St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-09-07

bushel will buy a yard of imported
CLOTH After the exchange then he has
nine bushels of wheat and one yard of
cloth. If any one could make cloth in
New York as easily as he could raise a
bushel of wheat, some one would do it
as soon as there was unemployed labor
and capital, and that would be the end
of the matter; but if no one undertakes
the business it must be because labor
and capital are all employed, OF because
it takes more labor and capital to pro-
duce yard of cloth than bushel of
wheat. Let us suppose that it would
take as much as bushel and a half of
wheat. Now, protectionist proposes
to the state to tax imported cloth one
half bushel of wheat per yard. If his
plan is carried out the difficulty of OBJ
tanning imported cloth is raised to one
bushel and half of wheat per yard,
which is the late of difficulty at which
it can be produced in New York. The
protectionist then begins and offers his
cloth at bushel and half pei yard.
The farmer who, as before, has produced
ten bushels, now buys at the new rate,
and after the exchange stands possessed
of eight and half bushels of wheat and
one yard of cloth. Whittier has the
other half bushel gone 1t has gone to
make up fund to hire some men to
make life in New York harder than God
and nature made it. From time to time
we ale told how much ''our industries
have increased" SO far as their in
crease is in fact due to this arrange
ment, it is only proof how much mis-
chief has been done. This application
of taxation does not alter the nature of
taxation, it only extends it effects ar
bitrarily and needlessly, and inflicts
upon the people a greater measure than
they need otherwise bear of the burden
which is due to robbery, injustice, war,
famine and the other social ills.
4. Protection is, moreover, hostile to
improvements. We are always eager
to devise improved methods and to in
vent machinery to ''save labor" but
every such improvement which we IN
trOduce involves the waste aud destruc-
ton of a great deal of capital. Old
machinery must be discarded, although
it is not worn out. This loss is not in
CURED by anybody willingly; it is ell
forced by competition. When, there
| fore, competition is withdrawn or limit
ed the incentive to improvement is
lessened or destroyed. This applies
especially in manufactures where the
international competition is cut off by
protective duties. The same principle
| that protection resists improvement ap-
plies even more distinctly to those i'm
provements which are made in trans
portation. In spite of their theories
men rejoice i'll all the improved means
of communication which bring nations
nearer together. A new railroad or an
| -nI -, 81, l,l
step gained in civilization. Such im-
provements are realized in diminished
| freights and diminished prices of i'm
| ported goods. No sooner is this realized,
| however, than ''foreign competition" is
found to be worse than ever. An out
cry goes up for ''more protection" and
a new tax is put on to-day to counteract
what we rejoiced over yesterday us an
immense gain. We spend millions to
dredge out our harbors, to remove rocks
and cut channels through sandbars, as
if it were gain to have communication
inward and outward as free as possible,
and AS soon us we experience the effects
in reduced cost ol goods we lay a new
tax, like restoring the sandbars, in order
to undo our work. Indeed, to build
sandbars across our harbors would be
far cheaper means of reaching the same
end. Next, we find that the numerous
and complicated taxes have made it
impossible for us to build ships to sail
across the ocean where they must come
in competition with foreign ships; so
we make navigation acts and forbid the
purchase of ships, exclude foreigners
from our coasting trade, and finally,
propose bountieS and subsidies, all of
which must come at last out of the pro-
ducts of our labor, in order to try to
get ships once more. 1t is like the man
who cut IL piece from his coat to mend
his trOwsers, piece from his vest to re-
place the hole in his coat, piece from
his trowsers to restore his vest, and so
on over again. Did he ever get Il whole
suit He found in little while that
he had only rag left.
We are told, however, that if we do
not do all this we shall be Inundated"
with foreign goods. The word is ap-
paling, and carries with it fallacy
which often seems to have great power.
On what terms shall we get this flood of
good things? Will they be given to
us If so, what can we do better than
to stop work and live on this generosityq 7
Why are we, however, selected as the
especial objects of this bounty, if bounty
/ it is Why do not England and France
and Belgium and Germany pour out
their foundations on Patagonia and Ice
land ? The answer is plain enough.
The goods are not gifts, they are offered
/ for exchange. Nothing can force us to
buy or dictate terms of exchange and
the inundation comes to us because we
G are known to be rich and able, and be-
cause we inhabit continent prolific in
, some of the chief objects of human de-
+ sire. 1t is not the beggar who, when
. he goes down the street is Inundated"
2 with wares from the various stores. If
: it were he would probably stem the tide
t with joy. 1t is the rich man only to
| whom good Things are freely offered
with Il well understood condition few
e rich men have ever been heard to COM
plain of it. If, then, the Americans
/ have these good things offered them in
exchange and they allow themselves to
, be worsted in the bargain, they sadly
belle their reputation.
f These few observations which have
now presented as bearing on this SUBJ
{ ject are very broad and comprehensive,
! and very sweeping in their effect. They
appeal directly to common sense and
3 right reason. They give us the correct
{ point of view, and dispel some of the
= fog which has collected from habit and
prejudice around this subject. They
. lead us right up to the doctrine which
; the United States have put in practice
I in their own internal trade-absolute
q freedom of exchange and local or inter