Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-04-12
How the High Tariff WOrlks-The
Oppression of the COnsumer-Hm-
1nense PrOfits-Light from Mas

1nense PrOfits-Light from Mas
sachusetfs. "".r. ff. '.r" .| na.H-
A writer in the Northampton Gazette tells
the public some ugly facts about the cause
of the high prices which are felt so oppress-
sively by all classes in the community, except
the manufacturers, who make great divi-
dends. He says:
A wooden manufacturer, of Massachu-
sets, said in Boston, in 1865, Before the
war it cost me $3.50 yard to make cloth,
and l sold it at 81. Now it costs me 81
per yard, and sell it at S." EI uno tscO
OnsneS. This man probably made pilgrim
age to Washington last winter to clam mor
for more "protection" to the Woolen inter
est. If he did not, the woolgrowers in
Brattleboro assembled recently resolved
that they ought to have ''such tariff as
will sustain them against the competition
of foreign woods produced by cheap labor,
cheap lands, % and cheap capital" They
also took efficient measures to have this
resolution carried into effect. That is
right. Let US have this additional tariff,
by all means. Labor is a prodigious ele-
ment in wool groaoing, and land is scarce and
dear in the United States, 80 contracted
and so densely populated compared with
the Old World. Besides, it will help "pro-
tect" the aforesid manufacturer. An addi-
tional five cents pound on wool will fur
nish him the wherewith to "pull the wool"
over the eyes of consumers, and get $40 a
yard for his cloth instead of So. ,
OF the huge profits of manufacturing
corporations, he says:
Look at the dividends of manufacturing O
companies for the past year. Doubtless a
salutary fear OF taxation or of tempting
competition has kept many from coming to
light. But of those made public, twenty
per cent. is about at the minimum, while a
hundred per cent. is quite as common. A
majority ranges between these two rates,
+. p A company hot thousand miles from
Northampton, has just declared dividend
of one hundred per cent. on a years profits,
besides reserving enough surplus to enlarge
their mill. Out of whom do these profits
come? Out of consumers Overburdened
by taxation of every description. How
is it possible to make such profits on bus
mess long established and extensively pur-
sued in the Eastern and Middle States !?
Because tariff virtually prOhibitory, ex-
cludeS competition, and home monopolists
have only to assemble, from time to time,
fix their own prices, swear not to undersell
each other, and their fortunes are made.
Consumers may help themselves if they
can. The old pretense that proportion"
cheapens product by inspiring home indus
try, and fostering competition, is exploded
by combinations.
He rightly adds: s..z s., re-.
A long suffering public will begin by and
by to ask troublesome questions. 1t will
want to. know why protection is not ex-
| tended to all Interests. 1t may ask, sswhy
not protect operatives as well as capitalists
hundreds as well as millionsl Why not
protect labor by prohibitory tariff on en-
igration, so that it can command four dol
lars per day instead of two dollars p,
When it comes to this the system is
doomed. o+ - fnI.as TrTNt-. .gs