Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-05-04

Euy impressed with these considerations. and in tho
belief that by their resolutions tho House has required
suggestions for general reduction Of duties on the arti
cles comprehended in the existing tariff the undersigned
has ie to be his duty deal with the subject In that
spirit, and has the honor submit the result of his
investigation and reflection in the form OF bill accom-
panying this letter.
lie does not intend II much for perfect scheme IA
TO emoody those suggestions which he has been called
upon 10 make in definite and Ineligible shape; and.
WINE looking TO the patriotic object oil the resolution
which has also guided his Judgment he chez as
sunes the responsibility OF the scheme now no
viii derive no less qualification il that object can be bet
Ter attained oy any other plan which wiser counse Is
The basis OF the bill submitted is total repea of
the act oil the 10Th Of May 1929 from and after The ;,
OF March, 1888 and limitation OF the revenue afterwards
oe raised ny new system OF duties, to the existing
expenditures OF the Government, and TO such other
say expenditures the exgency OF the public service
may require, and Congress in its wisdom, may authorize
The estimate which was presented i'm the late annual re-
port from this department., Of the amount TO be
INTO INC Treasury from customs in the year 1882 was
iounded chiefly upon the importaens of the wear 1891
and as the receipts from that source will not be create,
man may be safely relied for the of the public
oeo' wnn 'ho time proposed, the duties cannot be ma
"ry IL at all, reduced, consistently with that oiec
earlier than the period indicated.
III the duties be reduced, proposed In the bill 10 take
effect In March, 1888, the amount which accor,ino
to the principles adopted forming the estimate for
may be estimated as the receipts the customs i'm 1892
VIII be about 100000 dollars, which sum- after proyi
uhg Tor the payment of the debt i'm that YEAR wonM
leave, Tor all other Objects 10 500 900 dollars.
should the public expenditures amount to Is 600 900
a'er the payment OF the debt in 1885, there would
pc surplus IN that year Of only $500 900 dollars
no allowance, however, Is made in this estimate for the
ELECTS oil diminished Importation or an unusual reox
portaton Of those articles which NAV be included in Tho
reuuceu 'aii and might not be necessary for the con-
sumption OF the country, before the reduced tariff should
go into operation Yet, however equally prospective
s"ucuoh may enable the importers adjust the s,pply 10
The demand 1t is believed that n considerable rejc;;on
should be made for these contingencies II il douh,,i
.ey would leave any surplus, but any, small
one And, in carrying into effect great chance Ike
ts II would be imprudent to incur the risk of scantv
OF oEecuve revenue merely to avoid the chance of
Ii reduction of 10 900 900 dollars Or ur,yard h,,
be made to go into operation Immediately it would affect
"ot ohy 'he future revenue, but that which has already
ana winch forms the chief basis of the receipts
n.o ,ne treasury during the present year. Whatever
amount receivable from the customs i'm hi. wear NAV be
now III oond 1t cannot be doubted that before those bonds
become due, Incorporation would take Mace of all sch
rccs as should be included the reduced tariff and be
IN situation to cntite them to debenture-Sucb articles
o' enter INTO competition with those imported I'M
uef inc reduced taif and would necessarily he rc.ex
ported Va
regard TO the proper time for the reduction to go into
peIauo me advantage which all parties nterested-the
P'ouuco'' ue Manufacturer, importer, consumer-woud
derive from timely notice of any important changes in be
be overlooked. ' ''"' ''o "
For the objects mainly intended TO be provided for an
annual revenue OF estimated TO be
.ls amount until Congress shall otherwise deter
e me sum oil 5000 900 dollars NAV be estimated IN he
received from the public lands Should Congress herea
Yer determine 10 dispense with this of any
on merely occasoned may readily be raised by
a augmentation oil the duties proposed by the bill upon
the class oil articles which taxed solely for the
OIL ! revenue or may be distributed among the whole
The remaining 100000 dollars is proposed to
exclusively from duties on imports, in the manner par
cuarly provided for in the bill 1t is estimated that by
,his mode' me whole annual revenue from customs cacu
eu upon the lmportaon of the year. ending ON the both
September $780, after deducing re xportaons will no
reduced more than 900 900 dollars: and upon ba,
o oil them commonly called protected articles more than
8oooOOO and also, that the rate of the whole duty from
customs calculated upon the of the imported mcrchan
use IN me same year, exclusive of all charges will be re-
duced from about forty five per cent 70 about
ven per cent The difference, however, between the
rate oil duties since $780, and that under the bill will moi
be quite so great owing to the reductions already made
In The duties on tea, coffee, moasses and salt.
great number of articles Of tho first nocess.y or
P%.oss of the character of raw materials have been
renewed from duty oitogceT; of the neces-
sares of life and those principally consumed bv The
er classes, duty almost nominal has been imposed
An opinion has been heretofore expressed by the I'M
dergned, In favor oil prospective and gradual redu
oil the existing duty articles embraced by the proec
tive sysem but it has been departed from in the bill in
Difference 10 respectable opinions from other quarters but
principally TO what is understood TO be the wish of the
manufacturers themselves, who prefer system perma-
nent in its character TO one liable TO change
1t has not been supposed practicable to offer any rea
soaoe scheme oil compromise, and for the adjustment of
existing differences, which should not avoid the neon
gruiy in the act OF 1925 from the exravagant duty ON
the raw materials and the wel-ounded obe cons TO be
system of minmums.
Its believed that the producer the raw material and
especially the grower OF WOOL will receive ample in
dehy Tor the concession required in the constancy
and steadness of the market, which the sure and perma
nent success of the manufacturing establishments will NOT
a TO afford Tor his commodity, and i'm the cbeapenino of
his general supplies. Independently these consdera
TONS however, will appear by the statement
ing The bill marked that by the duty imposed by the
bill on raw WOOL price not less than 40 cents pound is
secured 10 the domestic producer of that artice-Oher
statements, showing the operation other parts of the
BILL will be prepared and transmitted as they NAV be found
necessary.
The system of mnimums is regarded as imposing an
unnecessary and eXravagant rate of duty and
raging the commission of frauds difficult if not mpossibe
TO prevent. IL is believed that the effect already has
been to exclude the fair American importer i'm great de-
gree from the trade and leave in the hands of others
less scupuous the restraints imposed by the laws
The most plausible ground which this system can be
defended, 49, the security ii affords the manufacturer
against the superior capital OF his foreign rival and the
occasional excessive influx of the foreign merchandise
But an ad vaorem duty of sufficient amount upon the actual
value oil the goods fairly asceraned under the guardsin the
bill, may accomplish the object not much less eHectu-
ally From information derived principally from the state
ments oil eminent manufacturers duty of 10 per cent on
the manufactured article, beyond that the raw material
would OF Itself, equaZe the cost of the dome sic
and foreign article, and afford sufficient protection TO
the manufacturer against foreign competition i'm the ord
nary course OF trade. IT, by the reduced rate of duty on
The raw material, and the low rate of duty on all
oher articles OF general consumption, the American manu-
iacturer may, as IS believed, bring his merchandise into
market upon terms Of equality in cost with the foreigner
tits not doubted that the all vaore duty proposed by the
bill, with cash payments and duty on sales at auction
VIII be FULLY adequate to guard against the superiority of
foreign capital and the fluctuations of trade Tits rate
oil profit in ordinary times enjoyed by any other branch
OF industry not necessarily exposed greater risk and vi
cissude.