Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1866-07-20
THE TARIFF.


The tariff bill, increasing the duties on
many articles Of American manufacture and
providing for liberal protection to Ameri
can industry, after passing the Lower
House of Congress b i fatteriHg majority,
has been laid over BIZ the Senate Until De
ceniber 10th. This action of the Senate,
50 unfortunate for the country, is much to
be deplored Though the bill had not
taken the shape of strict party measure,
we had foudly hoped that the necessities Of
the country would secure for it speedy
passage. Ia this we have been disappoint-
ed. Though the whole Copperhead vote,
with the single exception Of Cowan, was
against the bill, it could not have prevented
the passage of it but for the fact chat our
own party vote was equally divided, 10 Vo-
ting foF and l6 against the postponement,
while the cepperhead vote was 7 for and but
one against the postponement, The respen-
sibility of the defeat Of the bill therefore
lies with few impracticables in our own
ranks who either through indifference tothe
welfare of our great industrial interests or
Ignorance of the laws of trade and the wants
of the country, have sacrificed, to a great
extents the prosperity of large portion Of
our people Some of these, hailing from
New England, have already received the
meritea reproos of their constituencies,
while Others from the far West, not having
learned even the Grst principles Of political
economy, seem content to send 1000 miles
for their cotton and iron and pay for them
in corn at ten cents per bushel, rather than
build up manufactures at home where the
same goods might be produced at nearly the
same price and purchased with grain at fifty
cents per bushel instead of ten, besides
Saving the cost Of 5000 miles of transpor
tation. An increase of the Tariff duties has
become necessary to the continued prosperi-
ty of the country as well as for securing a
continuance Of the receipts from internal
Revenue sufficient to pay the interest on
our National debt
Every one, at all acquainted with our In
ternal Revenue system, knows that the
chief sources. of revenue are the taxes on
our manufactures Of various kinds. These
taxes are just so much added to the cost Of
production and to that extent neutralize the
protection afforded by the present Tariff
previous to the imposition of these taxes.
Under these circumstances many branches
ofour manufactures are not only left entire
" without protection but the, taxes, exceed
ing the Tariff duty, act as premium on
foreign manufacturers and discrimination
against our own. During the continuance
Of the war the premium on gold and the
difference in exchange, to some extent rem
adiea this evil, but the collapse of the rebel
lion and the consequent decline in gold has
taken away this incidental protection, open
ed our ports to foreign manufacturers and
caused decline and in some instances an
almost total stoppage of our own. At pres
ent, and for months past, our importations
have been far in excess of our exports, leav
ing the balance of millions to be paid for in
gold, and unless iudicious garif is soon
adopted and this reckless expenditure
checked, our fate viii in the end be that Of
all spendthrifts. Living and spending
beyond one means, with nations as with
men, can have but one result, bankruptcy.