New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-08-04
SHALL WE STAND FOB THE INTERESTS
OF OUR OWN COUNTRY, OR FOB THOSE
OF OTHER COUNTRIES7

! | ever done, stands upon the free trade doc
; trine. What is meant by free trade? The
uninitiated understand it as something
very desirable very fair and very just
Nations, like individuals, we are told,
]. should be liberal in their intercourse with
each other They should place no re-
strictions upon commerce, impose no
duties upon the products of each other
sent from home for a market, except
merely for revenue purposes. There
, should be fair dealing among them; amity
and perfect reciprocity should prevail in
the exchange Of products Of all sorts en-
tering into commerce; every one should
be free to sell where be can sell the
dearest, and buy where he can buy the
cheapest, and many other clap-trap
phrases intended to dupe the ignorant
and to obtain popular favor are used
on behalf Of free trade. This so-called
free trade principle in days past in this
country was further commended to public
sanction by the plausible but egregious
fallacy that impost for protection operated
a tax upon compensation; that the pur-
chaser of foreign article imported into
this country had to pay price enhanced
precisely by the amount of duty imposed
upon it, and so on. But history has vim
dicated most fully the wise and mastery
policy inaugurated by Henry Clay, and,
under his lead, sustained by the old line
Wings and numbers Of the Democratic
statesmen of his day. The victory Of the
friends of the country at large was COM
plete. 1t was shown that if temporary
enhancement Of price did result from pro-
tective duties upon articles which we can
produce, it was abundantly compensated
for by the permanent reduction Of the
price to point never before reached.
The cotton manufactures afforded
striking example of the manner in which
the American system of Mr.. Clay worked.
The British manufacturers, with their
enormous capital and abundant and
cheaper labor, monopolized our markets |
and formerly compelled the people OF this
country to pay them just whatever they |
pleased to exact for the article of cotton |
cloth. We can establish here and now.
by persons yet living, that for coarse,
light, fimsy fabric, which the British |
manufacturers filled our markets with, to |
the exclusion of all other nations, includ- |
ing our own, because there were then none !
but mere revenue duties to pay, the price
ranged from twenty-five to thirty cents
per yard, and the purchaser at retail
stores paid from thirty-seven and one
half to fifty cents per yard. The British
capitalists had most truly "a very good
thing" in it. They could sell for their
own prices, and could break down any
competition in this country, if any arose,
by underselling the American manufac-
turer for awhile, and make it all good
again by raising the prices and keeping
control of our markets. The American
system was introduced and by it
the British manufacturer was COM
PEELED to sell at prices that did
not exclude him from our markets,
but for prices he could afford to sell at
and realize fair profit. This, however,
had the effect to prevent him from under
selling the American manufacturer, break
ing him down at the commencement of
his business, and monopolizing the Amer
lean market. A competition was thus
brought about between the manufacturers
Of both countries most favorable to the
consumers. The article of cotton goods
became more abundant in the country:
Of better quality, and far cheaper. The
home manufacturer was sustained and
British monopoly put an end to. Still,
these monopolists and our senseless free
trade shriekers "stuclz to the height Of
he horse" still yelling ever after that
hey paid a price increased by the .
amount Of the duty. The high tariff of
1928 did impose a duty Of eighteen and
hree-fourths cents on each square yard Of
cotton cloth imported into the United
States. But as the system was brought :
o operate this duty gradually became of !,
10 effect; mere dead letter on the
statute book. The great author of the
American system, in speech delivered :
It Raleigh, years after the success CT his
was established, said, in
eference to the constantly reiterated
logma that the consumer paid the duty: !.
Ii any man in this vast assembly will ex- ,
,lain to me how 1t is that he pays eighteen
md three-fourths cents duty on every yard Q
# cotton cloth he buys, when he buys the Z
ard for ten cent?, will give up the whole
ubiect.
The system of fostering the industry of r
ur own country, rendering it indie '
PENDENT of foreign nations, was a grand t
uccess. 1t was in fact releasing our 1
country from All odious British monopoly +
hat virtually kept us in a state of colonial b
assalage very little less oppressive than S
he one the colonies were under before 7
he revolution. Aud now we may advert o
o the historical fact that Johnny Bull has 4
yer been the alder and abettor Of the Il
rec trade party of this country, because I
f it were to prevail be would make Il
,ood thing Of it again. We notice that q
10 is out for Tilden and Hendricks. He d
oils free trade as a sweet morel between f
is lips. When Mason, and Rost, and Il
.ancey were sent from the Confederacy n