The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-01-10
.OT6f .0f YTAUI.L.l - aILaON

interests of the country, important as they
are, must take secondary place; for they
are but the outgrowth Of the others and
could not even exist without them. So
Ifir as commerce consists in buying costly
fabrics abroad that ought to be made at
home, and shipping away gold and Gov
crnment debt, and corn and beef TO pay
for them, while our towns and cities swarm
with idle and hungry men and womenwho
4 would gladly work in order that they
might eat,-the effect being to bring about
idleness and want among the manufacture
ing clusses, to diminishin consequence the
rewards Of agriculture, and to henehl only
the class that lives by adding to thecost Of
Iliving-we think itruluous TO let ii control
and shape the policy Of the Government,
This much we say as to general propo.
sitions. We claye not written carefully
perhaps not very clrarly-but with sufii;
cicnt dircctnes, we trust, to enable the
Timex to correct It's Misrepresentation Of
our status. y-s
| In the present raid on Congress the
Free Traders dcnounce monopOlies which
they say have grown up under the tariff
1t is probable some monopolies do exist
but where they result from protection it
may be very largely due to continual
tinkcring at the law. II the tariff laws
could be fixed and let alone, so that people
would fecFsate in engaging in the Indus
tries encouraged by them, the country
would have the bestpossibIe protection
against mOh5p6Iies; because Ijtsiness iRilet
alone will find its level just as surely as
water. Whenever It was found that any
particular branch Of manufacture was un-
usually profitable, competition would be
stimulated till the profits were brought
down to the proper level But now, men
tincur great hazard in establishing any kind.
of manufactures; for the very next Com,
gress may take away their protection and
ruin them. II is this insecurity and I'M,
certainty that give such great advantage
to those already established. Others are
afraid to enter the field Make tliertariffi
laws permanent, 50 that men would know
what they could rely on, and let there be
no discrimination at home, and cOmpeti,
ton would soon put M end TO monopolies.
If, therefore, there are manufacturing
monopolies to-day, it is due chiefly 10 the
tickle tenure by which their class are pro-
tectcd.
These gentlemen urge that we should
have tariff for revcnitc and incidental
protection, making protection secondary
consideration. The burdens LEFT by the
war require that,thc Government should
raise very large revenues. 1t is trying
what we regard a doubtful experiment in
seeking to get the most of them out ofcus-
toms dutics-doublful because it is sure
to lead toa stimulation of imports. /, 1t is,
precisely this, the, present concerted lrce
trade movement is nov aiming asA'rhe
more we import the less we manufacture,
the more people are idle, and the more
hungry. As the manufacturing classes
suffer, so do the profits Of agriculture lail.
There is less production of every kind and
consequently less develepment Of. wealth:
TRemoroi The Country imports Therefore,
the poorer m + ii gets, botii by reason 6f' What
it paysyawayand by reason ofdimipished
industry and production. Now, of
course, the duties on impOrtations are
all added to the price and are tax
on the consumers, The revenues have 10
be raised, and so fur as the taxes are con-
. cerned It Is Us edsy,to pay them this way
as in exciscs, if this were ALL But while
the people of the United States are pay
ing these necessary taxes in the shapc Of
duties, the system which requires them in
/ that shape is all the time undermining their
business, drawing away their wealth TO
| foreign countries and steadily diminishing
their ability to pay. II the free traders
succeed in pcrsuading Congress to make
protection only incidental, theyWillhave
about accomplished their end. And in
seeking its revenues by encouraging I'M
portations the Government will be kill
ing the goose that lays the golden eggs:
! for this will afler while result in such q
depression Of industry as TO bring abouta
! convulsion that will break down the ability
of tlrt country to 'pas taxes either by i'm
portation or in amy other way. s
? t's-'s II
A BAD BARGAIN.-The country wilkbe