Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1860-05-19
The Tariff Act Before the Senate

portant measure before Congress 1t is OF
TAR greater consequence than. any OF the
pending issues, notGcxcepting the vexed
question of territorial legislation or "pop-
ular sovereignty" about which so much
noise has been made for years. 1t affects
more or less the prosperity Of the whole
nation, and many a "hecding Kansas" in
in the large cities and factory districts of
the North, looks to the repeal of the inju-
dicious revenue laws of 1857, for relief
from suaeriug and distress. Ever since
the enactment of these laws, and the crisis
which swept over the country in the same
year, our enterprise and industry have
been in languishing condition, Numerous
public and private works, railroads, mines
factories, ETC., in process of construction,
could not be completed, because of the i'll
security of investment resulting from a
state of things which every intelligent per-
son felt could not last, and because of the
high rates of iaterest demanded under
these circumstances, and in consequence of
the excessive drain of specie caused by an
uncalled for reduction of import dutics.--
While our imports have been increasing in
an Unprecedented manner, our factories
have been compelled to,rcstrict their ose-
rations, many of them working with from
two thirds to ne.half of the forces they
employed under more favorable auspices
Foreign trade has reaped rich harvest
but it was at the expense of the vastly
more important departments of native in
dustry and internal commerce. While
our foreign import trade amounts, in value
to some sa50 200, 900, the annual products
of our industry are estimated at more than
$4,000, 100000. 1t is bad and ruinous
policy, therefore, to subordinate the latter
to the former--ruinous not alone in an eco
nomical, but also in moral and political
sense. Continued depression of business,
poverty, distress and crime, and political
commoton follows in natural and logical
succession.
Much Of the sectional feeling existing
between North and South has its origin ia
tAs shortsighted, persistent and stubborn
opposition of the small fry of Southern pol
iticians in Congress to the idea of protec-
ton to national industry,while at the same
time they are clamorous Tor protection to
the interests of slave Labor. They demand
upon principle, protection to the labor of
the 1900, 200 slaves of the South, and in
the same breath deny, upon principle pro-
lection. to the labor of the 10000, 900 free
working men in. the North, forgetting, in
in the latter instance, that the end of all
good government is to protect all legitimate
ational interests. 1t is "A grcss error and
the origin Of all sectional strife, to regard
cultivation by slave labor as an exclusive
ly Southern and manufacturing industry
as Northern institution. They are ma
tional interests, and the object of the Con
gressional legislation should be to mtk'
them cooperate harmoniously to to the ma
tcrial and moral advantage of the Who'll
country. 1t is by no means difficult t.
, demonstrate that the South, though he
abstractioniSt politicians are un able to per
ceivo the fact, would be immensely beneGt
ted by an efficient and prosperou, Northcr
industry.
The great drawback of enterprise Of an
and every kind in the South is her power
: ty in financial resources, and the ruinou
Il rates of interests she has to pay at tn
t North when she comes as borrower, an
) this is but one of the consequences of inaG
s cquate protection to native manufacture,
d which causes excessive imports Of forcig
c fabricks and excessive exports of Amer
G can gold. We taust. sh,t the tariff act sui
10 mtted to the Senate will be discussed b
$. that body in comprehensive nations
D. spirit, that it viii receive the earnest col
1T sideration due to its Importance as a gre
i. national measure.
10 The ADJOURNED BALTIMORE CoNVE