HISTORY OF THE GRANGE MOVEMENT; OR, 



Let us suppose that English spool cotton can be sold 

 in the American market for four cents a spool, and that 

 American spool cotton can be sold for the same price. 

 The purchaser, with the prices of the two articles equal, 

 will be guided in his selection by the quality of the 

 goods, and will buy the best. But the American manu- 

 facturer is not willing to compete with the English 

 manufacturer upon equal terms. Congress is petitioned, 

 and a duty is levied upon English spool cotton, which 

 duty at present amounts to 85 per cent. By the opera- 

 tion of this law the English manufacturer is compelled 

 to add the duty to his price, and English spool cotton 

 is advanced to seven and four-tenths cents a spool. 

 The American manufacturer at once advances his price 

 to, let us say, six cents a spool, and at this price sells an 

 article which is worth only four cents, and which he 

 could afford to sell at that figure. But Congress puts it 

 in his power to exact 50 per cent, additional from the 

 people of the country, and they must either purchase 

 at this figure or buy English cotton at seven and four- 

 tenths cents a spool. But for the tariff he would be 

 compelled to sell his cotton at four cents, its actual 

 value, but by the aid of that measure he is enabled to 

 wring 50 per cent, additional from the people. The 

 entire nation is thus taxed for the benefit of a few 

 manufacturers of spool cotton. The interest of the 

 nation is directly opposed to that of the manufacturers. 

 Free trade, or a low tariff for revenue only, would result 

 in a saving to the people, and would deprive the manu- 

 facturers of their power to plunder them. 



It is the same way with almost every article of con- 

 sumption that can be named. Woollen goods pay a 

 duty of 70 per cent. ; cotton goods from 35 to 52 per 



