The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-08-08
Tariff.

The following extract is from a we'll
written Cleveland letter in the New York
Times Of the Sd, signed &c d. E" We
are greatly pleased with its accuracy OF
statement and ~soundness of argument
"a revenue policy, that for the time
supplies the treasury, and at the same time
makes US large purchasers of foreign goods
TO the neglect of our own manufactures,
will not do. That soon eXhsusts our
purchasing capacity. The stream OF gold
then sets steadily away from our shores,
then come hard times resulting IN
distress sDd Tevulsion. Over and over
again has this result heen worked out In
yo4rs5 and because NC have recovered,
time and sgsin, from such disasters, are
we now, with three thousand millions of
dollsrs TO pay, justified in bazarding again
tire dangerous experiment
Our Ultmste reliance forths means of sus-
tanning the national credit, Is upon the
scedlth creating capacity Of cur people.
The measure OF that capacity is found in
the extent to which the industry OF the
country, with sl the enormous power
which modern discoveries in science and
the arts give to it, is applied to the devel-
opment of our own material resources snd
the conversion of our own raw products
Now, a revenue policy, which does not
protect our own manufactures, evidently
contracts the scope Of our industry, and IA
tally diminishes our withdrawing cspsc-
ity and if we allow our manufacturing
interests to become psrslyzed by the joint
operation of low duties and high excise
taxes, we simply ignore the fret condition
Of an enduring prosperity, q varied and
profitable industry. Our home industry
must be encouraged and protected 81 every
point, where it can act upon and convert
our vast resources and natural advsntsges
into weslth. The field, tee forest, the fac
tory, the furnace, and the mine, must feed
each other.
We hear much Of q British free trade
but we should remember thst this "free
trade" means, substantially, no more than
the admission, free, into British ports, Of
the raw products Of other countries, by
which Great Britain hopes TO maintain the
position of manufacturer for the world
From the time of the establishment of ex,
tensive manufactures in Crest Britain, up
to q few years sgo, when she had gained
the control of the markets of the world,
her revenue policy, home snd colonial, wa
strictly protective, and under that policy
che grew rich and strong. But when the
growth of her manufactures, and increase
Of population, had rendered cheaper food,
and Increased supplies Of raw materials,
necessary, she then insugursted "free
trade" which simply means the admission
Of food and raw materials, free, into British
| ~-.-49 anA F-aa ghrasoEfnn into Nhn nN-fc nj
| othe. countries of her manufactured goods
To those who would refuse not only direct
| but incidental protection to our msnpfsc.
turing interests, o. the gfound that, to the
extent of the protection, the manufacturer
Us enriched at the expense OF the consumer
there is q plain and conclusive answer.
We have at this moment, in the state OF
the iron tsEsst+a-AoEtksrn-Ohio-A an
Western Psnnsy lvanla, an illustration o
the effect Of q want of practical protection.
The tariff on imported iron and steel and
the internal revenue taxes on their manu-
tacture here, were supposed TO be so sd,
insted by the the last Congress IS TO give
some protection to these interests but The
large decline in gold hiss opened cur port
TO the foreign manufacture TO such 81
extent as 10 compel four fftbs of the fnT
naces in Northern Ohio and Western Penn
syiuGnja TO go out Of blast. Our coal mines
u shippiug, our annals and our railroads
whose business is largely dependent upon
the prosperity Of these iron interests, ali, Q
course, share the injury.
The Government received from these in
terssss LAST year IN enormous revenue, IL
tsxes-but unless there is such an adjust
ment, by the next Congress, of the tarii
and the internal revenue taxes, as vii
afford them protection, the VISIT capita
represented in these interests must lie idl
the labor 1t has employed must turn 4
other fields, and the Government lose
larger revenue than it csn receive from loV
duties on foreign iron.