, 1866-07-12
VIecons1n 3Safbat the Frohibltory
Tariff Bill.


The papers of Wisconsin have devoted bnt
little space TO the discussion Of the tariff
question, but 1t must not be Inferred that the
people Of this State have no interest In the
matter They are doubtless willing to con-
tribute their proportion to the encourage
home market thus made for their produce
and the Independence Of foreign countries
thus acquired, as an equivalent They are
not, however, willing to be taxed more than
is requisite for the accomplishment Of the
e9d IL view. They have Do desire to be tax.
enough without encouragement Those who
favor strictly prohlbltory tariff are but
few In number, as we should soon discover If
more absorbing questions did not for the time
being prevent this one from receiving The
share OF Intention to which It's importance
at the present time, when there arc extraor-
dinarJ reasous for regarding this question Of
thrift purely as one Of revenue.
Thai some tariff Ii required under existing
circumstances no candid free trader Will de-
n.y., The present financial system disc1lminatcs
oSainst homo manufacturers 10 4.aah asa OK
tent TINT 1t would be hardly possible Tor them
to survive without the assistance Of tarllr.
The enormously Inflated currency OF the
country, assisted By the unnatural decline IL
on, cul rency whether paper or metallic, en-
Dances prices III Ibis country enormously, md,
all other things being equal, renders it abso-
lntely impossible for home to compete with
foreign manufacturers. For example, II the
expanded and depreciated currency adds ffty
rer cent. to the cost OF cotton fabrics manu-
iactured at home. the cost Of the foreign NJ
ticles remaining the same, not cotton fac
tory in the land could survive free trade. The
effect Of the financial system would be to lay
n fdx of tifty: per cent. upon the dome article
and free trade itself would require tariff Of
r, I'm fnxs pt7o ~
Is certainly not tree trade which lays prohI-
bItion upon home and encourages foreign In
dustzy.
The reader will observe Just here that the
tnriI would not fully remedy the evil ofa de-
preciated currency, tor while II would raise
nit of home competition, it would not din,ia-
ssh the price or our articles Of export. Home
products cannot, therefore, go nbroad Tor In
ports. and they have to BE- paid for In gold.
a deprecated currency, therefore,, enconra-
ees Imports and checks exports, while . tar
| the imports but not the exports TO normal
| condition. This state Of things continues 50
long as the metallic is deprecated along
! with the paper euryencS. So soon IS the pre-
MUM on gold marks the true depreciation
OF the paper, just so soou are exports and I'm
| tariff which was imposed to enable the home
| 10 compete Oh an equal footing with the for.
eigu manufacturer, comes to discriminate
I against the latter, dimintshcs imports, and
turns the tide Of gold this wny.
| Hence It follows that what is fair compe-
| tition tariff to-day, when gold is 81 so, viii
discriminate In :ivor Of the home manufac-
| t,lrer to-ulor. wv, when gold f1ls advanced
| from some on: ,ide cause to Si.75, ald against
the home manufacturer the next day. when
| gold has fallen from like cause to 81 a
tariff which amply protects home interests t
| t1re1y Inadequate, by reason Of some currency
| disturbance. Currency disturbances must be
! frequent so long 0s our bonds can supply the
| place Of gold in the settlement Of foreign
balances. Gold win tluctuate In New York
! as our securities tluctuatc in London. F1nan-
| cia1 papics and wars md rumozs OF wars IN
| The old world will constantly keep our home
| business In q farmcnt, Just SO long Us We hcsi-
tate to reduce our currency to its natural
volume.
The thrill will yield our manufacturers
rich harvest for month, and sudden tum-
bic IN gold will perhaps ruin them the next
month";
| We believe, under existing circumstances,
when we need gold revenue for the pay
ment OF interest and for the cancellation of
the pr1ncipal oil our debt, strictly revenue
arin would be most advantageous to all
| Aclent protection without subjecting the
country to the enormous increase in prices
that would inevitably attend prohlbitory
tariff. Besides, O strictly exclusive policy
Is now esteemed By most civilized nations
| Just cause Of war We cannot afford to
| fiy IN the lace Of the sentiment Of tho civil
| lied world In this more thau In other mat
tcrs.
But re have seen the impossfbility Of touch
+! Ing The true corpe tIttve point, under the cou-
ditions imposed by an unhealthy financial
syttcoa. We hare seen that what Is o reve-
| nue. tariff to-day, may be pruhlbttory to-mor-
TOW, and -ufnou8 to home industry the next
day. We would therefore urge Congress to
apply itself In the first place to the coutrxc-
tion Of the currency, grading the tariff mean-
whlle SO Us to protect our home Interest
against the disadvantages imposed upon them
| pY the present imitation.
As ,or the bill now before Congress, We
I think It should be greatly modified In many
| particulars. It bears the marks Of patching
and tiukcriug for the benefit OF special inter-
ests. Giye Us tariff, gentlemen, as high as
| you think the revenue and the home interests
require, but let It approach uniformity.
Dou't protect one Interest more than anoth-
ei. Nothing can contribute more to create
an overwhelming popular sentiment in favor
/ offree trade, nothing will more surely lead to
theabrogation OF all tariff Laws, nothing 1ll
contribute more 10 Tho sssec<ss ef rebels and
\ their Northern aoetsors than an unfair tarif,
pampering some Interests, and leaving others
| TO struggle on unasslsted against the tremen-
dous odds opposed to them bya diseased
financial system.