Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-06-16

"COunt us out"
The men who attended this meeting in
Birmingham are the leaders Of trade; they
have been represented by their goods in
every exhibition that has been given for
the last half century, and by their energy,
enterprise and public spirit have invariably
reaped rich harvests. It would take more
than trifes to keep them away from Amer
lea in 1876, and yet they declare that they
do not care to apply for any space in the
Philadelphia Exposition. They urge, with
truth, that for them to take part in the dis
play would be money spent, with no hope
of future reward. Our tariff is so high,
and as there is no prospect Of any abate-
ment thereof, there can be no advantage in
exhibiting their manufactures. The United
States give free ingress and egress TO their
articles, but this is cold comfort, for if they
desire to dispose of them while in Ameri-
ca the protective duty must be added to the
original price.
Now the generous American Govern
msnt is going to be so kind as to allow the
British inventor and manufacturer to dis
play his goods and take them home again,
while the entire expense is to be paid cut
of his own pocket! This would be bad
enough, but he must sacrifice himself en-
tiIely from a feeling of admiration towards
the ''MOdel Republic" for he may neither
sell the exhibited articles, nor any others
be may in the future wish to sell in
America without having to pay a duty
which takes all the profits. To what end
is he to show what goods he has and to can
Yass for customers when he is thus prOhib-
tied from selling? Does any one suppose
that, irrespective Of financial considera-
tiOns, the Englishman, Frenchman or Ger
man manufacturer cares a snap Of his finger
for the American Union or Centennial
celebration? Are any of these willing to
give Up their hard-earned money simply to
bumor the vanity and pride of the Ameri-
can people? Net if they know themselves
and they think they do. Accordingly, it
is not surprising to hear the English say
upon finding that there is no money to
be gained in this game-"Count us out"
and 1 think that they will be counted out
if some better inducement is not offered
them.
1t is hardly necessary to say that We can
not afford to treat the actions Of foreign
exhibitors with indifference, for if the
United States furnish the backbone at
Philadelphia next year, England and Eu-
rope supply the legs, else the Exposition
will certainly 20 lame. In the vast hall
where every nation is to engage in peaceful
rivalry, the United States will occupy the
largest space; England stands second in
the allotment. Suppose the mother-cOun-
try does not send her goOds and consequent
" her immense space is vacant on the
Fourth of July next-What will the world
say? The answer is simple: "The Amer
lean Protectionists are running the interests
OF their country" The criticism would be
harsh and at the same time true. Protective
tariff was imposed in a time Of necessity,
and was never intended TO be a permanent
measure; still it hangs over our country
like huge incubus and is doing a won
derful amount of harm aid an infnitessi-
NAL amount of good.
L = l., .,41 e
whole country for the sake of a few rich
mOnopolists who cannot make a decent
jack-knife, or first-class hand saw? "But,'
cry the monopolists, "we can make de-
cent jack-knife, and our hand-saws are al
ways frst-class" We may answer that ac-
cording to the amount Of money we pay for
these articles they Ought to be three times
better in quality. If the monopolists are
assured of their manufacturing abilities,
why do they not lay aside protection" and
defy competition: Until they do this we
can never be persuaded that they are net
seeking the whole loaf after having re-
ceived good sized slice. As the case
stands, there is enough injury; but this is
a growing evil that will some day, 1 am
afraid, blot out not only the interests, but
the unity of our dear land.
At this point am reminded of the an
cient legend Of Wiscassett, the young
brave of the Kaskaskias, who lived upon
the banks of the Wesfauhatchie many
years ago. When Wiscassett reached
mans estate he was decorated with string
Of blue beads, and presented-according to
the customs to be found amcng savage ma
tions-with glittering new IXL scalping-
knife. Unknown to the brave Kaskaskias,
young w. was ZION cOmpOs meRtiS, 50 they
were rather surprised to discover that he
was INDUCING his whimsical fancies By
practicing the "grani scalp" upon all the
little future warriors and pappooses in the
village. The cOnScripti pdtreS immedi-
ately issued a writ de llmdticO inQuirendo
and proceeded to sit son the ragged edge
of a stump to hear evidence; but all too
late, for Wiscassett, in browsing around,
seeking more capillary substance to re-
move, CHANGED upon a tomahawk, with
which, be, figuring in his person ga slice
Of the judgment day." proceeded up
against the camp of his fathers like Gideon
upon the Midianites and stampeded the
whole tribe. Poor WiscassetG How sadly
he miscalculated; for in destroying the vii
lage he entirely deprived himself of the
means Of subsistence.
The English press do not consider the
question OF high tariff irremediable, for
they are beginning to preach kind Of
crusade, which, apart from the amusing
side, carries with it some evidence Of prac-
ticability. A New Yorker, wishing to buy