Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1820-08-29

AdStdlOo3 Ldh NiilNi IL Ndo OSot
not to particularize. In the present
tariff these were at u and Is per cent.
The committee could discern no good
reason for leaving them at this low rate
of duty, and were abundantly convinced
that, for the double purpose of revenue
and manufactures, the proposed rates
were proper. 1t would be going too
much in detail to trace the various rates
of ad valorem duties from 1899, to 1904.
In that year they were permanently fix
cd at 10, S and 90; with the addition
of the Mediterranean fund, they were
Is, l7a and 22a--and continued so dur
ing the most prosperous period OF our
commerce and revenue, till in 1912,
when the permanent duties were dou-
bled, making 27a, 523 and 425. They
continued so until 1915, after the peace,
when the Mediterranean fund ceased,
and the duties remained till July, 1916,
at the rates Of IS, so and 40 per cent
ad valorem. Had they remained SO,
you would not have been assaulted by
general cries of distress from all parts
of the nation; we should have enjoyed,
not nominal but real independence;
our resources would not have been sent
abroad to protect and reward the indus
| try of others, to the ruin OF our own
merchants, manufacturers and farmers.
But it was thought proper to reduce the
duties, and the fear of smuggling, 1t
seems, is assigned as the reason. am
not enough acquainted with the mystic
ries of commerce to know what is the
smuggling point. Gentlemen may talk
about it as they please, there is no evil
dence that our duties have ever been so
| high that there has been smuggling to any
great extent. From 1904 to 1912, the
lowest rate Of duties was l2a per cent.
I'VE heard no complaints OF smuggling
then; during the year 1915 and the first
six months Of 1915, the lowest duty was
IS per cent. The importation OF ad va
loren articles in 1915, amounted to
eighty-six millions of dollars, and gen
tlemen are called on for the proof OF
smuggling. They must give reasons
better, than the mere suggestion OF this
danger, against this small increase OF
duties which is, i'll effect, only coming
back to the old rates before the war.-
We are not to be deferred by threats of
this kind; and, judging from expert
ence, have no fears that an increase OF
duce this effect: but if there was dan
ger, it is no argument 10 us to be told
that this government is unable to enforce
measures which are adopted as necessa-
ry to the general welfare. We are not
so weak, our laws are not so insufficient;
the rates proposed have been collected,
and they can and will be collected if
enacted. When the danger becomes
realized, it will be time to apply the re-
medy. While it is merely fanciiul, and,
as l believe, held out to defeat the salu-
tary provisions of this bill, l shall not
deem it worthy of further notice. The
next rate of duty is IS per cent.--in the
present tariff these articles are rated al
90, but in the bill reported by the COM
mittee of ways and means, they were
recommended at %. hope it will not
be thought extravagant that we propose
an addition of per cent. Articles Of
copper are at present at IS per cent
One expression is changed which will
be found to apply to most OF the ad va
loren articles in this bill--in the old
tariff it is "material of chief value"
this creates great difficulty at the GUS
tom -house, where an article is compos-
ed Of materials paying different rate OF
duty; it is generally entered as made OF
that which pays lowcst--thus defrauding
the revenue and injuring the manuiac-
turer. To avoid this, the committee
have adopted the expression " compo-
nent material," SO that any article COM
posed Of mixed materials pays the duty
OF the highest. The house will observe
that there is in this clause drawback of
the duties on sheet copper, used in build
ing or repairing ships--in the present
tariff " copper and brass in pigs, bars or
plates, suited to the sheathing of ships"
! is duty free. Under this clause all
sheet brass and copper imported, for
whatever purpose, is embraced, to the
great injury of one class of manutac-
| lures, and the diminution of the revenue.
While the committee are fully disposed
to protect that most noble manufacture,
ship, they are unwilling that any other
advantage should be taken of ia provision
intended solely for this purpose. 1t is
believed that this object is fully answer
ed by the proposed drawback. 1t has
been submitted to intelligent and expert
enced merchants, and no objections have
occurred. While on this subject, l