The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1867-01-22

Iaoaudoned Domestic intercourse was so tri-
| fling that the stocks of number of the most
! important railroads in the country fell to, and
long remained at, an average price of less than
! fifty per cent. but the moment danger to the
Union became emminent, and the necessity OF
Self-reliance was plainly presented as the only
means of securing protection, and the gradual
| dispersion of our mercantile marine by the
apprehension of the armed vessels of the reb-
els, the American people began TO practice up
on the maxims of self defense and self-depen-
deRces From having been. if not absolutely
Impoverished and almost without reuunera-
tive enterprise, depressed by unemployed la
Dor and idle capital, all their great material
agencies were brought into motion with a
promptitude, and kept in operation with a
rapidity aud regularity, which relieved them
from want, their conntry from danger, and ex-
cited the amazement of civilized nations.
Protection to the manufactufes Of the coun-
try, when rightly viewed, is merely the defense
of labor against competition from abroad
The wages of labor in the United States is
higher than those in any other country, con-
sequeuay our laborerS are the more elevated.
Labor is the foundation ofbOth Individual and
national wealth; and those nations that have
best protected it from foreign competition,
!
therefore, the interest of the nation to foster
and protect domestic industry, by relieving
from internal taxation every sort of labor, and
impo sing such heavy duties upon all importa-
tionS of foreign manufactured articles, as to
prevent the possibility of competition from
abroad. Notonly yshouldludividual enterprise
and industry be thus encouraged, but all pub
lie works, a liberal and properly restricted
generSl railroad system, and internal i'm prove
ments Of every kind, receive the fostering care
and most liberal aid of the government We
ire rich in everything necessary to meet our
wants and render US Independent of every
other country, and we have only to avail our
selves of our own resources and capabilities,
10 progress continually onward to a degree of
greatness never yet attained by any nation.
Our agricultural, mineral and manufacture
ing resources are unequalled, and it should
be our constant study to devise ard prosecute
means tending to their highest development.
Why, then, should not the wisdom of gov
ernment make available the teachings of ex-
perience, and at once legislate for the mani
fest good of the people? Why permit our
manufactures to beg that they MAY live?
The government of Great Britain has, by
her protective system, ''piied duty upon duty, -
for more than one hundred and Gfty years
and hence upon her protection is founded her
manufacturing supremacy. Yet her ennis
sarieS come to this country, and for sinister
purposes, extol free trade" speak scofinglv
of |'protectiOn," and endearor to persuade our
people to believe and adept the absurd theory
that 'tariffs hindet the Development Of indus
try and the growth of wealth"
The great Republican party, liz the Conven-
ton which nominated Abraham Lincoln. in
Chicago, ia 1860, as if preparing for the very
war which most of our statesmen were at that
period anxious to postpone, adopted reso-
luton, (which" to use the language of an
eminent Pennsylvanlan, '|declafed that the
produce of the farm should no longer be COM
PEELED to remain inert and losing interest
while waiting demand in distant markets: that
the capital which daily took the form of labor
power should no longer be allowed to go to
waste; that the fuel which underlics our soil
should no longer there remain to be a mere
support for foreign rails; that the power which
lay then petrifeG in the form of coal should
everywhere be brought to aid the human arm
that our vast deposits of iron orc should be
made to take the form of engines and other
machinery, to be used as substitutes for mere
muscular force; and hat all our wonderful
resources, material and moral, must and
should be at once developed. Such was the
intent and meaning of the brief resolution
then and there adopted, to be at the earliest
practicable moment ratified by Congress. as
proved to be the case wher the M0rril tariff,
On the memorable "a of March, 1871, wss
made the law of the land. To that law, aid
ed as it was by the admirable action Of the
Treasury in supplying machinery of crcula-
ton. We stand now Indebted for the fact
that we have, in the short spahe Of FIVE years.
produced more FOOD; Built More houses and
mills, opened more mines, constructed more
roads than ever before, and so greatly added
te the wealth of the country that the property
of the loyal States would this day exchange
for twic the quantity of gold than could five
years since nave been obtained for all the
real and personal property, southern chatteS
excepted, of the whole of the States and ter
rtorleS of which the Union stands composed"
If the principle of protection proved to be
such talisman in the time of war, shall we
reject it in time of peace? If an answer
were needed to this question, reference could
be had to the repeated Concessions to this
principle by the recent free-traders of the
South. Scarcely one of the ambitious mel.
who led their unfortunate people into rebel.
lion. but now freely admits that if the South
had manufactured their own fahlics on their
own plantations, and cultivated skilled labor
in their great cities, they would have been
able to prolong their conflict with the govern
mentJ and now to enjoy substantial, instead
OF artificiul prosperity they must invoke the
very agencies they had so long and fatally
disregarded Words need not be multiplied
upon this important theme, either to make
my own position stronger, or to impress upon
the people tue value of adhering to a system
which has proved itself werthy Of our CON
tinued support, and Of the imitation of its
former opponents.
FINANCES.
The exhibit of the finances of the Common
wealth, as presented in the late annual mes
sage of my predecessor, and the report Of the
State Treasurer, is certainly very gratifying
and the fartering prospect Of the speedy ex-
tinguishment of the debt which has been
hanging for so many years, like a dark cloud
over the prospects Of our State, combined
with the hope that reasonable reduction