Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-06-09
COMMUNICATED.
Protect on 10 American Industry
No &

In looking over the Washington papers of
this morning found the following very signiG-
cant paragraph
There are good many Senators in favor of
the proposition amending the tariff bill so as
to restore the old tax on sugar. 1t is said that
that the Louisiana sugar interest needs this
protection, that sugar is no cheaper since the
abolition OF the tax, and that as soon as our
government struck 1t off the Cuban government
immediately put it on.
Mark the closing sentence :-"As soon as
our government struck it off the Cuban gov
ernment immediately put it on |" Such has al
ways been the case; when the Congress Of The
United States has seen fit, in its august wis
dom, to reduce duties on certain articles, the
country, and dealers and importers have al.
ways raised the price as much. if not more,
than our government struck off Take the ar.
ticle OF salt as an Instance. Three years ago the
duty on salt was eighteen cents per sack on
Coarse, and a cents on fue. Our importers
complained at this high rate. and frequently
expressed the opinion that if the duty was cut
down one half, instead of four ships annually
lu our harbor, direct from Liverpool with salt,
We would have d. Zen at least. Well, Con-
gress struck off one-hali; the news was tcle-
graphed BY the cable line, and in less than
forty-eight hours from the passage of the act
salt had advanced in price 10 Liverpool from
twenty. five to thirty cents sack, and instead
of witnessing from four to five ships annually
fIom Liverpool, with salt, in Alexandria har
bor last year we had two, and this year only
one And We will let our fishermen and salt
buyers answer the question whether salt can be
bought cheaper under low tariff shan under
high. In 1871 our Custom House deposited
over $4,000 IN gold 10 the treasury at Wash
lngton from salt duties this year less than one
thousand. a difference of four thousand dol
lars which our government lost and British
capitalists gained. Our own people have not
been benefited one dime in the reduction Of
duty on salt
The same result is sure to follow 10 the re
duction of duties on articles of general Use and
in large demand Foreign dealers established
prices to suit the fluc,uatiug system Of Ameri-
can tariffs. There is nothing that delights Eng
lish capitalists more than 10 hear that the
American government has cut down its tariff
rates. They consider that reduction Of $l5
| three pounds two shilIings and sixpence per
to that amount in the English markets. In
t1lS way tuc IADtllCdu peoIic, loi ScNeuly-uFe
| years, have been paying tribute 10 foreign pro-
duccrS, at the cxpcusc Of home interests and
labor Our lawmakers have always been afraid
that the country would get too rich, too indie
pendent, too prosperous and happy; and as
soon as they discovered that the country was
in progressive state, they Immediately re-
moved the source Of progress and Improvement.
1t is just US reasonable to suppose that city
and a country viii thrive best during the pre-
valepcc Of p silence and famine, as to suppose
that nation like ours will thrive best under a
system that proStratcs every branch ofDdustry:
that drains the country OF its moncy-its life
blood, and exchanges credit and solvency for
bankruptcy and ruin When will our people
learn wisdom, and send BRAINS to Congress
instead OF empty skulls and political tricksters.
d. II.