The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1867-01-19
Protective TariH
SALEM, Oregon.

SALEM, Oregon.
EDITOR DEMocRAr I'm your paper of De.
cember %, | find the following: "Out Of
every three dollars expended for boots or
shoes we pay at least from IS cents To 81 to
the General Government; the duty upon
leather being from % 10 IS per cent. upon
tie value" This may be correct bpt If il
is, then, sir, | freely acknowledge that up to
this moment | have been in ignorance a. To
the nature of a high protective tariff. You
affirm hat the duty goes IN the General Gov
ernment. / deny the assertion, and declare
that the General Government does not get a
dOllar-that the effect of very high duties
stops the importation Of all articles inclu.
ded. Then, | ask, how does Government,
realize anything from such a tariff? IL is
true, a loW tariff, based on a true standard.
will not prohibit the importation of foreign
goods, and under il Government will derive
an immense revenue. This tariff for reTe.
nue. (which is necessarily very low has been
the policy of the Democratic party in the
past; a high tariff for protection 1has been
the policy Of the opposition in all ages Of the
republic. Il seems to me too plain for argu
ment, that when a tariff Is 10 high that all
foreign goods are stopped, that then all reve.
npe under il ceases, and all the benefits &C.
crue 10 the manufacturer and the merchant.
Let Us examine 1t more particularly On
certain kinds Of prints the tariff IL co per
per cent. ; these prints cost IL cents per yard
to manufacture them ; they are sold to the
Ijobber at y cents, the co per cant. added
This is the custom in all the New England
manufactures ; they refuse 10 takea reason
able advance, as they are protected from for.
eign competition at less than 81 cents and
transportation. This yard passes through
the wholesale and retailer's hands 10 the con
sumner, and very often amounts to 40 cents
when used. Who makes the % cents? Who
but the manufacturer and seller The Gov.
eminent does not get a dollar I The blood,
sweat, tears aud labor Of the poor, over. taxed
toiling millions of this once free and happy
people, are coined into dollars and cents u
enrich the manufacturing lords of New Eng.
land. Eight hundred millions a year are
thus paid by the consumers to the manufac.
turing interests of this country.
If we talk with Union men, 10. called
about THE, their answer il: "We are in
debt-Government must have money" DC. (.
when the fact is, Government does not get a
dollar, IL is nothing but one Of the cursea
of New England politics come to the West
and South to roOst. No baser system Of leg.
~islation was eyer had. Il might be called
public robbery-national infamy-ad disgrace
to a free people and a burlesque on the very
name of liberty But this t~hing--this eat
ing cancer on our Misunderstanding daily,
monthly, yearly at our means of support,
and thus surely and gradually reducing us
to slavery-making the. rich richer, the poor
poorer-goes by the beautiful name Of good
Union.
Can it be possible that the people will
longer be deceived by such u lie as this?-
Win they work, and toll, and pay half their
earnings TO still further enrich a class of men
rolling in wealth and splendor? To say tina
they will, merely because it is called
Union, " is an insult to their sense and q
libel on their understanding. If they do,
then it is evident they prefer Abolition slave.
ry to Democratic freedom; and would be
happier under Wendell Phillips for king
than a Democratic President, and they never
can feel the sense of lost liberties, violated
rights, national injustice and personal abase
ment, for their minds are insensible to every
feeling moving the soul of American free
man. Such a people are slaves, and ought
to be, 'TAx.PAYER."