New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-04-09
E'rees'rgasse Ksuineus TO American
ssEtitiSirS-

IN another article we have given some facts
from speech by Hon. Moses w. Field, in
favor of n reduction of taxes on domestic
products and against the policy so rapidly
| distinguishing the public debt, ending with
the proposition that the revenue of the Gov
crnment should be raised by taxes on foreign
imports rather than upon our own industry
Having laid down this proposition and pointed
out how $4,000, 900 in taxes can be taken
from our own people and 1000 900 gained
to The Treasury, by restoring the duty on
certain foreign products, Mr.. Field proceeds
at length and in detail, to show the compar-
alive effect Of protection and free.trade on
every branch of American industry, and es-
pecaliy upon the interest of the farming and
laboging classes.
AS a text for his argument in favor of
protection, he takes the absurd free-trade
dogma that Il duty on foreign imports in
creases the price Of the American commodity
with which 1t comes into competition all over
the United States just to the extent of such
duty, and that therefore it is tax on the
consumer. Mr.. Field quotes from a free
trade speech of Mr.. Beck, of Kentucky. In
this speech Mr.. Il. declares himself in favor of
stopping all manufactures in this country, and
Of removing all our workshops to Europe.
He enters into an elaborate argument, TAX
ing our silk manufactures as an illustration.
to prove that the Government could afford
to destroy their works and pay to the en-
plOyGs who would thus be thrown out of en-
ploymcnt, out Of the public treasury, the
amount Of wages they would annually re-
ceive from them. Here is his argument, as
analysed by Mr.. Field:
"Tho gentleman from Kentucky saws it
requires $50 900 worth of silk to supply
the American markets, and at the present
time our factories produce about one-half that
quantity, the residue Of the supply, say $780,
O0O,0 900, coming from abroad, and Welding
$4,000, 900 revenue to the Treasury. Now.
if the s30,00O,0 900 worth of silk which we I'M
ported last year had been manufactured in
the United States at least twelve thousand
more laborers would have found employment
here in the production Oh the work, and the
shipment OF s30,0O0,000 to pay the foreign
laborers would not have drained the country
OF that amount of treasure. But the gentle
man, not satisfied with robbing our people.
OF one-half OF this labor, now proposes that
all this work shall be done in foreign coun-
tries; and with that view he favors reduc-
ton OF the duties on silk goods as revenue
MEASURE and to help the finances He
says, put the dnty at point low enough to
drive American manufacturers out OF the
business; Ill that event all the silk goods to
supply our markets will be produced abroad,
and although our people will send off gold
across the Atlantic to pay for the labor en-
pioyed there in making the silks for the
American people, yet the duties on the inn
portations OF the goods would swell the rev.
enues OF the Treasury. He thinks it would
help our financial situation to ship $50 .OOO.-
Oo0 IN gold instead of the $50, 200, 900 now
required to pay for such manufactures in Eu-
rope"
The effect of this free-trade policy is not
only to stop the manufacture of $50, zoo, 900
worth of silk annually, but of hundreds of
millions worth of iron, cotton, woollens,
wood, and other products of our own labor.
And, indeed, Mr.. Beck declares it to be his
purpose, by hostile legislation, to break
down all American manufactures. and throw
out of employment all laborers now employed
in our manufactures. And this widespread
ruin to our own labor is to be wrought that
the revenue Of the Government on foreign
imports may be increased sufficient to meet