Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-09-25
The Tariff Commission.

To-day the Tariff Commission will be
in Savannah to listen to the views of our
citizens generally On the subject of re-
form in our present tariff system. They
have already visited Atlanta and various
other points in the South, and have gath
cred great deal of information" with
which they were doubtless familiar be-
fore they started out on their tour at all,
viz; that all persons interested in
special industries or manufactures
are DESTROYS Of as much protection
as possible for their ''infant industries"
so that they may prosper rapidly and
speedily grow rich, while the farmers
and indeed all other classes who have
to contribute to the support of the
fortunate protected individuals, without
deriving any benefit whatever from pro-
tection-are in favor only of a tariff
sufficient to supply the needed revenues
of the government, with such incidental
protection as tariff of that character
may afford.
In this community, however, the Tar
if Commission will have brought before
it a subject which it has not yet consid-
cred, the protection of our rice interests.
Our readers, and doubtless the commits
sion as well, understand fully our posi-
ton on the subject of a protective tariff.
We do not believe such a tariff Just,
constitutional OF conducive to the pub
Tic welfare Neverth eless so long as the
protective system is northumberland it
is universally conceded that the commits
sion have no intention whatever of re-
commencing its abolition-there are
certain very important facts for them to
consider IN reference to the protection of
Southern rice.
Rice and sugar should be the last arti-
cles from which protective duties should
be removed. So far as-cotton manufac-
turing is concerned, the South at least
needs no protection. She has almost a
monopoly in cotton production, no 9TH
or section of the world being able to
compete with her. Having the staple
then right in her midst, and enjoying
ample natural facilities for its success
full manufacture, she can, readily, if she
will, undersell the world, and command
control of this very important indus
try. Indeed the abolition of protective
duties on cotton goods would, we firmly
believe, prove to her an incalculable
blessing, since capital, which protection
now enables to be prOfitably invested in
cotton manufactures elsewhere-and thus
raises up to her rivals in an industry
which legitimately belongs to her
would then seek her territory and in a
few years add vastly to the general
wealth of our section. So with iron.
The South possesses vast fields of mineral
lands which can be successfully worked
without any fear of loss from
competition, and while protection
may cause the profits of those already
engaged in the manufacture of iron
and steel to be much greater than they
would be without prohibitory tariff,
still, under tariff for revenue only,
our IRON industries would continue to be
proftably conducted, while the agricul
| tural classes who have to use farming
and household implements composed, in
whole or in part, of iron or steel, would
be enabled to provide themselves with
all articles of this kind at greatly reduced
cost. and the entire body polite would
share IN the benefits thus conferred OF
J them.
With rice and sugar, however. the
case is very different. The lands upo1