The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-10-05
DEMOCRACY AND sBAP0RTs.

DEMOCRACY AND sEAP0RTs.
When the Democratic party snall come
fully into power next year by the election of
its presidential candidate, the country will
observe new era to dawn upon all its com
mercial and maritime interests. 1t is mat
ter OF very general note that under its rule
our seaport towns have invariably aourished
and that there was more equal distribution
of wealth than under any other regime. The
reason of this is clear. A Democratic doc
trine is free trade, or a tariff for revenue pur-
poses only, the reverse of tina: of the Repub-
lican party. One of the effects of a high tariff
is not merely dwindlng-not rising, reve-
nuo-impoverishing many industries to subsi-
die few, but really a degradation of our
commerce and marine. Such tariff is es-
sentially expensive in its operation upon the
people at large, depicting the returns of our
agriculture, cutting down foreign sales OF
even our domestic manufactures, destroying
our shipping Interests, costing several
times moIe to the treasury
than is produced. and Ia promotive of fraud,
smuggling and partial enrichment at the sue
rii2e of the many. AL this the Democratic
party will remedy by lc'sening the duties to
the lowest possible figures, aud by this pol
icy will create brisk business in ex-
changes with foreign shores. When we con-
slider that tho tariff has been levied by the
Republican party on nearly 1000 articles,
aud thst on those alone of wooden cloths and
stuffs tho tax has averaged some 66 per cent,
we may partially understand how vast m
amount of goods have been kept from COM
ing to this country, and hence how much had
b, On kept out as we had nothing to pay for,
and we can conceive Of tho immensely the
wrong done TO the shipping and seaboard, as
we'll MS TO all other interests, Let us see. The
last census disclosed n population for this
country cf some IS, 100000 people. OF these
about 100000 were engaged in agriculture,
while some 100000 of others were engaged
in other, occupations, and of these
latter there wero 100000 employed
in the manufacturing line. Two years ago
the value of certain manufactured articles,
wooden and cotton, linen, silk, leather, crock
cry, tin, etc, 'amouptod to $l03,54l 600, and
the average duty was, as above stated, GO per
cent, that is to shy the 3S,0O0,000 Of con-
sumers paid for the articles at the rate OF
$50, which without tho tax would have cost
$l2, and so on in proportion. Now, ASSUME
ing for this population Of 80 600, COO fam
lily representation Of 100000, and assum
ing further which statistics verify, that each
family spends an average Of $500 annually,
aud We have an aggregate of 81, 400, 100000
expended every year for manufactured
goods. Now let us proceed on basis of
40 per cent, inpost duty Of this amount
and wo have tho alarming result of such
payment by these 100000 families. la
other words, they pay Sl,400,000,O COO under
such duty when withoutit they would have
to pay but OO0,OOO,OOO or loss of
S4O0,OOO,OOO. But supposing that an
impost tax of 10 per cent, would
b. required for only revenue aud we
have an annual saving 10 the
country of $500 OOO, 900, now paidto some @.
600 900 persons. employed in the manu faclur
Ing departments In all the foregoing calcus
tons we have taken the figures of the census
nf 1870; those Of this year will make the ar
gumsnt all the stronger. The gross iujus.
ice Of this needs but TO be- stated to be-
'eon and acknowledged One OF tho results
mas been to drive away our vessels of COM
nerce and to lessen the business of our sea.
board cities. lnaugurAte democratic, free
.rsdo or revenue tariff regime, and wc will
see those ports to flourish with unwopted
VgOr, tho whito-winGod messengers of trade
will once again plough, with lithosomo keel,
The pillows OF the Atlantic md Pacific oceans
and the blue waves of the Mexican gulf.
With such course Of trade the ontvo
country will sympsthiac. The agriculturists
will find a market for their products, for as
we will owe to other nations, these products
will be in demand to make the payments;
tho merchant in all departments of his bust
ness will be kept continuously buster; the
pnl mechanic will be busior in
articles for the foreign de.
maT1, Ill mi i-TTI0 transporter will i1 lI5 roads
and canals and ships and other vehicles
with work. Indeed, this ono
thing alone, this lowering Of the tariff, while
il vii! A+iHg ebeut ga esses-gcacaa} prosper
ity will give especial cause to the shipping
interests and our seaboard cities TO rejoice
with exceeding glsdnoss.
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scarcity of Labor