Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-03-13

congress-, ana the duty OF III cents re-
tanned, and Mr.. Brown says is continued
to the present day, and amounts to 40
per cent on the original cost of the article.
Now does, or does not Mr.. Brown know
that by the famous act called " Compro-
mise act" passed in 1888, (about which
much complaint has been made against
Mr.. Clay for breaking down the tariff po-
licy) the excess of all duties over 20 per
cent, was gradually reduced, so that in
1S42 this excess will be wholly abolished!
If then 10 cents pcrs bushel, amounts to
40 per cent on the cost, the duty in 1912
will be but 5 cents. And now / must be
permitted to say, that any attempt at this
time to repeal the small duty on salt,
(though doubtless not so intended by Mr..
Smith) is measure of hostility to the
tariff policy there is however very little
danger from it, for there is just about as
much prospect of the adoption of sucl, a
measure, without general revision of
the tariff, as there is Of filling the pockets
of all the people with gold, and no more.
But Jet us examine some of the state
ments of Mr.. Brown a little further. He
says he believes the duties paid by the
people of Vermont on salt, to be at least
$50, 900; though he says he has not the
means of asccrtaining the exact amount,
admtthat he has not, yet think he has the
means ofascertaining that his statement,
is exceedingly erroneous, and | should
like to know upon what data he has based
his statements; he surely would not haz-
ard it without some calculation founded
on correct data. Every one must see
that his estimate would give every man
woman and child in Vermont, bushel
of imported salt, and leave an excess of
nearly 10000 bushels, calculating the
number Of people by the last census,
which may have increased sufficient to
swallow up this excess But it is compu-
ted by intelligent mon, that taking the
whole population Of Vermont, not more
than one bushcl of salt, is consumed to
every three persons; this, even admitting
that every bushol consumed was imported,
and paid duty of 10 cents, would re-
ducc his estimate two-thirds; and if, as
he alleges, that this duty of 10 cents
amounts to 40 per cent on the cost, then
his estimate is still further greatly reduced;
and in 1912 will be reduced one half, by
the operation of the Compromise acts
But will Mr.. Brown assert that one half
or even one fourth Of the salt consumed
in Vermont is imported salt? 1t is be-
lleved by some that not one sixth is i'm
ported. But suppose it to be one fourth.
(and the exact amount | admit cannot be
ascertaincd) every man must see how
vastly short of Mr.. Browns estimate
(Which he has volrnteered) this tax falls.
The west side of the mountain is supplied
principally from salt manufactured in n.
York, and the east side to a great extent
by that which is manufactured on the sea
coast. But Mr. Brown may say that
owing to our contiguity TO Canada the
duty falls more oppressively on the pco-
pie of this section. Well, if the object
is to legislatc for Mr. Smiths District so
be it. | have no objection, though the
fact that we have the benefit of the Can
ada market should not be one of conf
plant. think however there is great
mistake as to the quantity of salt imported
from Canada. The most of the salt con-
sumed in this section of the State, not
withstanding the 'odious monopoly ofth
Empire State is brought through the
Champlain Canal and the Lake. The
means of asccrtaining the exact amount
imported from Canada, can be obtained,
though have not those means at hand.
But find the average amount of duties
on all articles imported INTO Vermont of
erery description, for the five years pre-
ceding the reduction of duties in 1880 to
be yearly S6,6Ol 4S, and for the five sue
ceedmg years, to be IS, l5S 80; "a sum
hardly sufficient to pay the expense of
collectlng) and from this some opinion
may be formed of the amount of duty on
the single article of salt
1t is fact worthy of notice, to those
who suppose that the salt consumed in
Vermont is to great extent imported
from Canada, that IN the last year ending
LIST of January 1889 there was 1915
bushels more Of domestic salt (manutac-
tured IN the United States) exported into
the British American Colonies, than was
imported into the United States from
those Colonies. The amount imported,
through much larger than the year before
was 9O227 bushels, and when it is re-
membered that those portions of the
United States bordering on Champlain,
the st. Lawrence, and western Lakes,
as well as on Lower Canada and New
Brunswick, are supplied to a considera-
BILE extent from this source it can not be
believed that more than one eighth of the
quantity was imported into this State,
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