The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1870-04-28
HOW PROTECTION IS WORKING

The discussion of the Tariff bill now before
Congress, says the New Hampshire Patriot.
has presented the beauties of ''protecton" in
a very clear light. The fundamental idea of
protection" is to prevent importation Of
cheap foreign articles. so as to force the peo-
pie to buy the dear homemade commodities,
and thus to compel the consumers, the mass
of the people, to pay high prices for the bene-
fit of the protected" few. To show how
small q portion both of the capital and peo-
pie of the country are "protected" we take
the following from Commissioner Wells re-
port:
PROTECTED INDUSTRIES.
Cotton manufactures. ST. 800 900
Wooden manufactures, G6, 900 900
Iron production, pig and bar ll9.9oO,000
Leather manufactures. 800 100000
Total. $3.50 100000
PERSONS EMPLOYED.
Cotton manufactures. 10000
Wooden manufactures. 10000
Iron production, 1000
Leather manufactures 10000
Total, 100000
UNPROTECTED INDUSTRIES.
Agriculture s, 81, $50 900
Railway service, 800 900
Fisheries. 100000, 900
PERSONS EMPLOYED.
Agriculture. G.345, 900
Railway service and fisheries, $4,000
Total, $500 900
This does not give the whole case: for in
addition to this there are one million skilled
artisans - machinists, carpenters. black
smiths, masons-and nearly five millions of
common laborers, who receive no protection
increasing the number of unprotected per-
sons 10 nearly twelve millions against the
hali-million who are protected. Such facts
require no comment except upon the popular
idiocy and folly which allows them to con-
tinuc.
Take few items in illustration of the op-
GRAFTON of the present tariff, presented in the
discussion: On spool cotton the people are
compelled to pay four millions of dollars as
the difference between the ''protected' Amer
lean price and that which it could be bought
for in Europe. OF this only 1919, 900 are
collected by the Government in the way of
revenue. The remainder goes to the Massa-
chusetts and Connecticut cotton manufacture
ers. On iron and steel only 100000 900 90
to the Government for duties, but 100000 D.
600 find their way to the pockets Of the
wealthy ironmongerS, who are principally in
Pennsylvania. Salt is a heavy article 1t is
protected by the freight charges to the extent
OF 100 per cent. But that is not enough, and
l0S per cent is levied in addition upon the
industry of the country. When the whole
list is gone over it will be found that for the
$3.50, 100000 that we collect from customs
tho people have to pay $500, 100000 10 the
protected classes. This makes the tax. in
fact, S6so,O00. 900 instead Of $3.50 OoO, 900.
The returns show that on tea, coffee, sugar
and moasses, articles of universal use, the
people are taxed in the way of duties no less
than S55,000000 a year. These articles, in
the time of Democratic ascendencv, were
mainly free, and subject to no duties. Now
three -fourths of all the money that was then
deemed necessary to support the Government
is collected from them. In the mean time
tl"- bonds arc not ta~cd, from which We
ought to derive nearly rs much rcyenuc-if
they We're taxed as other property is--;ts we
derive from the indispcnsables in every
famly'> Use above mentioned. All efforts
to reform these gross abuses and tor e1ualizc
taxation are persistently opposed by the Rad
ical leaders, and they will continue as long
as Radicaism rules