Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1866-07-18

being payable in gold, now at 54 per
cent, were not enough; as if the enor-
nous prices at which the American
citizen now has to purchase every
article, whether of luxury or necessity
which he consumes, did not entitle
him to some consideration at the hands
of Congress, as well as the manufac-
turer who orevelsin overgrown wealth !;
as if the present commissions of Eu-
trope, which will rnise 10 tho war sfand-
ard the price of every commodity we
import, (probably adding from TWEEN
ty to fifty per cent. to the prices Of
all commodities) were not a circum-
stance TO be taken into account in
mitigation of the burdens which the
laborers and mechanics and farmers
who consume manufactured goods
have to beal.
What will the great aricultural
States of the West say to his most
flagitious attempt togrind them down
for the sake of the manufacturing dis
tricts OF section? Will they look
around in this emergency for their
natural allies, the representatives of
the Southern States, in this fierce war
which sectional interests is making
against the general prosperity of the
land (? Will they consent to be made
much longer the tools of interested
combinations; first, in excluding the
representatives who have the same
stakes with themselves, and then be
sectionized under the false pretense of
protecting American industry ? We
have spoken Of the large revenue, al
ready superintendent, which the treas
ury derives under the present revenue
rifflaws, and this, it will be remem-
bered, is almost entirely exclusive Of
the eleven Southern States which have
been too much exhausted by. the war
to consume merchandise or to contri-
butte to the revenue of the country.
One crop will put them in different
situation, and, it is fair to assume, in
another year, under proper treatment
and legislation, they will swell the
revenue by another hundred millions.
There is, then, no pretext of reason
for adding to the tariff generally, but
rather is there reason to diminish the
existing rates. A tariff for revenue
which incidentally gives fair chance,
where needed, TO the starting of any
particular interest which ought to be
developed, is not the thing objected
to; but it is the constant effort to
double and treble rates in behalf of
those things which have already be-
come strong and profitable. But the
willy managers Of this tariff move
ment know that this is their opportu-
nifty. Now or never, while the South
ern representation is excluded, must
they press their scheme of plumber,
injurious to commerce, oppressive to
the people, odious and unjust in every
sense. 1t is lamentable that they
should attempt such sectional domina-
tion as TO render it incumbent for
other sections to be specially invoked,
even for the good of the whole coun-
try but let the West and the South
be reunited on the floors of Congress,
as the have been separated in interest
or inmost feeling, and the reign of
class legislation, proscriptive, selfish
rule, with all its corruptions, win, it
is hoped, speedily be terminated. AS
to how this class legislation, leaving
out of view the great interests OF the
masses of the people, is accomplished,
prominent journal at the north, not
identified with party, illustrates as
follows
The most curious feature in the
affair is that these important questions
appear to be exclusively from the
point Of view Of class interest. When
the internal revenue on tobacco is in
question, committees are heard repre-
senting tho tobacco-growers, the ci-
gar-makers, and the tobacco venders I;
no one represents the smokers. When
the tax and duty on iron are on trial
gentlemen appear who represent the
mining interests, Others who repre-
sent the importing interests, others
WIN ANlICcthb NuO iObliA ihNVANSN =
nobody at all seems to represent con-
sumers Of iron. When the tax or duty
on wool comes up delegations appear
before the committee to argue tho
question from the point of view of
manufactures of wooden cloths, and
yet other delegation which represent
importers of foreign wool and wool
ems nobody seeks an audience on be-
half of the great community which
wears wooden clothes. Every betty, it
seems, has his say before the committee Q
and before Congress except the pub
lie. The public has no delegates and
friends When the newspapers tell
us that hard fight is being waged in
committee on the wool duty, we know
that the question at issue is whether
we--thc poor, r,helpless public-sball be
mulctcd by the wool-growers, or by
! the woolen manufacturers. or bv tho