New-York tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1841-1842, 1841-12-25

for such home valuation found gives rise to inquiry
TOE important to be overlooked.
1t Is fully acknowledged that all duties should
be laid with primary reference TO revenue; and il
is admitted. without hesitation or reserve, that no
more money should be raised under any preteace
whatever. than such an amount as Is necessary Tor
! n economical administration of the Government.
But within these limits. AID incidental 70 the
raising OF such revenue : ma .. absolutely
cessary, it is believed that discrimination may be
made and duties imposed in such manner that.
while no part OF The country will suffer loss ia
convenience most beneficial degree OF pro-
lection vii! be extended TO the labor and indus
,rv of large masses of The people, the whole
country will be rendered more prosperous in
peace. and iniiaitelys tronear and better pre-
pared, if foreign war should come upon US
Inc principle OF discrimination has obinined from
the period Of the foundation Of the Government.
In many cases ii may be found indispensable 10 the
interests of the revenue iteef; and if, N fixing
system of duties it corssts with the best Interests
and true policy OF the country to aPportioH thera
among the varisus species of imports as TO favor
our own manufactures al the same time that the
revenue itself Is benefited, and no injury done 10
aav. it would seem proper and wise 20 reject arbi-
uniformity.
The Undersigned feel. no difficulty in admitting
that duty OF twenty per cent. ad valorem, as
sessed upon the value of imported articles in our
own pors, would in many instance. be rate sui:i-
ccnty high Tor the benefit OF the revenue. and also
afford reasonable encouragement to home prods-
GERS of the same articles. As those, the object
OF the ac; OF 1888 viii be accomplished. ii It's pro-
vision for home valuation be carried out by Con
gre-s. But he still -upposes that thcre are several
descriptions of imported manufactures and pre-
ducc. which would well beara higher duty than
twenty per cent. upon the home value and thus
WELD greater revenue Ia the Government. while.
IN regard TO some OF them, it will be found that.
without much Increased duty, the labor OF large
classes engaged in producing similar articles. will
be greatly depressed il not entirely suppla7ted.
IL Is unGues,ionaby true ard we'll worthy OF
remark. that the act OF 1913 was avowedy conscr-
vatye in It's objects and character; and. while 1t
was designed 10 remove what esteemed
grievance By one part of the country, 1t not IN
tended that the interests OF any other should nc
feed TO It, On The contrary, a reasonable 'ecu-
ritv was intended FOR oil. It's spirit therefore,
will be best carried out by acting, under any new
state of circumstances, with reference TO the same
great objects and doing Justice alike to all. The
areat principle o. that act moderation and con-
citation. and this should never be lost sight Of
But the measures proper and necessary TO carry
out that principle may be changed, if the altered
circumstances OF the country call tor such change
without any departure from the principle itself.
Nothing i, more established by our experience
and the experience of other nations, than that the
augmentation of duties does not augment, in
equal degree the cost of the article 10 the consul
mcr In many cases 1t appears not 10 increase
that cost at all. Very often the price to the con-
sumer is kept down, Notwithstanding an increase
of duties partly by the greater supply OF the home
production and partly by the reduction Of the price
in the foreign market. 1t is believed indeed, that
there have been cases in which the ONT operation
OF the twJ causes has occasioned prices to fall
lower than they before the increase OF duties
was laid
This result in the operation of trade and business
might readily be traced to IT, causes bat full
exposition of those causes, and the modes OF their
operation, would too much swell this report. SUIT
fcc it to say, that when additional duty is laid
on an article, in country in which that article is
extensively consumed, the burden always falls in
part and sometimes as experience has shown,
altogether upon the foreign producer. The foreign
producer must sell and If, in the place OF sale, he
mas hil pIOuuCtu VII sppl NHlCu tpnuts
into advantageous competition with his own, by
reason of paying no dutie-, ne still must sell, and
for the sake of being able to do it. he must be
tent to bear the burden of the duties himself Tho
duty borne BY the foreign producer, in such
is like the charge for transportation; it is some-
thing which is necessary to bring him into the mar
ket of competition.
Analogous instances occur in domestic trade.
The wheat-grower of Indiana, who incurs heavy
expenses in conveying hi. floor to an Atlantic port,
expects no higher prics for it when it arrives there
than is paid for -four of the sane qnali;y to pro-
tucers IN the Immediate neis hborhood The cost
OF transportation, therefore, does not operate SO
much to raise the price at the place of sale as to
diminish it at the place of production. Now, the
great law which regulates prices, by demand and
supply, is sternly observed in OF foreign i'm
as in this instance of domestic trade.
The undersigned cannot forbcar to add, that vastly
the greater portion OF the agricultural population
ii the United States is obliged rely mainly upon
the home market for sale of ths products, al
though a large part of those products, (wheat for
instance) is such as often enters extensively int
the consumption of the world. the quantity at
flour and Indian exported from this country
is altogether inconsiderabe, in comparison with
the quantity consumed in the large cities and man
ufacturing towns, which have either entirely grown
uo or added largely TO their population under the
influence of laws OF Congress, passed since the
end of the last war, upon domestic labor and in
dusry.
The immense interchange of products. all being
the result of labor. which now takes place between
the producers OF subsistence and the population
above mentioned shows the advantage which one
elias, is To the other and the essential importance
to both of preserving their existing relations. 1t
the consumption of -four and grain in the manu-
featuring districts, especially the North and East,
decline TO that extent there Is absolute loss to the
wheat and corn grower; since the quantity con-
,urscd BY them viii find d market nowhere else.