Mexico weekly ledger., 1888-07-12
Hathaway on the Tariff.


second of the great political con-
tests of '36 and 40, when William
Henry Harrison and Martin Van
Buren, were the candidates of tho
Whig and Democratic parties, the
tariff question was the distinctive
issue. Andrew w. Young, the
historian, In commenting on the
topics which agitated the public
mind in those memorable cam
paigns, says: "No question in
political economy has been more
fruitful of discussion than that of
protection to domestic industry by
duties on imports +; none probably,
Oh which public opinion is still
more equally divided" Statesmen
of gigantic intellects, the most sue
cessful business men of equal saga
city in private affairs, have, from
the same evidence, formed directly
opposite conclusions on this sub
jcct. If this be true of the cam
paign of 40, it is equally true in
the contest in 'SS. If Statesmen
of gigantic intellects" differ, it is
not strange that men of lesser
mental calibre hold different
opinions on the tariff question and
hold them honestly. Therefore,
when Mr.. Llewellyn says tina" Mr..
Hathaway gives the lie to the
stump orators, but must accept
the situation and repeat after them,
most positively, that there is no
over production of cattle" he uses
very strong language to say the
| least. When statements are made
which | believe to be false, l have
a right to say so, but ascribe the
false statement to the want Of cor
rect information and do not "glve
the lie," for Webster defines "lie"
as "a criminal falsehood; Il false
hood uttered for the purpose of
deception; an intentional violation
of the truth"
Now for the "stronger figures"
required to convince Mr.. Llewellyn
of his error. | estimated from the
data then at hand that there were
40, 9,S62,671 cattle in the United
States in 1888. However, official
figures | have since secured from
the Department of Agriculture at
| Washington, show that there were
but 49,224,977 cattle in 1888. l
admit a slight over-estimate, but
it was pretty good guess. These
figures show about 800 cattle to
each 1000 population in 1888,
against 663 cattle to each 1000
population in 1880. Thus we have
the largest supply of cattle pei
capita that we ever had and there
mas not been a corresponding in
creased demand, consequently
there is over-production. Public
spirited citizens of Audrain county
offer S15, 900 to have a tobacco fac.
tory removed from Montgomery
City to Mexico. The reason this
bonus or tax is voluntarily levied
on themselves, by these citizens, is
because they believe it will result
to the material advantage of the
county. Free trade with Mont
gomery City necessitates that the
Audrain county producer of raw
material and food products and
consumer of the products of the
tobacco factory pay freight and
other charges to and from Mont.
gomery City. The freight charges
go to foreign transportation com.
pany and are total loss to Audrain
county. Remove this factory tC
Mexico and the producer and con.
sumer are brought together, thus
the freight charges are saved to be
divided as additional profits be-
tween producer aud consumer. BY
building up a home market We en-
hance the value of our farm pro
duets and obtain the manufactured
goods cheaper, in the opinion ot
the donors ofthe SIS, 900. This ad.
vantage outweighs the bonus OF
protection offered to the tobacco
factory. So it is with the national
government. 1t believes that the
bonus, in the shape of tariff pro
lection, offered to the capital anC
labor of foreign countries, will re-
suit in the upbuilding of this coun
try. If we sell our food products
and raw material to foreign nations
, and take on return their manufac.
, tured goods, we must pay the
transportation charges both ways
, because foreign nations control the
ocean carrying trade of the %, ,O0O,'
600 tons annually entered anc
cleared at ports of the United
States. Less than % 1-2 per cent
is carried IN American vessels.
Horace Greeley once said to Jas
A. Garfield, "If | had my way
| were king of this country
would put duty of 500 a ton OF
pig iron and a proportionate duty
on everything else that can be pro
duced in America. The result
would be that our people would be
obliged to supply their own wants
manufactures would spring up
) competition would finally reduce
prices, and we should live wholly
within ourselves.
Garfield. the practical statesman