Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-07-10
.Tbe Vest and the TnrIG:

The West and the Tariff:
The sectionaism which is the bane of
our politics nowhere, rears its head more
defiantly than upon the Tariff question. 1t
aims at subiectng general and national in
terests to interests that are local and in
dividual. 1t insists that the welfare Of the
West and the South, and of consumers
everywhere, shall be prejudiced for the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of the manufacturers
OF less than half dozen Eastern
States. 1t demands that the Treas
ury of the nation shall suffer that
private pockets may be filled that the re-
sources upon which the Government relies
for the fulfillment of its obligations shall
be impaired, to provide bigger dividends
for firms and corporations whose profits
during the war we're nOtoriously enormous.
The course thus pursued is simply suicid-
al. 1t is the old story of greed over-reach-
ing itself. Between the profits of the
manufacturers and the purses Of the peo-
pie there is but the remOtest sympathy +;
and to reconcile the latter to the claims OF
the former, fairness and moderation are in
dispensable. And so it is also as between
the sections, The manufacturing interest,
Which would have everything subordinate
to its gain, is centered in few of the At
lantic States; and between these Eastern
manufacturers and the great and growing
West there is little or no sympathy. The
manufacturing class seek protection for
their own sake, and the only projection
which seems to satisfy them really amounts
to prohibition. The people generally, and
the West in particular, require that, in the
adjustment of protection, their wants and
convenience shall not be disregarded; and
hon tO MI mi tn in
prohibition, they are not unlikely to fight
it on the basis Of free trade.
Of this danger the country has already
received suggestive warnings. The,lea1ing
Western journals, with scarcely an eXcep-
ton, have taken strong ground against an
increase of existing duties, avowedly be-
cause the Westlwill not submit to be made
tributary to Eas ern manufacturers. The
same feeling has obtained expression in
Congress, and that, too, from members
whose personal and political affiliations
might have been expected to bind them to
the advocates of high duties. Mr.. Wilson's
language is especially significant. 10 the
tariff as it is he cheertully submits, not be-
cause the West does not suffer from it, but
because, with all its burdens, it is one of
the legacies of the war, and the West has
no disposition to shrik its share Of the gem
eral load. But on the part of the West he
objects to an increase of duties ranging
| from one hundred to two hundred per cent,
and he tells the manufacturers plainly that
| by agitating for higher profits they endan-
ger the protection now accorded to them.
We equote from the report in the Oongres-
SiOndL Globe -. 10 .H..... ....t f.g.t grt
J. "By pressing the duties to the high
standard proposed in this bill, very many
sections of the country now disposed TO
protect properly and equitably our manu-
featuring interests win be driven to the
other extreme, and the manufacturers will
find the great body of the population of
those sections, instead ofyas now favoring
protection, driven into free-trade ideas.
There is more danger from reaction to the
manufacturing interests than from letting
them rest upon the basis of the present
law. 1 give that warning to gentlemen
who are asking us to make these enormous
rates; give them the warning so that they
may know when the storm comes hereafter,
it is the result of their own action, and not
the design of any portion of the people of
the country to injure or cripple our manu-
featuring interests" ''' ''"'
! And again: .os|to" ni-2i4 fiw
! "Ihave asked the Chairman of the COM
/ mittee of Ways and Means to tell me how
much the duty provided for in this section
increases the duties levied under the exist
! ing tariff. l have notreeeived an answer
I from him; but lrhaVe received an answer
p from another source; not from an outsider,
! not from a manufacturer, but from mem
Der Of this House, who is we'll Informed In
| relation to this subject, and he tells me that
\ the increase under this paragraph will
amount to one or two hundred per cent.
Aud yet we are told that it is necessary for
| usto have thatincrease ofduty, in order that
i we may not send our raw material to Rus
| sia to be manufactured there and brought
| back to US, and that we shall have, home
market. Does the gentleman from Penn
| sylvania expect the CONSUMERS OF the cot1n-
! try are to pay these eXorbttantly increased
| rates, under che duty Iiowlproposed TO be
| laid, for the PURPOSE of sustaining the
I theory which he has advanced here to-day,
| of building up at some future time manu-,
! factories of these particular articles? Not
| at all. while we takeicaf ofthe interests
| Of the heLmanufacturer, we must take care,
also, of,the people wheare to bnythe goods
they manufacture, and who are to pay
these exorbitant rates of import duty Il
4 we do that, the consumer viii not quarrel
with the manufacturefg and the smanufae-
] turer) will hayel no cause to quarrel with
| the consumer. / protest against the i'm
l position OF import duties ranging from one
4 TO two hundred percent; ;and i standlhers
to-day better friend of the manufacturing
interest than some who, claim to be its spe-
cial champions 's0ps
! In the same spirit Mr. Kasson, another Of
4 IoWa's Representatives, plsadsifOr theilnr
terests Of 'thaymlhi0na of people Inv the
Vest who, he,says, will choose ,free-trqde
\ If that be the only alternative to prohibiL
ti0n. T" ~ sshihA ShiJfam ttkmitd nRo
Neither Mr. Wilson nor Mn Kasson can
be classed among the frse-tTadeEss pure aud
4 iIsimple. Their arguments and remon-
strances are not 70 BY gpt yid Of frppon the
PretHHss tAat tAsy SrigsSSte, ia minds 1Is
are against iprohibit6fy duties, 6ficourse,
bat h0tiIDt thGnufakor incidentals protecs