Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-03-23


sense. 1t is certainly contrary to the natural
of things that addition to the cost should
be a reduction of the price of an article"
Again. sir, in the same report he says:
''But the duty upon the article imported from
abroad enabled the domestic producer to enter into
competition with the importer from abroad. So
long as this competition continues the duty oper-
ates as bounty or premium to the domestic manu-
facturer. The duty constitutes part of the price
of the whole mass Of the article in the market By
whom is it paid? Certainly by the purchaser Of
the article whether of foreign or domestic manuac-
ture. Upon one it is a bounty, upon the other
burden; and a repeal of the tax must operate an
equivalent reduction of the price Of the article,
whether foreign or domestic"
In 1924 Mr.. Webster said:
ITO begin with iron The amount Of our own
manufactures is, l think, seventeen thousand tons.
The present duty the imported article is fifteen
dollars per ton; and this duty causes, of course,
an equivalent augmentation in the price of the
home manufacture, the whole increase of price is
equal to $3.50 900 annually, which the consumer has
to pay, over and above what he could supply HIM
self at without the tax and this to support bust
ness that cannot support itself"
have not given Mr.. Webster's exact language,
but the substance of it. and nearly his own words
So much for the effect of the duty upon the price Of
the article.
But it is again argued by others that, admitting
that the price of the domestic article is enhanced by
the duty the history of protective tariffs shows there
has been corresponding increase in the price of
cotton and other agricultural products Not stop
ping to show the unreasonableness of this PROPOSE
ton, will content myself by producing facts and
figures, which are more potent TO convince than ar
gument l quote from De Bows Review Decem
Der, 1858. For the five years preceding the tariff
of 1923, the average price of cotton was fourteen
cents for the five years of its existence the average
price nine and nine tenths for the five years at
ter its repeal the average price was fourteen and
three tenths: and so, for the five years preceding
the tariff of 1912, the average price of cotton was
eleven and six tenths for the five years during its
existence, seven and two tenths; and for the five
years after its repeal nine and tenth thus show
ing that as the tariff increased the price of cot
ton went down. Nor can this be said to be owing
to the amount of the crop; for, by the same state
ment, the author shows that in 1927 the crop was
294,OOO,0OO pounds price ten cents In the year
1881, when the tariff in force, the crop was
276,OO0,00 pounds the price nine and one tenth;
showing decrease in the crop of Is, 900 900 pounds,
and falling off in the price of one cent per pound.
And the same result appears by still further compar
ison during the existence of the tariff of 1928 and
that of 1912. And so it might be shown, l doubt
not, with regard to other agricultural products.
And if this not so, yet it is certain that
by high protective tariff the South has to pay ont
of the price of her cotton for articles of necessity
an amount equal to the duty levied over and above
the sum at which she could otherwise supply her
necessities
But, sir, | would not PROSTATE our manufactures
rejoice in their success and their prosperity
would afford them that incidental protection, and
that only which tariff raised strictly for revenue
would give them and this. together with the costs
and charges Of transportation of the foreign article
should enable them to compete with the nations of
the world And if it does not it is an evidence that
they not adapted to soil, and that in a COM
mercal computation, they cost more than they come
to. The nation cannot afford to pay so much for the
glorious privilege of being thus independent. But
l say to the manufacturers, you can do it. You
have done it in the past; you can do it in the future
The facts and figures have already presented show
that you have grown in wealth and numbers until
scornng the protection which a duty would give
you in the home market you have launched your
bark upon the broad ocean of trade, exported your
fabrics and your iron to the markets of the world
bringing them into contest with similar articles and
defying all competition. This you have done with
protection, and still more extensively without it
having the proud consciousness that unjust ex-
tortons contributed to your success, and that you
were dependent for it alone upon your superior SKILL
native energy, and industry.
These are resources that will never fail you they
the gifts of Heaven and no legislative act should
or will, fetter or cramp them. You are thus rem
dered permanent and secure; not tossed to and fro
by the evsr-changing winds of legislation granting
you protection to-day, and tomorrow leaving you
to your own resources All sections and classes
will be thus placed an equal footing our Gov
eminent made to accomplish its chief nd, affording
protection to all, special favors to none. Energy
and capital are left free to employ themselves in the
most profitable channels of trade, which they as
sure to find as water does its level and the needle
t.,
our independence; for though it may sometimes
happen that we can for the want of adaptation in
soil, on account of climate, price of labor, or any
other cause, purchase an article cheaper than we
can make raise it, and to this extent must and
should depend upon other nations, yet sir, from the
fertility of our SOIL the variety of climate, en-
bracing nearly all the degrees of heat and cold in
short, with all our untold mineral agricultural and
manufacturing wealth, and the skill and energy Of
our people left unfettered and free to develop them,
we may not only hope, if united to preserve all the
essential elements of our own independence but be-
come the chief dependence of other nations not
ly to reach point in prosperity, power, and true
greatness, beyond the highest conception Of any
living statesman but in carrying out our great mis-
sion we can and will receive the down trodden sub
iect of tyranny to our shores, and with our bread
stufs feed the hungry, and with our cotton clothe
the naked of the world
Again, sir, it is urged that we should not only in
crease the present tariff but that we should return
to specific duties 1t is said that it is the only mode
by which we can prevent frauds upon the revenues
Now, sir if this were true, still it would be entitled
to but little weight unless it could be clearly shown
that the advantages thus derived were Of more i'm
portance and therefore to be more regarded thar
the wrongs and injustice inflicted upon the tax payer
by system of specific duties.
specific duty, as understand it. is one that il
levied upon given class of articles, without regare
to valuation For example: We will suppose .
quantity of broadcoths imported into the United
States which were of different values, and ranging
according to quality, from one to ten dollars pc
yard: duty of one dollar per yard is levied upon
the whole; so that the cloth at ten dollars woult
have to pay as much as, and no moe than, the ar
tcle at one dollar per yard.
From this it will be seen that were we, in raising
revenues, to conine ourselves to specific duties,
would operate very unequally and uniustly upo1