The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1870-09-29
Schuyler Colfax on Tariff.


Vice President Colfax addressed the
people of South Bend, Indiana, on the
10th inst, on political subjects. In al
hiding to the subject of revenue, he
spoke as follows:
[ do not regard this canvass as one
turning on free trade Or protection. Our
ending principle is the pledge I have
quoted from the Republican National
Platform of 1868, that taxation should
be eaualized as rapidly as the national
faith will permit and [ think fair
standard in arranging the details OF Q
tariff can be found embodied in the last
Republican platforms Of four Western
Republican States almost Identical in
language as they are in spirit. The
resolution Of the last Republican Con-
yention Of Indiana is as follows
"A tariff for revenue, believing that
proper adjustment OF the duties must
necessarily afford all the incidental pro
lection to which any interest is entitled.
The last Republican Convention in
Ohio thus speaks:
''That tariff Of revenue is indispen-
sible, and should be Sc adjuste as 10 be
the least prejudical to the industrial and
producing interests Of any class or sec
ton, while securing the home producer
a fair competition against the foreign
producer.
The last Republican Convention in
Iowa, in almost the same language. but
more especially in its closing words,
resolved:
s'That tariff for revenue is indespen-
sable, aud should be so adjusted as not
to become preiudieal to the industrial
interests of any class or section o. the
country, while securing to eur home
producers fair competition with foreign
capital and labor y
The last Republican Convention in
Michigan resolved:
Now, since the war has made larger
revenues necessary. duties should be so
adjusted as to be least prejudical to the
industrial and producing interest
Of every class and section, securing to
the home producer a fair competition
against foreign capital and labor. y
Why not? 1t may be well TO analize
our receipts under the tariff and sec how
they are divided Of the 164 millions
received during the year ending July.
1869 e have no analytical classification
of the last year as yeti Il millions, about
one quarter Of the whole, were collected
on Injuries, such as silks, shawls, spirits.
wine. tobacco, furs, fancy articles, jewel
Ty, diamonds, etc. We certainly, with
out our large financial necessities, could
obtain from these items all reasonable
revenue. About 55 millions. one third,
collected on articles which the poor con-
sumo as largely, man per man as the
rich, namely, tea, coffee, sugar and mo-
lasses, the tariff on which is largely re-
byf hn c1af # locf
and l hope, as to tea and coffee at least,
may soon be entirely abolished, giving a
free breakfast" in every man s cabin in
the land. About 4 l millions, one fourth,
were collected On iron and steel, cotton
and wooden goods, fax and hemp leath-
er, lead, glass and salt. The rest are
miscellaneous, not classified under these
three divisions, and among them watches,
oils, books, and host Of small items.
Is there anything unjust to any one,
when adjusting the duties by which our
imperatively needed revenue is raised, in
SO discriminating, within revenue limit,
as ito secure home producers fair com
petition with foreign capital and labor"
especially in regard to the great iron,
cotton and WOODEN manufacturing inter-
ests of the country? These manufactures
are quite indispensable to real natural
independence. Without them we should
be almost as dependent if foreign war
burst upon US as if we had to import
cannon, rifles, and gunpowder from
abroad. Our home production of pig
iron rose from the average of 500, GOO
tons during Buchanan term, to the
average of one million six hundred thou
sand tons per year during the past four
years, and the last year to nearly two
millions. Believing it could maintain
"a fair competition with foreign capital
and labor, at a reduced tariff, Congress.
at the last session, cut down in the duties
upon 1T from 50 to 81 per ton, and on
scrap IRON from IS 10 So, a reduction OF
about twenty-five per cent.
The wages Of labor in this country
ought certainly not 20 be overlooked. in
adjusting the details OF tariff, If ii is TO
be promotive, and not subyersive, of the
public welfare A supplement- to Com
missioner Wells last report from he
Bureau Of Statistics, shows in elaborate
tables, that these wages are 50 pol cent.
higher here than III England. and the
disparity with the wages Ia continental
Europe is much greater.
Should we leglslate so as to compel the
reduction Of labor wages to anything near
these standards? | think not. | have
no WITH the NOctii0S that cheap
labor here would be promotive TO Amer
lean development or American prosper
ity. Where the labcrer is adequately
remunerated, able to enjoy the neces-
sares and comforts OF life, with ability
to lay up something for the future, and
with his labor in demand. we viii ALWAYS
find contentment, and consequent pros
perity. When this is not the case,
destitution and pauperism aitlct and dis
honor the land.
Suppose we bad imported these two
millions of tons OF pig iron from abroad.
Three foarths Of all the fifty millions we
paid for it would have been for foreign
labor, foreign breadstuffs, foreign meat,
vegetables, clothing, etc., used by the
Iaborer while producing it, and we should
have paid for it in gold. Would this
have been better than paying it Ia labor
wages here, and for the breadstuffs. meat.
vegetables, ETC., purchased of our farm
ers and consumed by our laborers here?
While our financial necessities there
fore, requlre money to be raised by a tariff
and while any duties found to be prohib-
ltory, or pressing too heavily on the
consumer, or creating a monopoly In any
branch OF business, should be reduced,
sincerely believe that revenue duties. with |
fair regard to the development Of our
resources, and the maintenance Of Amer
ican wages for labor. the just interests
OF both producers and consumers, and
the promotion of the general welfare,
could be, with some abatement of ex-
trene views on either side, quite fairly