The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-06-26
The Beau,ie, OF "Protec,iou /,


The Boston Reform League has begur
the publication of "Broadside," which
is q very lively and interesting sheet
full of facts, showing up the monopo
lists who, under the cry of "protectior
to native industry" oppress the people
Here, forinstance, is an article showing
that while the psor man pays an exor
bitant high tax, the rich man is "pro
tected" by q much lower duty. Tht
Broddside says:
"By sort of common consent, botl
the high tariff party and the free-traderl
agree that silk goods are luxury, and
it is therefore supposed that they STANG
highest on the list of textile fabric:
upon which taxes are imposed under our
tariff, the rate being sixty per cent. az
UalOrem; but this is very far from being
the case.
"The duties upon carpets are much
higher. Upon a cheap tapestry carpet
costing in England 81 cents per yard
the duty is Al cents, or ~ per cent, upon
Brussels it is SO per cent, and upon
bookings, druggets, lettings, and other
low-pricsd goods, the duties are so high
as TO amount to prohibition. Upon
coarse, heavy broadcloth the duty is
stated by MIR. Edward Harris, most
skilful manufacturer, to amount to l3;
per cent.
"Upon cheap poplin, fabric made
of cotton and worsted, cesting7 7 pence
sterling, or about Ia cents per yard in
Eagland, the duty is 125 per cent.
(which is the luxury ! the low-priced
poplin dress, the coarse brOadeloth, th'
common carpet, or the silks and satin:
at 60 per cent. duty.
"Why this difference because al
attempt has been made to deprive con
sumers of their supply of the cheaI
clothing and combing woods of other
countries by duty which is almost
prohibitory, while the carpet woods are
still admitted at very low rate; next
we have attempted to force our own
manufacturers TO use wool raised here
at far higher cost, and unfit for many
purposes for which foreign woods are
absolutely needed, and have thus Grip
pied and almost destroyed several
branches of manufacturing which were
successfully established under low
tariff; and lastly, to compensate the
wool manufactures for all the disad'
vantage thus imposed by forcing his
customers to pay double or treble price
for the goods they need.
What has been the resulti An over.
supply of enc kind of wool chiefly
raised by us; scarcity and dsarness :.
other kinds, and a check to the diversi'
ty of employment in the manufacture
of wooden and wOrsted goods in this
country, with good measure of pro
lection TO the spinners OF Europe, tC
whom we have sent q full supply o
cheap South American and other wool
The furniture and wooden-ware which
we used to sell to South America fol
wool are now made in Bohemia anC
Germany; the boots and shoes in France
and the cotton goods in England; and as
our direct trade has been almost destroy
ed, we have ceased to send the butter
cheese and -four, which used to form {
considerable portion of every Soutl
American and South African cargo
but we pay for what we still impor
from these and other countries either il
geld OF cheap bonds. For the latter VI
have taken out patent, and no othe
country cares to compete with us, q
they all admit that we have succeeded
in establishing our own discredit in tn
most complete manner possible"