The Cairo daily bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1870-1872, 1871-07-28
REVENUE REFORM.

=" One OF the most hopeful indication
9 of gradual popular enlightenment upol
= the subject Of revenue reform, comes t
us from New England, hitherto sup
: posed to be the home of the "protec
'tion" theory and interest. 1t seems
= however, that the people in that scctio
are awaking to realization of the fac
that, rs a gonoral policy, protection
is snare and a delusion. A fev
weeks ago the boot and shoe manufac
turers interposed an earnest protes
against the excessive duties upon the
raw materials used in their industry,
showing that instead of being protected
they were really being ruined. A care
full investigation discloses the fact that
the cotton manufacturers are also suffer-
ing in the same way, and that the re-
suit of our present tariff has been to de-
prive them Of large share Of the for
eign trade they once enjoyed.
Formerly our manufacturers had al
most monopoly Of the markets Of
South America and West Indies, aud also
sent large quantities of goods to India
and China. The existing system of
high taxation has so affected the cost Of
machinery and wages that they have
been obliged to raise the price of their
fabrics and the English are able to under
sell them in those markets. In lS59--G0
the United States exported $40, 1884 ,796
worth of cotton goods; and ten
years later, in 1s69-7O, we ex-
ported but s7,l54, 400. During that
decade the British cotton exports in
creased from G52 100000 to G7OOOO,- |
600. This large falling off of Ameri-
can trade was not compensated by an
increase of domestic consumption, as
might be supposed, for our statistics
show that our consumption of cotton
fell off during the period above named,
from 97S, 1000 bales, in 1860, to $685.
900 bales, in 1870.
Such facts as these are more potent
than all the theory that can be brought to
bear upon the subject of inposts. Any
system which diminishes our products
and foreign trade must be bad one
Our people are under heavier burdens
than ever before they are struggling
harder to meet the demands of govern
mcnt they are more industrious, but
they are not prosperous. The reason
is obvious. Their industry is paralized
by taxation labor is forced
to make its demands keep pace with the
cost of living, and hence they cannot
compete with systems which protect la
Dor by making the cos of living as
cheap as possible. The protective"
system takes from American labor five
hundred millions every year, without
any corresponding benefit The result
is that few interests are prospered at
the expense of the general industrial in
terests of the country.-Er.
BayHIIorace Greeley, having been vigor-
ously assaulted by carpet-baggers for his
statement in regard to the South, replies as
| follows;
| THE gross perversions and angry criti-
eisms OF certain Southern Republican Jour-
nails remind US of an anecdote The 0ccen-
trio Lorenzo Dow was once approaching
place where he had an appointment to
preach when stranger complained that
his watch had been stolen from under his
| pillow the night before. Dow assured the
| Victlio that his watch would be returned,
and picking up q boulder that weighed
pound or so, hid ii under his cloak and en-
eroi the pulpit. After preaching zealously
Tor half an hour or so, he Suddenly stoi-
pe1 and exclaimed "A mans watch was
~, io'. y, w this neighborhood last night, and
q Nm '"'s i, now in this house. ] shall hit
l. ,hra,vin a.n VA" s,oneV He made "A feint of
ed his y. anu one Of the audience duck
r searched and the stolen watch ~,
III one oil ms pockets. Are there mo-, ,na
o many heads ducking in defense 70 o mr. d Spo
I nuhc'"uon Of thieving carpet-Sayvers y
u vi AZ recent wedding in Rhinebsol
J. the clergyman reached the part Of ,Sa
h ceremony IL now promise you" a ash
peadier in the street shouted, "Bull heads
It Dull heads J" to the amusement of some nd
" sle conservation Of others present on the