The Aberdeen examiner. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1866-current, 1883-03-08
speech OF Hon. L.. q. G. Eamar,OTi
the Tariff Question.
Concluded from last issue.)
1S47-1S61.

adverSlty," says the Oenator, WIZ
from 1S47 to 1861" Sir, it was q
period of revenue tariffs with the in
cidental protection that such tariff
afford. 1 remember well, sir, the
circumstances under which that tariff
was enacted; was one of a class OF
students who read the Congressional
debates of that day; | recollect the
predictions of evil and the promises
of good made by the opponents ano
advocates, respectively, of that meas
ure; / remember well the prophecies
of what would be it's ruinous effects
Il ~ predicted that American manu'
factures would expire under its bale
ful operations, and that our country
would become little more than a com
mercial dependency of England.
/ remember, also, the promises o.
good which its friends made in its
behalf. am almost tempted to rea6
to the Senate a portion of the great
report of Robert j. Walker, in which
he depicts the future grandeur ant
glory of the country in all its inter
ests as tho effect of the revenue tarif
proposed by him. Sir, time has pass
ed; which was right? Whose pre-
dictions have been verified, the pro-
phets of evil or the promisers o
good7 Did that tariff entail ruin
and destruction upon manufacturing
industries? On the other hand, die
it not accomplish that which it,
friends and advocates promised i
would achieve? Sir, we might wei
allow the history of the effects of tia
tariff to be written by its stronges
and most uncompromsing oppo'
nents.
I will, therefore, for the last time
invoke the testimony of the his
torian, and [ would say here there i
not in this Senate more intens
and unqualified advocate of protec
ton than the author of the work
have been quoting. There is not
chapter, and ! might say hardly
page OF it, in which he does not dweI
upon the benign influence of legisla
tive fostering upon the growth o
manufactures, and upon the de
preston and checks which they suf
fered from Legislative neglect. /
has been difficult to even quote hi
statement of facts diseugaged fror
the political opinions with which h
connects them. Speaking of the I'M
mense extension of domestic manu-
factures in the decade from 1910 t
1850, he says:
"The astounding fact was reveale
that the capital invested in manuGactu
es, not counting any establishment thl
produced under $500 year, exccede
$3.50, 900, 600, and that the annual pre-
= duct had reached 81, 0l0, 600, 600"
He proceeds:
"Vust as this production is, we fiji
ten years later m increase of more thu
SO per cent, and if to this amount W
added the very large amount Of produ
. tions below the value OF $500 (of Whit
{ no official cogniznnce is takcu) the resi-
would indeed be one Of startling magn
i tude."
O 1850 1860.
y Sir, from 1850 to 1860 the veal
of this country increased, MS estima
ed, 126 per cent, During that sat
d period the capital in manufacture
d increased 80 per cent, the produ
1, sc per cent, and the profits on Cal
= tai AZ per cent. 1t is stated by n
o Bishop that in this period the capi
e in pig iron increased nearly so p
n cent, and the product over so +
j., cent. In bar, sheet, and railro
- iron capital increased over 45 7
Is cent, products over 100 per Ger
if and profits rose from IS per cent,
,- capital to 80 per cent. Steel pl
- ducts rose during the same peri
70 v tenfold In the same decade {
is capital of cotton manufactures
l. creased 296 per cent, produ
n. nearly so per cent, and profits frt
!, 13I to As per cent. In the same {
cade the capital of woolen and wor
IN ed manufactures increased IS
t. cent, products Al per cent, a
I'd profits rose from 43 to nearly so !
!, cent. Agriculture prospered in c.
" responding ratios. L am indeb
Or for these figures to the able and
t. haustive speech made by a dist
or guished gentleman frcm Virgin
s. Mr.. J. RANDOLPH TUCKER.
rt 1861 1881.
ng This is a period, sir, which
1d Senator says is the period of prot
n. ton and prosperity. II is the per
he which we are now in. ! have no
nd sire to compare this period with t
in under the revenue tariff. The dist
or guished gentleman to whom I h
p already referred Mr.. TUCKER
on done that in manner far beyond
,r- happiest efforts Of my humble pr
lot ers. My object is a different c
to 1 simply wish to show the fact t
or through revenue duties, through
of periods of so-called free tr'
i've through periods of depress
st. through periods of every kind, IL
ufactures have continued to grow
of a pace corresponding with the VIZ
tho of the country, and have taken
i've step backward under any circ,
ice stances and have been overwhell
nd by no adverse fortunes. My purr
ng has been to convince Senators
her if they wish to respond to the
ep> mands of the people for redr
md taxation, apprehension as to its 81
II upon manufactures need not ST
ted in the way to obstruct this pop
ain aspiration.
out L might devote some of my tim
to the discussion of the present Co
ex- ton of manufactures under the
the tective system now in operation
J to do not deny that our country
,di progressed. There never has be
sist period in which we have not incr
ub' ed in prosperity, and that, too
on, advance of our increase of pop
de- lion. If desired to go into
no causes of this grand and rapid
,tes velopnent of our material civi
ion tion, one among the chief l W
sem say was, not our restriction l
not foreign trade, but the fact that
r,,, l.ox,a 80, lb;. nI,,,o,t kho xsxo :,