Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-12-15

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lnaIler Of million cf doIlars and is again be felt
WI iG'. Annlher difference arises sometimes from
80 OF old debts due for customs Is when IN
;i,, ut mol anticipated in 1855, nearly one quarter OF
i'loh mas been collected on single claim ORIGINATING
aS ioHg Us ten years ago indepencn of man. smaller
corrections ON still! older claims The only REMAINING
!fercncc oinuch Importance in our recents from cIS
a tie ensuing year. compnred with the last one will
p'oo"oE result iron! the biennial reduction in d.
ties OF nearly million ofdollas which the cxistipo laws
provide shall take place after the close Of the nIesrut
month"; lh!s reduction Of dates might, under some
circumstances be chiefly obviae by an ,,,nr
thton ana consumption of fox ign merchandise B,t
has been already stated, that the whole impor;a.
!'os were OF late 50 unusually large as with other causes
hereafter explained, not only 10 forbid any reasonable
expectation pt their increase in lcG but to render re-
auction probable; and it is further believed careful
inquiry will show, that the consumption of all kinds If
i"Tclg merchandise IN the U. States has generally en-
largrd IN smaller ratio than supposed BY many and
especially that the Of such pays duties which is
the cardinal tests OF receipts from customs will rather
!cssen tlan increase III lS6, and be materially en-
aT@ea I'll alter lc42 BY the table before referred C1
"hch Is The most accurate the records of the Treasury
enaoe me to prepare il will be what our consume
Ton OF foreign merchandise o: all kinds ha, been d
ring eac OF the last forty years BY comparing net
single years with others, but I series Of three wears
as, tor instance 1892 49, and o. with other similar So
res alter intervals OF ten years ana paying less regard To
the first and third series, the former rests on estimates
mace now and not OH valuations at the me and the lat
ter being in period 81: war; is rrrn ular for auur
il appears that the average increase of consumption OF
all ioeign merchandise has ben three per cent an
nuay in the last tty years, and has been equal 10
the increase OF population during the period by
over and halt per While the increase OF the
latter has also been very uniform varying between every
census and for the whole time very steadily between four
and hall and five per cent, TINT lhr former has uc-
uacd largely rising under IT,. great impulse given to
credit industry and enterprise by the adoption Of our
Constitution; 10 near seven per ceutum yearly, dur
ing most OF the first ten years, and then falling to only
about one per ccntum the next twenty years. Alter
that by one &" those customary tides in trade which
almost periodically after checks TO over
tradng, an exhaustion Of old stocks of gooCs, and en-
larged to purchase from abundant crops their
high prices. any other cause the Of increase in
Consumption again. and by Of many free
goods and especially the unprecedented imports OF spc
Gle in lcS} and 1891, amounted, average, during
the last ten years. TO four per cent annually Deduct,
however, that Of specie alone, and the increase
would not much exceed three per cent the consump
ton of all kinds of foreign mrrchundise while that
Of such merchandise pays dulcs there has, before
detailed. been great decreas, and there is lkcli
hood OF much permanent increase, till the whole impor
tl,ons shall be greatly augmented, the tariff be again
extended j larger list Of articles. BY the customary
reux Of that tide from opposite and the greater
substitution Of kinds Of domestic products it be-
licved that The above of increase, all foreign
articles, will again decline, and probably remain
much below that of population. until new legislation;
the essential alterations no" going on IN the tnrs,
shall materially enlarge tie amount Of goods paying
low duty As the capacity Of the country to purchase
foreign goods will, all ether things remaining equal, be
then enlarged in the ratio Of what it docs pay for
duties, such alterations, when their influence shall be
ully rlt in l242, will, the great alterations in 1892
and 1888 have already done, doubtless tend again to aug
ment somewhat the whole imPortatons and consump-
ton of foreign articles. Another comparative view,
perhaps striking, Of this consumption, is, that
accorded to the value Of the articles estimated the
custom house, its average amount in 100 and 81
about dcars per head to population; in leOO
and 1901 ten dollars per head in 1SlO and II,
about SEVEN but in leo and 81 only about six; and in
n)rnI liz q q
thirty years before. This great difference has probably
arisen, only from the increased domestic production
.. cerun manufactures such cottons wool!cns salt,
and iron, and OF articles more Immediately con-
nected with agriculture such sugar and moIasses, but
from fall in the price Of man articles, making the
luc less of similar quantity consumed and from the
greater extension OF population into the West where
the independent habits OF the people, and the compare
lively enhanced cost Of foreign articles, would tend TO
SMALLER consumption OF them than near the
board where their price Is lower, and is customary 10
dSprnd more on foreign supplies.
1t will be noticed, that all the above computations have
been made of Inc value, and not the quantities Of the
articles consumed Til" latter would be difficult TO
exhibit in great detail and lu!hcss But il they could
be- the result would in view connected with political
economy BE- satisfactory showing clearly
the comparative habits Of population al different Pc
RODS; because prices especially oi some manufactures,
have fallen during the last forty years: probably,
average, fifty per cent and our whole consump-
ton of foreign ARTICLES has, without doubt diminished
more in value than IN quantity
any further exhibit coupled with the circumstance, that,
in respect the anlonnl Of duties, the inquiry now most
pertinent and MATERIAL tho result, in the present state OF
the tariff would be much less important than some might
at first imagine it would b. wholly unaltcred IN al!
of specific rates of duty whether the values or the
quantities be detailed in the cnents, and equally
altered i'll half Of all the fore sn goods now import
cd they being present free, and the rate OF increase Ill
their consumption by additions to our population, or
other causes having influence whatever on the reVe-
nue..
Hence in looking TO the iutare it is essential to no.
ticc that, if the increase IL consumption o all foreign
goods should continue be average TIL lo12: as
large as during the last thirty years, 1t would only add
yearly about and oequartcr millions 70 the imports
of puods which Gutiabe, and on which the ave
rare revenue would not probably exceed two hundred
and fifty thousand dollars per annum But, Is pre-
suned that the increasing substitution IN our imPorta
tions for cOnsumplon OF Tree Tor dutauc Goons, "hrh
the former will the desired purposes OF the COM
munily will, account of their comparative cheap
u,ss make the free rather than tic dutiable goods usu
ally increase, and be frequently in ratio quite large
enough counteract or ncu'Ealzc the effects OF any
tendency augment the revenue by an increased coh'
sumption Of all kinds of foreign goods
The commercial returns for SO were net received SO
rs I, be used in any of the above computations; but SO
far as now ascerancd and estmatcd they are given In
the table and furnish another Illustration OF Their Hue ua-
ting character Of foreign trade and the uncertainty
of any statements founded 1t, which do not extend 10
COMPARISONS Of various and distant periods OF time.
The exports of domestic produce the ensuing year
will rs before Remarked exert some influence on the
amount of importaons, and hence on the revenue from
customs But the effect Of those exports on our npor-
a,ions for immediate consumption, including all but sPe-
Gle and other articles to be again exported will in renl.
y always be less than is sometimes supposed provided
the domestic supplies of similar articles should as OF late
wears continue rapidly increase, and should prove 10
be equal in quality and her price, than similar
ones imported from foreign nations In that eFent, mo
the ability of the people buy foreign goods Will i'T '
n"rToncnt returns from abroad will generally be more in
honey to be expended at o"y and less in goods to be
consnned But the diversity of opinion which exists,
concerning some Of these consIdera'lons has lea Inc 10