New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-03-09

anu tho genius OF our people, had well Deen suited.
So entire, however, the depression universal
then the waste Of labor power and great the general
poverty OF our people, that even with this addition the
customs yielded but 100000 against the $9000O0 Of
1888. although population had fully third increased.
Such having been the case Congress found it
sary to give the country that benehcent tariff Of 1872
under which external sprang again into
life, filling the Treasury, the great domestic
meanwhile making prompt demand for ali that labor
Of winch the waste in the few preceding years had
counted by thousands OF millions OF dollars.
How this great was received by your present
friend The EreAiHg Post and what the predictions
Of its editors to its effect upon the people and the pub
lie reyenue shown in the fact that Immediately upon
its passage hey assured their readers that It would
"annihiate all commerce." that 1t would not be d" al
lowed to subsst single year," that the wants Of the
would require its repeal" that 1t was black
tariff" that would mpOversh the aborer" "oppTess
the consumer" and tax all classes but those favored
ones who as You yourself say Of the lumber men,
the pig iron men, ana Others 10 profit by RESTRAIN
ing the importatons and reducing the revenue"
How much Of truth there in all this shown in the
fact that the OF 1S3 "A, and OF the re-
naming protective years proved to be nearly twice
greater than had been that of the free trade 1884, such
having been the result Of protective policy by means OF
which people had been enabled to use their own
homemade cloth and rOn and 10 sell their own labor
thereby acquiring the with which topay for sugar
tea, coffee and other products OF distant countries
Search the history Of the world and you find no par
alel, except perhaps in the above well described
by Mr. Clay the marvellous change that had been then
effected by little Legislation"
s. The country was, however for British friends
entirely too prosperous. 1t was becoming ndustraly
and politically independent and that did not suit the
views Of the great capitalists" who so long had been
accustomed to destroy foreign competition" Neither
did 1t suit that great slave Power which long had been
IN lonk n he fOrg
greater the product OF iron the less would become the
need for sending corn pork and flour TO the South TO DO
there by means of slave labor converted into cotton
Hence the fact that that great Of indie
pendence the admirable tariff OF 1872 was like its pre-
docessor OF 1925 and like 1t OF the close Of but four years
Of existence superseded by that proslavery and British
free trade measure of 1916 TO which stand oday In
debted for all the horrors OF the late Rebellion.
This, Of hailed real rereHue measure
Protection had tended assured. TO destroy
the revenue and therefore had protection been itself
destroyed. For the moment before in 1885, the
nue. did really increase aud in aid OF such increase came
now the great discovery of California treasures making
large demand forabor and for the moment carrying up
immigration TO the extraordinary extent OF 100000 That
point passed, however speedily arrive at repetition
OF the ruin OF all previous free trade periods 1880 Civ
ing the decline OF custom aud need
OF loans, that had been witnessed IN 1902; that
before had given second edition OF the private aud pub
lie bankruptcy of ls1s-23
The average customs Of these four years
Sl5,OOOOOO exceeding by little more than fifty per cent
that Of the closing years Of the tariff Of 1928 That Of the
final year. when the paralysis had scarcely as yet com
menced do its work but $50 Oc exceeding that
OF 1888 by but about thirty fire per cent population mean
while having grown from less than fourteen TO nearly
thirty-three millions, giving an increase of Hundred
and toeniy per Gem.
Protection being restored in 1861. tile domestic com
MERGE again, as IN lSOS9. and in lsI34s revived
bringing with 1t great power for contribution TO the Gus
toms revenue As consequence Of this we find the lat
ter have grown almost four hundred per ce pOpula
ton meanwhile having increased but eenfYre pcr cent
Which now, pray you is THE REAL REvTNuB TAnFF
That one which destroys the domestic commerce. or that
which by stimulating that and with IL the de-
maud for labor enables all 10 consume use, more
largely OF tea coffee, cOtont, wooens tenpenuy
nails boilers" steam.engues, houses, railroad cars and
all things tending to promote the convenience and
comfort Of lifel
Leaving you TO reflect upon this important question;
Ilow again to the exhibit Of public revenue
presented in your Report, copied IN the outset Of tls
present letter Turn to IT, yourself pray you, and thon.
II you can give TO your constituents 10 the Quos
tons that Will be now propounded, a. follows;
Why is It that you have suppressed the fact that the
customs Of the socaed. revenue tann year 1910, had
been less than those Of tho closing years OF tho protective
period l5233 by than 30 per cent tho population
having meantime more than q per cent ihereossdr
Why have you suppressed tile decline of customs
nue. in the freetrade years that had followed your
selected year, 1901
Why have you suppressed the fact that tho growth OF
1855 resulted wholly from large receipts Of California
godl
Why have you totally suppressed the callmitonS free
trade years that followed Is55saying word OF that
unhappy closing year, 1860, elsewhere frequently
ferred to-
why Is 1t that you have said nothing Of that poverty Of
than SOOOOOOO in the three years Of profound poae5
which ended June 80 1892 and therefore preceded all Up
prehension Of civil war
Why Ia il that the closing years Of cveV antIproecye
tariff have exhibited Of pubic aud private bank
uptcy and ruini
Why is il that the closing years Of all former protective
tariffs have exhibited OF prosperity corresponding
80 precisely with those furnished by yourself the
result Of the protective policy now eIistnRf
Why it-if, you assert, tariff tsa taT"-that
the protective tariff Of increased hleyenue 10
render necessary the absolute enranchsemoit OF tea,
coffee, and many other articles from payment of any
" tax " whatsoever
Why was It that the antptoteCive tariff OF 1892 40 de-
creased the revenue as render necessary the rcmpos
ton OF all such taxes
Why 1t that among the disagreeabe btquests Of the
anti protective tariffs OF 1916 and 1857 TO be found
cessity for now raising annually hundreds Of millions OF
revenue by means of tBxes upon many articles pro
duced at home and needed for the convenience and COM
tort Of lifel
Why that your Report Is In all respects so precisely
in accordance with the views and wishes Of those great
British "capitaists' who are accustomed In their
efforts to gam and keep foreign markets." to distribute
money very freely among those Of people who fare
supposed 10 be possessed Of power to influence public
opinion leaving you TO reflect on al these questions
remain, yours respectfully, HENRY 6 CAREY
Tie Hon. ID. a. WILLS.
Philadelphia, February ~, 1889
DEsTRUCTIYE FIRE IN DEY AND WEsTsTs.