Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1888-07-27
THE CAMPAIGN.
FlCTS FRON HiS4ORE
How Tariff Lcgi-Iniion hns worked in
this Country since 1850.

tluu Oi the constitution we nuu Tree IIuu'9
and the years from 1888 to iS0 saw near
" all the money Of this country pass INTO
the possession Of the British manufacturers,
while our own industries were suspended,
our manufactures ruined, our laborers beg
CARED, and our farmers unable to gather
enough money to pay taxes. Bankruptcies,
judgments, executions. mortgages, auc-
tiuns were the order Of the day.
Free trade was more cruel than war.
Our imports from Great Britain alone
were $50. OOO. 900 in 1884 80, while our eX
ports we're only $9OOO,OOO. This drained
us Of the last dollar and the circulating me
dunn was So scarce that business could not
be- properly transacted
The historian Bancroft says lvol. ], =.
40 ''Ihe necessity for regulating com
mrrce gave the immediate impulse to per
feet constitution Daniel Webster says
speech at Albany August y, lSl4J PRO
lection Of American industries was the
leading motive for the formation of hee new
government 4 long list Of like quota
tons could be rccited After regulating
the form Of oath to be taken 10y officials the
first act Of the first Congress was an act es
tahlishing tariff ON foreign made goods.
This measure had its enemies, conspicuous
among them being Englishmen and men
imhucd with English ideas, but the popular
cry was. Live and let live The result
Of protection 10y this act was revival of
Industries aud the people became contented
aud prosperous.
The tariff duties were increased in ISL
for war purposes. greatly tu the benefit ni
home industries aud the farming interest Of
the whole country. la lSlG the Democrat
ic party came to the front, and, with its
tl.ttlf Itt4 LA "a
uf l1Sg and lSl2, very luW duties only be
me allowed. Great distress followed ev
rrvNhrrc Horace Grerley says Of thi,
period "Grcat Britain poured her fabrics,
Tar below cost, upon our markets, III per
feet drlusr. Our manufactures went down
! like gtA-S before the mower. and our agrl
culture aud the wages Of labor speedily
! followed Financial prp~tratlun was gen
rral and debit was universal. Henry Clay
declared that the avcras" decrease IN the
value Of property during this period was
not les, than ~ per cent
/ In 1924 Congress gave the country new
| tariff a real protective tariii At once,
/ -rca, financial PROSPERITY set ia. So help
/ iul was the tariff that in ISIS the duties
we're increased. and under thi, influence
/ new industries started President Jack
SON in hi, annual message in December,
/ l~}3. says concerning the results of tins
protection: "Our country presents ON cv
rry side marks Of prosperity and Happiness
uuequalcd ia any portion ol the world.
lu tu, same year, 1872 the encmie, of
| protection. led 10y the Democrats, rallied
/ their forces The tariff Of 1921 y was re
/ pcnlci Financial depression followed,
manufacturers suspended, merchant bee
anne iu~uNrnt, labor unemployed and beg
| sarrl. and agriculture ruined. At sher
| iii, sales good horses sold at -, COWS at 81,
aud hogs AT Is. cents aprcr-su hard was At
| tu rai~c money for taxes. This condition
| lasted until the election Of Harrison IN
| $50. when highly protective tari was
! fought through and was established III ISL
! At once husues, revived, the financial
! .luom passed away, and Industries sprang
up throughout the northern free states.
The Democrats IN power in 1916 repeal
| -l the tariff of lSi2 business wa, pros
tiated. ruin ovcrtork tens Of thousands
| who pru,percd under protection. Presi-
dent Fillmore. ia his annual message, DE
remhrr, ISL. saws. The value of our eN
ports Of hrrad,tud- and provisions which
It wa, supposed the incentive Of low tar
II aud large imports from abroad. would
have greatly augmented, has fallen from
! Sis. GOO 600 in 1871 to 81 900, 900 IN lN1l,
with certainty Of further reduction III
lN19"
The policy which dictated a low rate of
duties on foreign merchandise, 1t wa'
thought hy those " hu established it. would
tend to- bcurtt the farming population ui
tins country toy increasing the demand and
raising the price Of agricultural products
IN foreign markets. The foregoing facts
however, show incoutcstahly that NO sucl