Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1866-01-18

w. n. BENNETT, oecrothtJ
The Tariff.
M We make room this morning for
lengthy communication on the old qnea-
sion Of tariff. Our correspondent has
given the subject considerable thought,
and quotes fgurea Aaently. We cannoh
however, agree with Ills views in toto. |
We are as heartily in favor Of tariff |
for revenae as any person, bat we are
not prepared to endorse an absolutely
prohibitive tariff. 1t is all well enough
to talk about the interests of different
sections Of this great continent being
Identical In some respects they are,
bat la oshers they are diverse. II were
inst as proper to argue thatths Interests
Of all the English colonies are the same,
and that what is beneficial to one por-
sioa Of that mighty Kingdom is Of equal
advantage 70 every other, q proposition
our correspondent himself knocks to
pieces with his facts and figures.
A prohibitory tariff tends only to
build up manufactures in one portion
Of the country. u is as fatal to West
ern infant establishments as free trade
10 20 the manufacturing Interests Of
Pennsylvania and New England. Prices
are kept up ia the Eastern States, ander
@ pFohibitory tariff, tofa point that IN
vites the investment Of capital in West
srn manufacturing establishments, but
no sooner Is the investment made than
q combination is form cd East, prices are
put doWn and the Western adventurers are
ruined. As the English capitalists operate
against our manufacturing interests UNI
der the free srads policy, so the New
England Manufacturers operate against
Western Manufacturers under the Pro-
hibitory policy. s-srr 4hu
What the country wants Is discriml-
mating medium. A tariff for revenue
q tariff thar will prevent our manufac-
turad articles from advancing beyond o
reasonable profit, BY bringing them in
competition, when they do sos with for.
eign goods--is what the country very
rauch needs. Excessive tariffs never
prevent the importation OF Injuries, and
they as invariably crush outthe importa-
ton OF useful articles.
The annual statements Of the New
England cotton factories for the year
1865, show the most enormous profits
They have enjoyed a monopoly and have
sysiled themselves Of ITS privileges to
the utmost. So Of the paper milIs, that
Senator Sherman, Of Ohio. manifested
such zeal in protecting. His constitu-
ents ought, by all means, to reward him
for his zeal in behalf of Massachusetts,
interests, as against those of his own
Stale. -, x
Yet, Notwithstanding The immense
profits made by those establishments
in New England, but comparatively
little effort 10 being made in the West to
compete with them. And wby2 Be-
cause ehFewd financiers know that the
undertaking you'd prove hazardous.
No sooner would they get their mills
constructed, their machinery in place,
and their employees secured, than there
would bea meeting Of Eastern manufac-
turerss prices weuld be put down to
ruinous rates, and they would be bank-
rupted. Hence they seek other invest
ment for their means, or go East to put
their money inside the ripg."us
Prohibitory Tariffs are productive OF
no revenue to the Government directly,
and the revenue they yield indirectly
comes off q class that can least afford to
pay it. rd8oI
Our manufacturing interests will con-
sumo none the less products of the soil
By being compelled to furnish their
goods at reasonable rates. The diasipa-
zion and extravagance that causes our
gold to 20 10 Europe for hxuries and
articles TO crafty aloEe Of display are
occasioned TO q considerable extent by
ths immense fortunes accumulated by
Eastern manufacturers through the in
strumentaliiy Of Very High Protective
TAriffs, Had Senator Spragus been less
fortunate in monopolizing the manufac-
tire Of calico, be would be more fortu-
nate In preventing the unpleasant RI.
-mors afoat in the country as to his per-
sonal habits.
But We have no desire TO open up or
prolong q controversy on d question
that has been disensaea With more abil-
isy and zeel7than. perhaps, any other
question that ever came before the coun-
fry. Orr debtois such that revenue
must be derived from the importation of
goods. But tariffs ought to be so grad
uated thnr the greatest amount Of rev.
enus pcsaible shonld be secured. When
the tariff il 40 high an 10 atop :mpor-
tations altogether, Il should be reduced
iust enough TO secure competition be-
tween our goods at reasonable profits
and European manufactures When
the tariff is too low it ought to be in
creased until the greatest revenue is SCI
cured, and not until ,crtation is pros
hibitsd. ans-
=
Christopher Berger has been arrested