Year: 1867

The ilnpndence and avarice of the cot
ron >pinners and manufacturers are
in.atiate. No amount of money tleeced
from the hard earnings of the people
rau satisfy them. With their pockets
plethoric with gold, their bank deposits
counted by hundreds of thousands, and
their shelves packed with Government
bonds upon which they pay no tax, but
upon which they receive interest IN
coin. and making monstrous profits
upon their investments, they make
their visit Ia Washington at each re-
curing session of Congress, and with
whining tone and fearful eyes, and the
attitudes Of mendicants, implore pro-
iec1ion against the industry of foreign
nations. which is another style of eX-
pressing the fact that they desire the
privilege Of tleecing the industry of their
own. The fact that the Government IS
now reeling under the weight of its
mODStIOuS ucui' VI thtV bbS PN'PAN ~AN
groaning under the pressure OF taxation
too great to be long endured, is alto
gether unimpOrtant 70 them. Their
selfiShuess will not permit their vision
TO reach beyond the horizon u their in
dividnal interests, and they see nothing
els.


Already we hear the hum of busy
preparation among these cormOrants,
for the approaching sessions of Con-
gress. The tariff bill was postponed at
the last session, for the reason that it
could not be pASged, and those interest
ed in its passage preferred that it should
he laid over and take the chances OF q
little more jugglery rather than 1t
should be- finally defeated. IL is well
known that the manufactory interests
which are now pleading for additional
protection 10 enable them to live, are
doing Il thriving business and driving
large dividends. The fact that they
can work with profit and run their es-
tabliShments with success under
the present tariff is proved by
the fact tnat they are doing 1t.
aud do not discontinue operations
as they would do if they were losing
money. But this is not enough. They
must he made a privileged class, with
authority to levy tribute npon every
other branch of industry. Trade may
drocp. the great agricultural interest
may languish, and bankruptcy sweep
over the county. and it is no affair of
theirs Every man for himself, and the
devil for the hindmost, is their motto.
II they can bamboozle Congress into
giving them higher rate of duties,
which will enable them to mark up the
prices of their goods, why should they
not do it If Congress should give It
10 them, why should they be expected
To decline the advantage so easily
gaiu,d'


The theories and sophisms, the injus-
ice aud absurdity of the protective
system. bave been thoroughly exploded
and il il time they were abandoned.
Any law which enables the manutac-
turer to raise his prices imposes tax
npon the consumer of those goods equal
to the advance. This proposition IL 30
plain that the most stupid and unin-
formed can see it. Why then should
not the consumers and their represen-
1atives oppose all such laws! IL Is
certainly their interest TO do it, and no
argument can be made to prove
that they are nnder any obllga-
lion To cOantenance such legisia"
tiou. The corn of the farmer OF
Indiana aud Ohio and the entire West
isnot protected by legislation. On the
contrary it's value il reduced by the
protection which is given to the manu-
iacturer; for the farmer not Only is
compelled to pay higher price tor the
goods protected which he consumes, but
4he foreign manufacturer. being ex-
.'lgded from the market by the protec-
ton given to the domestic manufac-
turer, is unable to buy his breadstuffs
here because it is more to his interest to
buy them where he can sell his goods.
The farmer thus loses the sale of his
produce.


But it is argued that failure to give
the necessary amount of protection to
American manufacturers will result in
flooding our markets with cheap goods
which will tempt the people to buy, ant
that our capital will thus be carried OF