The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1870-05-26

Congress-We mean one elected under
Free Trade influence and patronage
would maintain rate Of duty, is not
merely groundless-it is explicitly cor
tradicted by officially established facts.
Nearly every Democrat in the House,
with twenty or thirty Republicans, voted
at this session for Mr.. Marshall's resolve,
which asserted that no higher rate of
duty should be imposed on any article
than that which would give the largest
income from that article. Now, there is
no room for doubt that a ten per cent
duty onreadymad clothing, for instance,
would produce more revenue from that
article or class than the fifty per cent
now exacted. That a reduction of the
duty to ten per cent. would transfer the
manufacture of ready-made clothing from
our seaboard cities to those of Europe,
throwing tens Of thousands of our indus.
trious men and women out of work and
out Of bread, is a result which Mr.. Mar
shall and his Free Trade brethren regard
with complacent Indifference.
There arc not less than one million
workers for wages who would be thrown
out of employment, or compelled to
work for not more than half their present
wages, if Mr.. MarshalPs principle were
embodied in the law Of the land; yet the
whole Democratic side Of the House with
not more than ten exceptions, voted to
affirm that principle. And, sad to say,
some FIVE andtwenty Republicans voted
the same way.
Were our tariff changed as Mr.. Mar
shall would lave it, disastrous, subver-
slve revolution in business would inevita-
bly, ensue. Our imports of Iron, Steel,
Wares and Fabrics, would suddenly and
largely expand; our factories and work
shops would by thousands be closed our
artificers and artisans would be deprived
Of work and thrown upon our streets by
tens Of thousands. Ultimately, through
a general reduction Of wages and the
failure Of merchants, who could find no.
where the means of paying for their in
creased imports, we should come back to
supplying the bulk of our wants from do
nestle sources; but the intervening years
would be, ike 1S16-'19, 1887. and 1910
10, seasons of constrained idleness,
unthrift, and general suffering.
1t may be that We are doomed to re-
peat the sad experiences Of calamitous
past; but we will not believe it until
forced to DO sos Our people shall not
again be led blindfold to the brink of that
abyss of National bankruptcy whereof re
retain such vivid and painful relnembran-
ces. Every step taken On that read to
ruin will be taken in defiance of earnest
and public remonstranccs from large
portion of the American press and we
have abiding faith that these remonstran-
ces will be heard and needed
The Free-Traders openly urge reduc-
ton of the duty on Pig Iron to So per
tun. Is that forty per cent. ? They de-
mand the admission of Wool, Hides, sc.
free, 10 the hope of bribing the manu-
facturers of Woolens and of leather to
join them. Is that forty per cent. They
propose to make up for the loss of rev
enue thus incurred by reducing all wool
ems to twenty-five per cent, and thus
drawing a considerable revenue froGa
blankets, Flannels, plain Carpets, Sc,
now little imported. In short, they pro-
pose to diminish revenue by freeing many
raw materials from duty, and to make UP
a part of the loss by admitting most Met
ais and Manufactures at rates far lower
than the present. The changes they
propose would at once add one hundred
millions per annum to the value or cost
Of our Imports. How are we to pay for
these Imports? Consider how the mar
ket price Of our Wheat and Flour was de-
pressed last fall by doubling, for a season,
our exports of breadstufs, and judge
what would be the necessary effect of
doubling our exports Of Cotton, Tobacco,
Bacon, Lard, Cheese, &C., with intent to
pay for our suddenly expanded Imports.
Whenever the Treasury can spare any
portion of our present magnificent Rey-
enue from Imports, we would begin with
such articles as do not enter into compe-
tltion with our home industry-Spices,
Pepper, Cocoa, Cautchouc, &c.,-and
relieve them from duty altogether.
" henever the Treasury could afford It.
we would add Coffee also to the free-lisr.
We should thus secure reduction of cos,
to our consumers, while simplifying the
Revenue service and enabling our colec-
tors to dispense with class after class OF
subordinates. We would thus leave our
national industry unassailed and unweak-
ened, while every dollar substracted from
the revenue would leave more than
dollar unsubstracted from the pockets of
our taxpayers.
Such are the rival roads before the
American people and it is in vain that
MANY seek 70 discover N :dd's path be.
tween them. Protection and Free Trade
confront Us i, the path we are destined
to tread; we must traverse it under the
guidance of one and not both of them.