The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1870-09-13
prohjbitory duties sffe to be Very kindly


prohibitory Duties afe to be very kindly
continued on the imported refined su
gars, so as to protect the American.
rpfiners against any annoying competi-
ton, and enable them, Notwithstanding
this generous reduction in their raw ma.
terials, to maintain their MONOPOLY of
the market and prices for their products,
the refined sugars. The duty on tea,
coffee, and sugaris Very high, too high !;
but to give the people any material re-
lief against it the reduction should be
much greater than it is, and should be
made in conjunction With "a great; gene
raj reduction of all duties, and should
le SO adjusted as to benefit the consum-
ers chiefly, not the monopolists entirely.
The small reduction made ON tea and
coffee will be substantially appropriated
by the importers and merchants of the
country before it reaches the people,and
will reduce the prices to be paid by them
in the most trifling degree, if any at all.
The reduction appears to be in the ma
ture of a blind to justify the addition of
more oppressive duties on other imports.
The people gain nothing if You reduce
the duty on tea, coffee, and sugar, in Or
der only to arid it to coal, iron, steel,
salt, clothing Of all kinds, and lumber.
In the latter forif it will inevitably cost
the people twice as much, directly or in
directly, and yield comparatively little
revenue. The present duty on tea, cof-
fee, and sugar costs tile consumers the
enormoas sum Of s5g,OaNooo in gold
per annua, but the Government collects
inst the same anotnt in customs. The
present duty On iron and steel and their
products pays the Government in GUS
toms less than s1O.0ON0Oo per ahhum,
and costs the people,directly or indirect
Ely, at least slOo,ooo.0O0 per annum, be-
sides the amount Of duty. l
The revenue derived from the orpres.
siye duties on boots and shoes, clothing,
and salt does not approximate in amount
the sum derived from .teas coffee and
sugar; and yet the loss to the consum-
ers, the aggravatior Of prices, the injury
to industry and labor the loss to the
productive capacities and commerce OF
the country resulting from the latter, ex-
ceed the other by incalculable millions.
/ The chief reason is that nearly all the
cost added by the tariff to; tea coffee,
and sugar is paid into the Treasury,
while OF the other articles s. the absolute
necessaries, very little Of the Increased
price accrlus to the Government, be-
cause very inconsilerable part of them
lis imported from abroad, and they are. in
very great part pfoduced in this eoun-
try, and the only effect Of the, tariff,
therefore, is to keep out competition and
to enable the domestic produces of them
ITO charge his own prices. Hence, it is
true, that the. purchaser Of q good coat,
T. W
orlpair, of pantaloons and vest, OF, pair
of boots, or goolhat, orlgood shirt. or
silk dress, actually pays more on account
of tariff tax than would pay the average
annpal, cost of tea, coffee, and sugar for
several persons, = 0s.l9sa4is >. saissf
There, Mr Regists,s whois guilty Of
a .scontemptible attempt at deception r
Now for the pig iron branch of the sub
|ject. The weight Of evidence tends to
show that pig iron can producedlmore
cheaply in this country than it is sold
for in Great Britain The mean market
price. of pig iron in. Great Britain for
lS6726s, taking Welsh pig as a stand
ard, was f4 IS 9a., (sa0 in gold,)
ssa,ar,;ss;oao. - s wss i a. ,,aanast u
no..,,,a. ,aeo statos s. AZ ra.,lt ~ = Z
t:s'.' ...;o,,'.,sI;,,..r.,,... = u = !
j, - t,'l ., - sna on 80
5 aaa.a pa;,.,.. ~, ~, ~ -
- ~ 'N's
!, fN. e o's' = '' - - : !, ~ ].
4s'
'' a. 90 l'o o "1 'l1' -. 's' e's' =
az q 1.a,,,Ii o,,,,a go,
=, p - =
periaaa' ano ~ 'he anliirac'Ve olstf'c's VI
Pennsylvania, the cost was put down at
S24 to Sa6 pcrl tor. This estimate was
s..,;,oa 1, ~ ,,,,.o.oa.; ,,,,.., !, f.,so
assa''0a y 'ne o'eo.'onls'' - i,'se
ana iun)us' anu this, as IS hhoWn' leu 70
inquiries and investigations which have
caused their Atter overthrow, showing
tbat tbe fair cost Of nrodi,ction was in =
= ~, .i,.,, th,,I, sta4ad ,nI.