The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1866-02-06
TARIFF TAXATION.

In order to show The enormous tribute which
the tariff system enables the manufacturers to
wiring from the industry of the country, We give
the following calculations, which are made up
By the Chicago Times:
By comparison with the returns of 1860 the
consumption of cotton goods in the United
States is found to be Sl87 1894 ,3l6 in 1865, on
the basis of the present ruling at the former Pc
Rod. But the price Of these goods has risen
enormously Two hundred and fifty per cent.
would be a low estimate for the increase Say
two hundred per cent, and1h actual gold val
ne of the cotton goods consumed in the United
States during 1865 would be 1858 982, 94S, and
putting the average price Of gold for the year at
$50, the currency value gould be SS45 ,97O, Az.
BY similar process the value Of wooden goods
consumed during the same year rs aseertasned
to be S279 ,O93, s61-eiving the following total ::
Cotton goods consumed, SS45, 974 422; wooden
goods consumed, s279,O93,S SOL Aggregate
value of goods consumed in 1865, 81, l25 ,06S,-
2S3
The tariff imposes duty averaging about "A !.
per cent. in gold, or 662 per cent in currency,
with gold at $50. Almost the whole of this
amount appears in the price of domestic goods.
The United States Economist, paper devoted
to the drygoods interest," stated mot long srce, that
to manufacture yard of Sprague prints cost II
cents, but the manufacturers would not sell 1t
at less than 81 cents. This is about 60 per cent.
over the cost of production, which may be taken
as a basis. According to this the manufactu-
rers sell about 81 100000 of their goods for
about 81 500 900, thus making clear profit O.!
s700,OO0,00O We leave out the profits Of the
Wholesale and retail merchants in this estimate,
because their proportion would be about the
same under either system. Their actual profits,
how ever would be greater to the extent that
the general business of the country would be in-
creased by free trade.
Without going any further, therefore, we find
that the people Of the United States pay tax
of seven hundred million dollars, on cotton and
wooden goods alone, the greater part Of which
goes, as a bonus into the pockets of the manu-
facturers of New England. =.
The amount which goes into the Treasury is
not more than eighty millions at the outside
1t is probably even much less than this as the
effect Of the high tariff has been to drive foreign
goods almost entire ly out of the American mar
ket.
Now this vast sum, thus wrung from the peo-
pie by the voracious manufacturing capitalists
of the Eastern States in each year, is one-ffth
as great as the whole public debt
1t is double the revenues of the Government
during the fiscal year ending June 80, 1865.
1t is greater than the estimated revenues of
the Government. from all sources, during the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1866
1t is equal to one-twentieth of the entire val
ue of all the real and personal property of the
country-in other words it would buy all the
property of the country in twenty years.-New
Orleans Crescent.
The above statements form the best argument
why the people should oppose protective tariffs.
The old democratic doctrii on this subject is
the true doctrine for the good of the great mass
Of the people Of this country.