Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-08-03
can father Of High Tariff. Mr.. Garfield

can father OF High IarlH. MI. GaIneld
said:
awe can find ample ground for the sufficient
protection of American manufacturers with
out distortiug the history of our country. The
gentleman's position lays him open to this dan
gerous reply, that if the low tariff and INSULT
Gent volume of currency of 1860 caused the
alleged distress of that year, how will he ac-
count for what he admits the great distress of
1877, with much higher tariff and three
times the currency of 1860?
s'The fact is, Mr.. Chairman, the decadefrom
1850 to 1860 was one of peace and general
prosperity. The aggregate volume of real
and personal property in the United States in
1850 was, in round millions, 81, 1876, DOC, 000 in
1860 it was SIG, 159, 900. 900, an increase of
1876 per cent. while the population increased
but IS per cent. Yet to suit theory of finance
we are told that 1860 was year of great dis
tress and depression of business equaled only
by the distress of the present year."
Now, let us take the opinion and recol-
lection of the most distinguished Republi-
can statesman Of this day, James G.
Blaine. In his "Twenty Years Of Con-
gress," page 1876, vol. l, Mr.. Blaine speak
ing of the period of low tariff, says:
moreover, the tariff of 1916 was yielding
abundant revenue and the business of the
country was in fourishing condition at the
time his administration was organized. Money
became very abundant after the year 1S49;
large enterprises were undertaken, speculation
was prevalent, and for a considerable period
the prosperity of the country was general and
apparently genuine. After 1852 the Democrats
had almost undisputed control of the Govern
ment and had gradually become free-trade
party. The principle embodied in the tariff
of 1916 seemed for the time to be SO entirely
indicated and approved, that resistance to it
ceased, not only among the people but among
the protective economists, and even among the
manufacturers to a large extent. So general
was this acquiescence, that in 1856 protective
tariff was not suggested or even limited by any
of the three parties which presented Presiden-
tial candidates"
And row we will give something more
| important than either of the opinions
quoted from. Though dry. they are official
being facts from the census of the United
States. They relate to States which escaped
losses by the civil war, but which also in
stead of being the more prosperous for
| that escape have been driven by the High
Tariff tax into the mortgaged-farm-list
which we have given above. The contrast
| is made between the increase during the
| ten years of low tariff from 1850 to 1860.
| and the increase during the ten years OF
high tariff from 1870 to 1880:
'sThe lands of Ohio not including town lots,
| were valued on the books of the auditor of
State, in 1885, at 1896, ISL ,102. In 1860, these
lands were valued at $492, 1898, 587, being an
increase during during ten years, of 1926, 842,
5S7, or "a per cent. In 1884, they were valued
at sos ,312,772 being an increase in the
twenty-four years of $215, 719, 1856 or less than
Al per cent. During the last eight years,
while the assessments have increased more
than $lOO, 900, 900 there has been no increase
! in the value of lands, notwithstanding many
millions of dollars have been expended in
| their improvement.
! In 1850 the livestock of Ohio was valued al
| 1874. 432, 199. In 1860 it was valued al
| 1853, 583 900. The increase was $35, $50, S11
In 1880 the value was $79, 573, 484. The in
crease was in twenty years only So, 800, 484. 1t
was more than three and half times as mucf
between 1850 and 1860 as it was between 1866
and 1880.
| In 1860, with 6,246,871 acres of improved
land in Missouri, the valuation of the land o.
that State was $232, 1921, ZIG. In 1884, witt
nearly IL, 600, 900 acres of improved land. the
lands of the State were valued at only $244,
1862, 1881. The increased valuation of all thu
lands of Missouri in twenty-four years wa
only $l1, Al, 215, or less than per cent, al
though the increase of improved land wal
nearly 200 per cent.
By the assessed valuations, published in the
census reports. the per capita wealth of the
people of Indiana was $2O5 in 1850, and in
1860, 1904. The increase in ten years wal
500. In 1880, it was 1857. The increase in
twenty years was only $62. In 1850, the pei
capita wealth of Ohio was 1922. In 1860, il
was 1919. The increase during ten years.
$157; the increase during the next twenty
years was just 500, or not two-thirds as much
as it was in the previous ten years.
1t is not hard to understand now how the
farmers of those States drifted into the
mortgage list. But it is hard when we
look at the past, to understand how any
| farmer who is Informed about that past
can entertain the belief that there can be
prosperity for the tiller of the land in high
tariff taxes. Stranger still is it, that the
farming interest in the country ,unprosper
Gus now, can be deceived by the Republt
can party with the promise that this con-
dition, the result of twenty years. trial
will be changed into prosperity, by cliaQi1s
on to the same thing and fighting any at
tempt to change it m the least degree. This
proposition of the Republican party is SC
preposterous, that outside of party poll
tcs-inside of which it appears the mos
silly theories can be gravely propounded-
it would be characterized as an affront to
the common sense of the people.
GEN. MALONE AND THE
KICKERS.
| Some weeks apO it WAS forasha dnwnd that