Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-09-15
mr. Lor,pc,s Defense of the Tariff

of LeDuc IN the Agricultural BUREAU
has set up as an apologist of protection.
In an address at the Institute Fair IN
Boston the other day, he drew dazzling
pictures of the wonderful growth OF me-
chanical industry, and sought TO
impress upon the iai "iei
the vast benefit conferred
upon them by our protective tariff. de
asserts that in the absence of such
tariff the busy hives of industry in the
Fast would send forth swarms to COM
note with the farmers of the West,
whereas now the latter are free from
such competition. He further states
that 90 per cent. of Western products
are consumed in this country.
What percentage of Western products
is consumed by the planters Of the South
DR.. LOring does not state. But 1t is
manifest that the South consumes more
than the East and North, inasmuch as,
despite the great attention bestowed
upon manufactures in the last two Sec
tons, agriculture is largely practlced,
and, in seasons of good crops, can well
supply the demands of their people. AS
New England, too. has ever claimed
that the rest of the country owed
her a living, and should be compelled
to support her mills it is no great merit
on her part to take large share OF farm
products. While it is true that the tariff
diminishes the number of the farmers
competitors, it does not proportion the
price of his grain to the price Of his coat
OF of his plough, and while cheap grain
in itself would not be cheerful to him, yet
he would not be distressed about it were
lis tools, apparel and the hundred other
articles he now pays dear for likewise
cheapened, as they would be were the
tariff lowered.
Protectionists are patting DR.. Lorlng
on the back and sounding his praises far
and wide. The Springfield Republican,
published in the heart of New England,
recalls his attention to some features
of the question that have escaped his
notice, and presents the following con-
else statement of cold facts:
cas- the representative of the agricul-
ture Of the county, DR.. Loring should
take into view certain aspects of our in
dustrial situation which do not now seem
to attract his attention. He should OBJ
serve that, of our $3.50, 000, 900 Of ex-
ports, quarters are of agricultural
products. 1t should be matter of con-
graduation that we are able to find
market for so vast an amount; but it
should be matter of concern that we
neglect certain great markets close at
home. If by any fortune we should
happen to have a year of large crops
all over the world, Western farmers
might angrily ask DR.. Loring why, in
stead of taking so fond a care of the
tariff. he had not urged the opening of
the West Indies to American breadstuffs
and provisions by commercial treaty
with Spain.
Western farmers are annually paying
millions of dollars for Cuban sugar with
double heavy duties, one before it leaves
Cuba and the other before it is admitted
to this country, and they would like the
privilege of selling something to Cuba in
return. The West Indies sell US from
seven TO ten times as much produce as
they sell to Great Britain, but they buy
of Great Britain very much more than
they buy of us. Our trade with Mexico
and South American States is equally one
sided; we make market for them, they
do not make a market for US, either for
our farm products, or our manufactures,
but they do make a great market for
Europe. Cannot DR.. LorIng intermit
his praise of the tariff long enough to
give US his ideas on this subject? He
finds all our manufacturing industries in
such a giddy waltz of prosperity that it
seems as though the government might
gently relax its protecting arm for an
experimental period, and allow them to
90 on upon a revised and moderated
tariff, which should not tax the steel
rails, over which these products reach
the seaboard, a duty of over 100 per cent.
Gd UdLOTem.
1.-THE revision Of the tariff, not many
months ago, was a subject of deep in
terest. Even the protected interests
agreed to ask for commission to revise
and modify the duties. In the meantime,
while we are waiting, we have lost the
Canadian market, and DR.. Loring seems
to have his heart set more upon the good
that the tariff has possibly done than
upon the advantage which can be gained
by future extensions of our trade. What
we have in the way of manufacturing
development we can keep, if DR.. Lor-
ing's congratulations have sound basis"