New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-05-17
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70 G6 pI6sS Ouo Sp6CIhl luV6I6SJ IN order to
foster another. Commerce stands arraved
in absolute hostility to the principle of a
protective tariff, because it seeks to pro-
mote the most liberal interchange Of COM
modities between the people Of different
communities. But there is something
higher than trading and traficing in mer-
chandise, and the principle of protection
takes its rise in that other sentiment to
wit: the duty of salf-preseryation. The
original advocates of a high tariff were
not the men who profted by its advan-
tages Mr.. Clay had no interest in what
he voted to protect, but on the contrary,
he was personally injured by the very
measure which he advocated The tariff
that protected Eastern manufactures,
Pennsylvania iron and Southern sugar
and rice cost him the augmented value
which they put upon the articles
which he consumed upon his planta-
ton, without returning any equivalent
whatever. And yet he insisted upon
its enactment and cheerfully consented to
bear its burdens because he considered
that by suffering small evil to-day
great blessing might ultimately be wrought
in favor of the country. If by protecting
the manufacturer the United States could
be made great manufacturing commu-
nifty, the protectionists of old protested
themselves to be willing to submit to a
slight addition in the cost of their goods.
This was the argument in 1910, 1874, and
down to the present day, and the results
are now before us in the multiplied indus
tries of our rich and prosperous enter
prises. Louisiana had no manufactures,
but she claimed partnership in the prin-
ciple on account of her sugar interests
which claimed to be protected from COM
petition with the more productive and
warmer lands of the West Indies The
people Of the United States, actuated by
higher principle than that Of mere COM
mercial suggestions, considered that if
they could raise their own sugar by sub
jecting themselves to a small tax in its
favor, they would endure the tax in order
to be independent of any other country or
soil. And to this day they have held to
the resolve which they adopted long ago.
1t is question how long this will con-
tinue. The people Of the United States
are considering about the propriety of dis
continuing the principle of protection in
every essential of its existence. The first
step was taken at Cincinnati last week,
when the Republican convention refused
to declare in favor of protection or for
free trade. The question of reducing the
tariff has grown to be very popular in GER
tain sections of the country, and the con-
vention that nominated Mr.. Greeley de-
parted from the usual custom of com
hitting its candidate to vague and IN
certain platform, but left the tariff where
it properly belongs, with the people them
selves, merely pledging its nominees to
abide by the general verdict Of the coun-
try.
This makes it necessary for the people
of Louisiana to cast about them as to
what they expect to do in the event the
tariff on sugar and rice is modified from
a protective to revenue standard. The
city of New Orleans is interested in this
matter in two ways. AS commercial
centre intended merely for the distribu-
ton of commodities, her interests are
opposed to the tariff as the metropolis
and pride of Louisiana she is moved to
see the productive enterprises Of the State
fostered and encouraged in every possible
way. Our merchants derive a large
revenue from handling the sugar crop of
the State and any policy which proposes
to injure or destroy this important branch
of our trade needs to be considered and
provided for in advance Of its inaugura-
ton.
In the first place, then, the inquiry sug-
gests ITSELF can sugar be raised in this
State under reduced tariff? We assume, |
from the lights before us, that it can. The
price is largely in excess, at present, of |
what it was before the war; the cost of
marketing it is reduced, the facilities for
its distribution are greater, and the agri-
cultural appliances better. These advan-
tages should and will counteract the very
small reduction which will be made upon
the competing article Our principal i'm
portations come from Cuba, where slave
and coolie labor are employed in its Gull
ivation; but it must be borne in mind
that the revolution in that island not only
promises to abolish slavery and peonage,
but it has already decreased the produc-
lion. The misfortunes that af1ict Cuba
are equal of themselves to protective
tariff Of two cents per pound in our favor,
because they give US the advantage Of sell
ing our sugars in a market that is con-
stantly demanding more than is produced.
The sugar farmer of Louisiana should
not feel discouraged, then, if the prospect
does portend diminution Of the protection
which he has hitherto enjoyed. In fact,
there are reasons why he should rather IA
vor the reduction at the earliest possible
moment, for the reason that the protection
which IS helping him at present is also
helping the enterprising spirit of the West
in its attempts to compete with him by
sugar from beets and other veg
etables that contain saccharine in large