The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1841-01-13
ENGLISH TARIFF AND IMPORTS.

ENGLISH TARIFF AND IMPORTS.
A Committee Of the House Of Commons has
lately been appointed to inquire into the sew
eral duties levied on imports into the United
Kingdom and how fai those duties are for pro
lection to similar articles, the produce Of man
ufacturs of this country, or of the British pos
sessions abroad, or whether the duties are for
leo state that in consequence of the advanced
period of the session of Parliament, they can
no, do Justice to the importance OF their subject,
and shall confine themselves 10 reporting the
general lmprss,ious which they have received
from he evidence presented TO them. At the
same time. thew are persuaded that the sub.
cct cannot be a,tentlrely examined without
producing conviction that some important
changes are called for in thsir custom house
legislation.
This same sacrifice of the revenue To small
producing interests. obtains as well with re-
spect to tho British colonies TO the I,aren,
country. and the conmti"c refer 10 the articles
Of colonial sugar and coffee aS examples ol the
III effects of this protective system, winch re-
suits in making the English consumer pay
higher prices than he otherwise would. and IN
iniurina the revenue, which would be increas-
ed by the introduction oi foreign articles The
committee find that in ,.S and 80, So articles
are set Down as productive oi duty.
On articles Of food alone, II i. said that the
amount thus taken from the consumer exceeds
the amount of all the other taxes which are
levied by government. The action of high
protective duties is very similar. These i'm
pose upou the consumer a lax equal 10 the
mount Of the duties levied upon The foreign ar
ticlc. whilst II also increases the price OF all the
competing home produced articles to the same
amount rs the duty; but that increased price
Il. L.. .t,l
manufacturer. 1t is obVous that high pro-
tectvc duties check importation, and conss-
'qucntly are unproductise to the revenue: and
experience shews that the prsit to the Iiader,
The benefit 10 The consumer, and the fiscal IN
lerrst OF the county, ATE all sacrificed when
heavy import duties impede the interchange Of
commodities With other nations
] The committee also spcak of the effects OF
I the protective system on dumesliC manufactures
and labor They find that the amount oi du-
ties levied rudcr plea of protection TO British
manufactures, doSs not exceed $500, 600 They
find that many Of ;hs manufacturers themselves
do not believe that the protective system. on
the whslc, is bs.efciai ta issIr interests, and
that some are perfectly willus 10 Nave II abol-
ished for the purpose ot ntroduclng more
liberal system int" the commeic cal policy ut
Great Britain. The committee sec reason 10
believe ibst the most prosperous tabTlch arc
those that flourish wIIhoat special favsrs-tSsi
English manufactures do not owe their success
10 the exclusion OF foreign rNal ariicles-and
that foreign manufactures 10 not owe heir sue
cess TO protective system IN their several ceun-
tres. They think also, that the heavy duucs
of England are q serious bar TO advantageous
isrsisn relations. by compelling other nations
to adopt,a system OF retaliation, aud thus taxing.
II not ptohibitnc, the products, pi British labor.
With regard to the cfioc,s OF the protective
sysirp en- labef, the coinm,Itee are of opinion.
THAT the best service that cuuId be render
ed To the industrious classes al the community,
would be to extend The field of labor and de-
msnd for labor. by an extension Of our com-
merce aud ths, the supplaoinc The present
system OF protection and piohibrivn. by a mod
crate tariff. would encourage aud multiply
most beneficial, for the state and for the people
our commercial transactions"
/ IL seems hardly possible ihst public feeling
IN England will Keep pace with the liberal views
OF tbIs committee. Should, however. an e.
qualized aud moderate English tariff grow oai
ofthis report. it could 10 far towards settling
the often caurassed question Of the " American
protective tariff" Que OF the weightiesi reasons
utgtd for which is, the British system Of heavy
duties, which prevents the export Of our over
plus bread siuils, IN payment for the floods oi
British manufactures Vcuiug " upon Us al.
ur.i scot iCe-- Boston Ptst.