The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-06-21
FARMERS AND THE TARIFF.
Would the Destruction OfAmerican Manu-.
faCtures Help Our Farmers?

Notwithstanding all the reductions in
the price of manufactured commodities
which have taken place since the in
aueuratlon of the protective system
there are some persons who contend that
manufactured commodities are still
cheaper in England than they are here,
and they 60 on to say that but for the
protective tariff our farmers could buy
the same goods cheaper in England than
he does here; and they demand the re-
peal of the protective system and the
substitution of the English system, a
tariff for revenue only, to enable the
English manufacturers TO bring their
commodities here free of duty and to
sell them to our farmers, as they allege,
at cheaper rate than they are now
paying. This 1t is claimed, would be a
great benefit to the farmer. Let us ex-
anime this question and see if il is true.
Can the farmer buy in England cheaper
than he can here, and, if lie can, what
would the effect of his buying there be
upon our people and country, including
the farmer and the persons engaged in
other industries
The first question that meets us is this:
If we transfer the manufacture of all
these commodities from this country TO
England we throw our people out Of
work, and We consequently Injure our
farmers market to this extent. We
have seen that we now manufacture
about $1,000, 900, 900 worth of COM
modties, for which we pay not less than
81 800, 900, 600 yearly in wages. 1t is the
profit on these commodities and the
wages we pay to labor that make busi-
ness, stimulate trade, enrich our country,
and enable our working people to live
as they do, much better than the labor
ing people anywhere else in the world.
Take away this work from our own peo-
pie and give it to the people of England
and what would be the consequence Z
The profits which our manufacturers
now earn would be earned there; and
the wages that our workpeople now earn
would be earned by the workpecple
there. These profits and these wages
would then go to the people of England
instead of to our own people. They
would be heaped up there, and enrich
that country instead of our own country.
You would enrich them and impoversh
us. Ii you do not pay wages to our peo-
pie how can they buy from the farmer
To the extent that you take wages from
our people and pay them to England to
the same extent, as we have seen, do
you injure and destroy the farmers
home market. He would then have Just
as much surplus product as now indeed
there would be more, for thousands who
are now engaged in the mills and work
shops would then be turned out, and
would resort to agriculture to earn bread
to keep themselves from starving. This
would increase his surplus and make it
more instead of less. What would the
farmer then do with this surplus II
there is no money to buy it, he must let
1t rot or give it away. One thing would
be certain; prices would go down and he
would be compelled to sell at the re-
duced prices, at less than he is now re-
ceivlng, and he would find himself with
less money to purchase cheap COM
modities from England, even if they
should be cheaper than he is now buy.
ing. The question would then be as it
is now, how much will bushel of corn
or potatoes buy A thing at half price
is dear If you have no money to pay
for it.
The next difficulty that meets us is
this: All imported goods under the pres.
ent tariff, except those on the free list,
now pay duty, and this duty takes the
place of tax, and goes toward defraying
the expenses of our government As
has been stated, nearly all the expenses
of the General Government are paid in
this way; and the people, including the
farmers, are relieved to this extent from
direct taxation. When you repeal the
tariff and introduce free trade your
revenue will cease, and you will have to
provide some other method of procuring
the money necessary to pay these ex-
penses. There is but one way left, and
that is by direct taxation in some form
or other, levied directly on farmer, me-
chanic, and others. There is no escape
from this.
The foreign manufacturer who brings
his goods here now pays duty upon
them, and in this way helps to pay Our
taxes. Repeal the tariff and you then
permit him to bring his commodities
into this country and sell them wit thOut
paying one cent of our taxes, and you
shift the whole burden of the payment
of these taxes upon our own peaple-our
manufacturers, farmers and mechanics
hhooS ai0 SUNNI VI the ledsols why w
should not repeal our protective system,
even if we could buy all our manufac-
tured commodities in England cheaper
than we could in the United States.
Even then, upon this assumption, the
farmers of thus country could not afford
to do it. They would lose by it and not
gain, and the loss in the home market
alone would be far greater than any sup
posed gain abroad Hon. Thos, II.
Dudley, late U, S. Consul at Liverpool,
England,