Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1866-04-12

the official reports of the Treasury
Department, that we import annually
four dollars worth OF foreign agricul-
tUral produce worked up into goods
for every dollars worth Of agricUl
tural produce, save cotton, we export
to all the world. This calculation is
based on the exports and imports for
ten years before the war, from 1850
to 1860. What Representative OF
American farmers can advocate such
policy2
9th. The free trade theory that
''the duties are added to the price
an6 pSid bv the consumer" may be
generally true as to articles not pro-
duced or manufactured in this coun
try; but it is not true of articles that
we can successfully manufacture at
home, the effect Of high protective
duties being to stimulate competition
and production, finally reducing the
price by increasing the supply-as
all experience has proved. For in
stance, coarse cotsons, nails, glass.
chemicals, dc, were, as every body
knows, made at home for less than
half the price paid formerly when
imported from abroad, and are now
exported to foreign countries.
9Th. Another theory of the tree
trade ivocates, that "the larger the
balance of trade against our country
the better" is just as absurd as to
say the larger the balance of trade
against an individual the better; or
to say that an extra7agant family
that bought and consumed $500 a
year more than they sold were get
ting rich, and an economical family
that sold $500 year more than they
bought were getting poor-natiOns
being but families on a large scale
9th. The most convincing proof
of the immense value of home mar
kets and the productions of Ameri
can labor when stimulated by home
competition and demand is furnished
by the late war. which enabled our
farmers and manufacturers to loan to
the Government from their surplus
earnings hundreds ofmillions of dol
lars annually to replenish the Treas
ury and save the Union by furnish
ing money, the sinews of war.
9th. The importers and venders
OF foreign goods are in fact money
collectors and tax gatherers for for
eign countries therefore by increasing
our tariff we but increase the tax paid
by foreigners and their patrons for
the privilege of vending their goods /
in our markets, thereby Tightening
to that extent the taxes and burdens
imposed on our own people.
10th. That a thousand dollars
kept in active circulation from hand
to hand at home does more 10 make
money plenty and our people pros
porous than millions sent abroad to Z
purchase what We can and ought tn
make at home; and that the erection !
of furnaces and factories in mineral /
regions, like ian oil strike" often /
adds a hundred fold to the value Of |
lands, as well as millions to
the general wealth, and thousands
to our revenues, State aid national
1lth. The great contest is, there
fore, between the Foreign and Ameri-
can farmers, mechanics and laboring
men for the American markets.
Protection gives them to the Ameri-
cans, Free Trade to the foreigners
and it is for your honorable bodies
to decide which shall have them.
12ti. We would finally appeal to I
our national history, from its com
mencement to the present hour, to
prove that national prosperity and /
the national revenues have invaria- /
bly, went up and down with the pro
lective policy-when the tariff went .
up the Treasury was always full, and |
the people prosperous; when the 1
tariff went down the people and the
treasury were alike impoverished.