles produced in the city of
Philadelphia. with their values, during the
year ending June Both, 1857. 1t is taken from
work entitled Philadelphia and its Manu-
facturers," by Edwin I. Frccdcy, just pub
shcd by Edward Young, 1913 Walnut street.
1t appears from this article that the total
amount of the annual manufacturing industry in
the city is one hundred and forty five millions
Of dollars.
The writer adds that by his own nyestiga-
tons, based on the census returns OF 1850, he
had found that the capital invested was about
half the aggregate amount Of production, and
that each person employed produced about
eleven hundred dollars worth of manufactured
articles upon an average; consequently the
amount Of capital invested in manufacturing in
the city of Philadelphia for the year ending as
above was seventy-two millions five hundred
thousand dollars, which, according to the
above rate confirmed the writer adds, by his
own investigations, doubles itself to the manu-
hcturers in every single year And it is to
be rccollccted, also, that this result is obtained
not under high protective tariff, but under
the Democratic tariff of 1916 and the present
low tariff.
Now, in view of such an enormous profit as
this-a doubling Of the capital invested every
year, it is fairly question whether the Peoples
party would not advocate measure less bur
densome 10 the community in general, by pro-
posing to support Ill orally the manufacturers,
leaving the people exempt from all tariff
taxation, and at liberty to buy wherever they
could purchase cheapest or on the best terms !!
But observe again the great profit upon the
productive labor of the operatives. We do not
know the average wages paid these operatives i:
but we know that farm hands in this part of
the country do not obtain on an average more
than fifteen dollars month. Nor is the hard
ness or hcaviness of the labor of operatives to
be compared TO that Of farm hands, fr which
none but stout men in general are sufficient.
The latter arc exposed 10 all weather, and be-
sides can find employment only nine or ten
months in the year. One hundred and eighty
dollars per annum would therefore be large
allowance for operatives, considering what farm
hands receive, land which is quite as much as
farmers can pay,) especially when it is known
!, that many of these operatives in factories arc
women and children, employed Of course in the
/, lightcst kind Of labor
This sum taken from eleven hundred dollars
above stated as the amount Of the productive
labor of each hand or operative in manuiac.
turing, leaves eight hundred and twenty dollars
as the gain 10 the employer on each
, Could any measure then be more unjust to
the community, say to the farm hand for in
stance, who must wear (spcnd 'arge part o.
his hard earnings in obtaining) manufactured
articles for clothing, or the farmer himself. who
: must use them largely in his family, than tC
? tax the former on his twelve dollars month
salary, (for this is all it averages for twelve
7 months or the latter on the small and hare
!, earned profits of his farm, with a protective
tariff duty to add still more to the profits of thC
S manufacturers, who double every year tlei
4 capital invested, and clear eight hundred ant
twenty dollars, Tor even dcducting five hundred
II and fifty, the whole amount Of capital invested
o on each hand, from this three hundred and sew
5 enty dollars on every man, woman ant
c child which they have employed; And yet this i
the doctrine advocated by the Peoples party
y This is their favoric and leading measure
G And legislation to effect this is what they arr
s to accomplish if they succeed in gaining powe
s to do it. They are crying for protection to tn
IS manufacturer, when it is seen that he double
e annually his capital invested in the city {
It Philadelphia. Neither has it ever been shown
n or does any one suppose that the profits O.
n manufacturing in Philadelphia are larger tina
r. they are elsewhere.
i The statement then in the Bulletin may b
lie taken as a fair and true exhibit of the state {
1f our manufactures generallY. and the prof