Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-01-27
SENATOR EDMUNDS ON THE TARIFF

The Vermont Senator has an article in
defense of the tariff mot for revenue on
ly'' in the current issue of Harper's Mag
azine. The following extract covers a
few points that are much discussed at
the present time. He tells of the course
England pursued-keeping on protec-
tive tariff till her ma nufactures and pop
ulation had so increased that she was no
longer able to feed and clothe them from
the produce of her own soil, when a sys-
tenn of partial free-trade was entered
upon, not only because she needed mater
ials from outside. but because she could
the more plausibly urge the policy of
free-trade upon other countries where
she wished to find market for her
wares. Mr.. Edmunds continues
If the profits of the foreign manufact-
urer or producer are essentially dimin-
ished by customs duties, and are
essentially increased by the diminution
or abolition thereof, then, so far, the
money obtained from them is not by
taxation of our own people, but by tax
alton of the foreigner; and if the surplus
revenues are to be reduced by the aboli-
tiOI or reduction of the customs duties.
so far they are reduced. not for the bene-
mt OF our own people, Dut to the benefit
of people of other countries who are the
exporters of goods to our markets. This
is we'll illustrated by our experience in
the abolition of the duties upon tea and
coffee in the year 1872.
The price of tea rose, as did the price
of coffee such as is chiefly used by the
great mass of the people, though the
price of Java coffee was less.
Allowing for all conceivable accidents
and incidents of production or trade, it
must be apparent that the abolition of the
duties upon tea and cOf1e was substantial
ly purely a benefit to the producer and
exporter, and not to ourselves.
But if it be not true that, in respect of
things produced in this country, the
abolition of duties works no fall in prices
TO the consumer, ii must be because the
foreigner may then undersell the home
producer and manufacturer and still have
a margin of profit. This, of course,
means the increased consumption of
foreign commodities, and bv so much the
diminution of the consumption of domes-
tic products and manufactures and con-
sequently there must be corresponding
diminution of home production and man
uidCtures, vi prouucllOn tHat cannot be
consumed. What does this mean, and
who desires it? Will the ironmaster or
the textile fabric worker, however
wealthy, employ as many men and
women or pay as high wages as before if
his sales are thus diminished? Certainly
not. If he does not, what is to become
of the people he now employs? Let them
leave the occupations to which they
have been bred, and "go West to farm
ing, says the free-trader. If they knew
how to do this, and could do it, farm pro-
ducts would largely increase, but where
would be the market for these increased
farm products? The home market
among the manufacturing classes would
have been diminished, while the farm
products would have increased, and the
farm laborer, whether owner or hired.
would find for the results of his labor
market already overstocked, and there
would be general failure of all who
were not already independent, and for
them pure stagnation, for there are