The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1871-01-21
Communications.
Protective Tariff and Private Leris.
latiOn.

Protective Tariff ana Private Leris.
latiOn.
In our last interview it was ga
ted that the Onondaga producers
OF salt were protected 10 the ex-
tent OF from 374 to 3S4 per cent OF
the value Of their product. The
three cargoes of salt, mentioned in |
our last article, contained 1866 |
tons or SO, SEQ bushels and cost in |
Liverpool 81 cents per bushel in
currency. The freight cost III
cents per bushel. which is certain
ly protection enough, making the
cost Of the salt in New York l8
cents per bushel, which was the
average price Of salt in 1860
throughout the country.
l propose to examine the mon
protective system Of tariff, CON-
mencing Aug. 6, 1916 and ending
March 2, 1861, with the protective
tariff system, which began at the
last mentioned date, and is in full
force at this time, making a period
OF almost ten years Of protection
The 'non-protective' period lasted
almost fifteen years. BY compar-
ing these two periods together, cor.
rect conclusions may be formed,
as to the good results OF either. In
1916 the tariff on salt was reduced
to about two cents on the bushel,
and the production Of salt i,nmedi
ately arose from $500 900 bushels
in 1916. under q high protective
tariff, to 9.763, $40 bushels in 1850,
under low revenue tariff a gain
in production OF so per cent in five
years. In lS45, under a high pro
tective tariff salt sold in New
York at 35 cents per bushel. and
In lS46 at 40 cents but in 1850.
under low revenue tariff it fell
to II cents per buslel. HIRE was
gain Of 80 per cent in the uuan
tity manufactured, and nearly so
per cent. gain in favor Of the con-
sumer in five years. During the
same period imports had scarcely
increased 30 per cent. while they
had increased 40 per cent. in the
same length Of time, Immediately
preceding, under a high protec-
tive tariff rs it not time for
some advocate of high duties to
reconcile these oft recurring con-
trasts, so striking and so impress
slve with tie theories upon which
oil prot ctive tariffs are based
Does it seem strange that high du
ties check productions 1t is no
strange at all. They create mo
nopoly, increase the cost of pro
duction, keep up prices, and pay
people for adhering to wastefu
methods.
Meanwhile, prices elsewhere be
ing reduced, partly because on
duties force foreigners to cheaper
production or smaller profits, i'm
portatioDs increase more rapidly
than domestic production. Blu
low duties and low prices increas,
consumption, invite com petition
and compel our industry t
strengthen itself against that o
other countries by better method
or developments of greater natura
advantages In 1857 the tariff
on salt was again reduced to l.
cents bushel, and was selling il
New York 1T that time for 20 cen,
a bushel. 1t sold in 1858 for l
cents, and for II cents in 1859 an
1860. In 1861 it cold as low as
cents per bushel. During this lon
period Of low revenue tariff whic
lasted nearly Is years. the domes
tic production of salt increase
more rapidly than the population
In the State of New York, wher
imports produced stronger CON
petition than any where else, til
increased production was MOI
marked than q. any other place
and increased from 8, 83s S5I bust
els in 1916 to 7,521,355 bushels
1860. 9 gain of nearly 100 pr
cent. The product of the who
country increased from $500, O(
during the same time to 1917, 2(
bushels-almost an equal gai
The quantity of salt imported
1S45 under a high protective ia
it, amounted to 8, 543. 527 bushel
and in 1860 TO 14,094, 227 bush ell
gain OF IS per cent. on i'm por
during Is years Of mon prote
tion,' while the gain on domes
production amounted to 100 D
cent. during the same time. No
compare this period to q 'prote
tive period and it will be found
read thus, average price per bus
ell so cents, increase of product
per cent, and increase of impol
40 to AZ per cent.
Thus you see under high p,
tective tariff domestic produ,
are decreased while imports q
increased; though, at first tn
may be checked, hut the pfit
will soon raise and they will e.
into the market. A river may
damned up, but the water v
. soon find the level Of he dam a
will flow on as though there W,
no distractions in the way, exc,
with increased fury. So it is W
imports. Under the non prot
tive tariff the results will r.
quite different, and will be fou
as follows: Price of salt redu'
to II cents per bushel. Incre
of production 100 per cent and
crerse of imports IS per cent.
seems IA if every candid man. y