, 1870-08-06
The Working OK the American
TNrlfls

Fro.n thf Full Nall Ga.t4tx,
1ne recent votea OF the Lower House OF the
American Congress on the subject OF the ta-
m require rome explanation, but they are
MoFt OF them 10 the scnto Of the recommend
atoms OF Mr. Wells, the Special COMMISSIONS,
Of the Revenue, aud may, perhaps. bo NJ
counted Tor bE the conviction OF tho House Of
Representatives that this Geutlem4u's i remark.
able reports have made upon the American
people something Of tho Impression Wilich
they have made upon statesmen aud econo-
mists. On the other hand, il is all but Certain
that the rrotectiouist majority in Tho
Senate, and the President, Of whose political
economy even Nj. Tannitt4ft might have BEEN
ashsnel have fully determined 10 get rid Of
Mr. We!Ie, and to Put m end to his Office. This
proceeding mas be cited in support OF the ar
Eu1ncnt frequently urged in this iourua!, that
The civilized world has by no 1ucaus seen Tho
laFt OF persecution for opinions sake. Mr..
Wells was fanctloparv without active power
Of any sort lie could do simply nothing. His
duty wae merely to ana!yze the statistical re-
turns which show the working of the system
under which the revenue OF tho United Statea
Las been raised since the war. Nor is be (at
lcast avo"edlr) partisan Of fzee trade Ie
tlleclalInB. OIL the contrary, any wish to get nd
Of duty simply because it il protective. All
lie has done has been to point out the actual
rcsults OF system OF duties aiming At uniyer-
sal protection, and it is not his fault il the all
which hc las established, aud stated with an
unexampled luciditY, have exasperated TO the
last extent the protcctiouitt leaders Of the
party in power. 1hey are now determined
that he shA1 no longer draw conclusions from
The figures supplied to government. Tho fig
a1es are 70 DC published. bnt nobody is to rea-
sou on them, and the public servant who raid
that they suggested an unpalatAhle inference
IL dismissed from Office Thus arc reproduced
Al tue characteristic features Of An ecclesiaa-
ticaliprosecution for hercsy
II IL only Just to the extinct school Of Eng
hsh lrotecslonists to also~ that they nsver
stood their Grnnnd agntnst such facts ~ those
TO ~tleA AIR. Wells hns been able to call the
attention OF the American people, Under the
English eyetem tho only produc. ec1iously
Protected uaS corn, but, uiEchieYoua II was
the artificial price obtained for it By the aid
ing scale, it Al least did ite mlsehief consist
euily-indieted loss on Ill ipdustties .iiIa
and secured b distinct gain for the interest
~hich it was intended to eerre. The Aue1i-
cans arc exporters not importers OF food,
and the present tariff is intended to pro
:e1 manufacturers exclusively, or nearly
aimed At is simply unatsainAb1c. Tou cannot
give m indiscsiminate protection to al MANI
featuring industry. In order to benefit one
trade by xaiEang the price OF the commodities
"each II produces, you must inevitably injnre
some other trade. 1t is in pointing ont the
AAA AA4EAtN(tAA WHICH
the ta1tn confer On ono industry At tho e1-
1senec OF another that Mr.. Wells excelS. In Z
country IN Which manufactures arc Of old
standing, one trade sometimes acqrircs sort
ot conventional claim to be considered pre-
en'lnently national, and thus, according to Pro-
'tctaoulst ice3s, has \ titlc to bo protected
It AL ElAks. But this is not the caso in the
United SsAtea. All Manufactures are new.
Nonehas any right to Ascehdcncv over another.
LIE theot!, therefore, being once accepted that
rsvate industry ought to be encouraged By the
State, Or t.s MT Wells justly puts ii that tho
State should enter into partnership With the
private trader. it becomes I duty from which
there is no escape 10 give definite share Of
encouragement TO every single branch OF pro-
ducticn. What Mr. Wells haa proved is that
this is amply impossible, and he has proved it
without appe2linG for I moment to general
principles or to Ahetract propositions,
Tho laet report Of A1F. Wells has jfsl been
rueiished in England, by the Golden Club.
and nez1ly every page contains this kind OF
demonstration OF the fntility Of the policy
select, for the exquisite simplicity Of the alb
surGity exposed, the account given BY the
Commissioner Of tho effects Of protective tlo-
ties, intended 10 be impartial, on the various
classe1 Of producers engaged in the msnnfae-
ture Of leather. The excellence and eheap-
ness Of the boots and shoes made ior ne or.
dinsry wear Of the American lAborinS classes
have often been pointed out By trAveilers- 1he
0asaness il very entensiye, and Il u one which
brings eut ail the best qualities Of the skilled
American workman. OF the tz&fes con-
utooiofy TO tho manufacture OF boots and
ehoes the first in order Ia OF courae that OF
tao tanner. Thinning ia An industry for which
The bark Of The heraiock, = tree confined to
! North America, supplies them With tho hast
tanning agent known to the world. and en.-
bles the tanner TO conduc4 his process With
I !aploitS. eheapnass, nd inuoeuouaaees