New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-09-25

,overisbed and weakened our country, theh IL VIII az
most certainly if persisted ill., do so hereafter Al
orr population, production and wealth, are now less
than they would have been had no lmpost e'ci ooon
levied upon foreign products at our frontiers WIN III
tent to encourage the production OF ike articeS vi
orr own soil or with the effect OF rendering Suoh o
couragement then it were irratlonai 10 eApooS "0"
results from Protective legislation IN the lu'uio
Tennyson aptlI makes the sage ana thoush'iui
Ulysses say in the ripe fullness OIL Ills eNon'iu''
observant career:
ct am n part OF all that have met;
Yet ali experience is an arch wherethrO ,.,o.
Cleans that untraveled world, whose maIHi" i"oo'
For ever and for ever when move
The Erening Post has fairly earned the position OF
leading exponent and champion of Free Trade ID the
New World. 1t has won that prominence Oy cour-
age, consistency and signal ability. IL mas never
trimmed nor prevarcated, nor pretended that tne
difference between Protection and Free Irauo Is
ideal or ilusory nor has it permitted considerations
of party expedency party success to affect ls at
ttude or mufile its voice Tie Post has an established
character and an honorable history; and whatever
its occasional errors of fact inference, will not
doubt that its course on this subject is mpeied by
conviction and guided by principle.
In its issue of August q, The Post discussing the
effect of our present Tariff on Wool and Woolens,
forcibly says:
"The author of the, Positive Philosophy was the
first writer on modern science to give yeflncatlon
its true place in scientific processes. lie shoWeu
clearly that the test of every conclusion IN science
prediction and that the claim OF any dOctrhe 10 d
truly scientific character is its proportion 10 the ac
cuTacy with which il enables those VINO understand
IL TO foretel the results under known conditions
Economical science accepts the test as fully as Chem
istry and s processes, though never cOmplcaseu'
are when complete not whit less Trustworthy
-Concurring fully in this averment, propose to
In ~ TIo Economy
by copying from its columns the predictions from
time to time made By its editors of the deporable
consequences certain to result from our country's
adhesion TO the Protective policy and contrast those
doleful prophesies with the cheering results actu-
ally realized.
Though Protection to Manufactures had been de-
clared in its preamble one of the purposes OF the
first Tariff framed and passed under the federai
Constitution, and though Protection had been Incl
dentally regarded and affirmed in nearly every modl-
fcation of that Tariff and though the Tarif OF 1916
was made undenlably and striDgently Protective IN
its duties on Cotton Fabrics and on some manufac-
lures of Iron it was not till 1902 that revision oil
the Tariff in the interest of Protection alone was
sought for and not till 1894 that measure OF I'M
qualified Protection passed both Houses, and Delng
approved by the President. became law OF the
land. The Erening Post, after insisting that manu-
classes were interested in the defeat of this meas
ure, proceeded to say:i
" Pass the Tariff, reported by the Committee,
and You palsy the nation. Pass il. and where will
Won any longer find occupants for your costly piles OF
stores and dwelling houses Pass ii, and who viii
be exempt from its grinding operation The poorer
classes especially must feel It's effect IN paying an adj
dtonal price for every article of clothing they and
their families wear. and every mouthfui they eat or
drink save cold water and TO that will they ere
long be reduced If nothing short of the general voice
Of the people will satisfy Congress that they cannot
and will not submit to this report, pregnant with
ncalculable mischief mistaken and nconslderate,
let means be taken without delay to procure H. aud
| 1t will be given IN tone and manner that VIII not
| be disregarded"
The bill SO execrated by The Post passed, in
defiance of its Nominations yet the Nation was not
palsied; our City grew thenceforth il had never
grown before finding ample occupants for its costly
piles of stores and dwelling houses at higher rates
than had previously ruled The poorer classes" did
not (unhappily) conine themselves to cold water
as beverage and. far was the general voice of
the people" from cOndemning the measure, that the
Tariff of 1924 stood unchanged until superseded lin
1921 by one decidedly higher and more Protective.
The tone and manner of tho Free Traders were as
arrogant and conceted usual but the great body of
the people only laughed at their lofty airs. and per-
sisted in calling for the maintenance and increase of
| Protection.
Two propositions have ever proved stumbling
blocks to economists of The Posts school: l. That
the producers of Wares or Fabrics may be benefited
by Protection though its effect be to reduce rather
than enhance the price of their products q That in
creased Protection may secure increased revenue
! from Duties on Imports. Dr. Cooper then President
of south Carolina College, was then leading
pamphleteer against Protection, and The Post sad
miringly quoted him with concentrations as fol
! lows
| "Bnt il is not against the merchant and agrlcu
turst in thOse specific capacities and characters that
| this monopoly makes war, but 1t Is against our ma
| tional resources. against our revenue also Annhl
| late however gradually. your custom-house duties
and you must recur To direct taxation or To excise
have time to dwell on the insuperable objections
that lie against both these measures III their details
| but would ask what finance minister among IN
will be driven To the of these execraed resources
or TO the otherf Let the manufacture monopoly
spectators succeed, by hardlho0d OF assertion and
unbounded promise which they can give no pledge e
perform and ask whore will you find competent
Secretary of the Treasury | say a competent one
for am persuaded no man of good sense viii lncul
the difficulties and the responsibilities or that stua
ton under IA system of direct taxation, and an army
of excise officers, unless from an extravaganza love OF
| power and appointment
To the same effect The Post in printing the speech
of Mr. Churchill c. Cambreleng. then n Represent
alive of our City in the House. paraphrases and III
dorses his views follows:
| Remember, it is stated by our able and faithful
representative, whose speech is this evening repub
lshed that 10 appears from Treasury documents that
! ii the purposes OF the Committee be accomplished
and the dreaded measure adopted n very consider
! able portion of the revenue connected with manu-
features, and amounting last year 10 upward OF
eight and hair millions of dollars, will thereby be ex
tingnished But the Treasury must nevertheless b,
supplied To the same amount from other source
and what remains for us but TO resort to direct taxa
| ton Are you fellow citizens. ready for that
Are you prepared for an impending evil like that 2
The Post was n faithful follower of its leader ant
teacher. Mr.. Cambreleng, in the speech stimuli
taneously published by 1t, had argued that the obec