Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-06-21

POLITICS..

tefora CONGRESS is the object OF the writer make
appear in be aaderStood what the red per cent
are duty would be under the SPECIFIC rates proposed oy
the bill now under consideration in the House from the
Committee Of Ways and Means, upon 4 lew oil the
more prominent articles OF import, say those manuiac-
Iured from and wool casual observer On tax
ing up this h and looking under the cotton section,
might rest satisfied with reading follows On all ma
nuacures of cotton OF which cotton shall be COM
ponent part, not otherwise specified, duty oil Mrty
per centum" the minimum provisions afterwards IN
troduced, read by any but merchant would pfooaoiy
be passed over without being thoroughly understood,
and therefore taken for granted evyng duty some
ing near 80 per bat let us look at The practcai
operation of this matter, let unnask tins most spe'
cous mode Of framing tariff 10 SUIT particular inter
este and then will be more apparent what duties are
levied or protection, and what for revenue (See Mole
A.
The first article enumerated above, although only
costing Sd sterling, or cents - under thus new o,ai,
"aken and deemod to hcce cost ~ cents, and pays ~
per cent duty that assumed value thus, before the
per centage named in the bill go per cent? applied
there is no less than 233} per cent added on to the
actual cost to prepare for tie Application OF The mo
derate dutu of 30 per cent named IN the bIi Ihs
IL the operation of specific or minimum duties, and
while they prohibition all the lower qualities
of the above articles they appear to the world Us mere
y revenue duty under moderate rate oil so'aehl"S
about 30 per The above article costing l0!d-
sterling, 81 'aken and deemed TO have cost
% cents, and pays 50 per cent on that assumed
value, being 3od per cent. on It's actual cost. oh
printed cottonS the minimum value Is ou Genus pei
square yard and prints Gan article OF more general
consumption than any thing else) II as follows: See
Note Is
The average of prints imported cost about cd.
sterling, or cents per square yard duty as above o0
per cent while under the present tariff OF ) 10 w per
running yard (or Isl per cent. cosl they can sell
dom be sold any profit the lower qualities almost
entirely excluded under present rate OF duty and
It will be perceived that, 10 prepare the above article,
costing 3D. sterling for the application ofMe 30per cent
duty must be first raised to the 30 cent minimum,
which done by adding 1884 per cent on to lis actual
cost, then 30 per cent that gives lU0 per cent
duty. But this is not all; not satisfied with so enor.
nous and arbitrary valuation cotton goods as is
here stated ranging from 30 to 100 per cent dis,nc
ton and exception for The first time attempted 10 be
made between coored cotton goods manufactured by
mapping raising, cutting or sheang, Called mole
skins, cords tus,ans &c and other coloed cottons,
the effect OF which distinction viii inevitably be TO eI
clude these articles entirely under the present duty, 1t
IS only the finer qualities that be imported to any
profit, although they articles OF very extensive con-
SUMPTION and prtactpay among tie corhtng classes
the minimum in the proposed bill is fixed al fifty cents
the square yard, I'm the tariff Of 1892 it was 30 cents
and the real per cenage duty is as follows (See Note
c.
Under the present tariff the importer can barely in
troduce an article low 3D. sterling although
the present duty only IL per running yard or
- per cost; Id sterling about the average
OF what is imported aud il the i'd. and I'd
ARTICLES almost entirely excluded ioir, what would
be the probable revenue derived from then, with an
additional duty OF % and l02 per cent TO the present
rate provided for above OF course not one cent
therefore what premium is here held out Tor snug
Cling. Only look 1t the enorm,ty OF this dscTmIna
lion against The article OF nocSkins, land only yet
manufacturing establishment to legislate form order
IL prepare this article costing 4d sterling far the ap
piicati0n Of the moderate duty o! 80 per cent add
ton of 800 per cent. has first be pat the
raise il TO the arbitrary and may well be said, rid
culous value OF - cents per square yard!,! Surely
this absurd to pass under The false colors of
rersnus duty Truly, if this be SUCH should like TO
know what would amount 10 protocion' The above
are all articles which consume largely Of the great
pic of our country, particularly those goods manuac
iurel BY nappng or raising, cutting or shearng; and
Ought 10 BE- borne in mind that the manufacturer has
indirectly large protection on cotton goods IN addition
10 the duty, that whica Is paid by the foreign
manufacturer the shape of freight insurance and
commissions the material as well rs duty on the
at the foreign port OF entry this together with
freight, Shipping charges, and insurance on the manu-
featured article when shipped ont here makes Of itself
very large per ccnage; and yet in addition 10 this
asked to levy for the protection Of the
home manufacturer To the tune of 30 TO 40 per cent
upon the cost ., Truly the time has arrived when 1t
IS we'll worthy the consideration of those who
terested in the cultivation of the great staple of our
country how long would ii probably be under such
course of policy before the cottong grower would be de-
prved OF all foreign markets. shipping interest,
what would Then become ofou. carrying trade: word
more however Inrcgard to minimum and specific duties,
and have done II has been often asserted debate that
there is precedent the tariff OF So Tor specific rates
as high 5 proposed, excepting with moleskns,
&c, and this TO have gained general creGenre;
but the all important fact entirely overlooked, that,
while the specific duty proposed is nominaUy not
much beyond what 1t was ten years ago, yet IN the
mean time the value of goods has undergone decline Of
more than onethrd, consequently the specific du
~ per yard laid much heavier tar, larger
per cenage, than 1t ten years as, for instance
an article Of printed cotons then costing ID sterling
Il cents, and measuring 10 inches wide, deemed
have 81 cents, and paid - per cent. that, or
s. cents the yard being Isl per cent on the then cost;
now the article will cost say I'd. sterling, ~
cents by the prescn, bill il is deemed 10 80 cents,
and pay 30 per centum that, which amounts to
q cents, or per centum the presen. cost; thus,
while the specific duty now proposed is nomiuaHy |
nearly as in 1882 the article realty taxed 26t
per cent more than il then = The falling off in
our imports of these amporant articles, even under
The tariff of 1910, ought to be warning 10 gentlemen
who are now advocating such an exclusive policy the
average of cotton goods imported in the years 1885,
and = being Sl4, ISL 3S per annum; in 1885, 9 and
40, sc, 265l 04 per annum, and III 1910 alone, only
S6,404,4e4M
Again the following q specific duty without
minmum) the duty proposed would be prohibition
OF all low qualities. (See Note D.
By the Secretary Of the Treasury sbils, hemp carpet
ing FUSED extensively by the poorer classes 30 inches
wide costing cd. sterling, or ~ cents, would pay 80
cents, or $50 per cent. cost now 1t pays ~ per
cent again, costing Sd. sterling, 10 cents, would
paw 80 cents or loS per cent cost. Under the
bill goods made from spun silk, (there being no pro-
q, TINT from, oruan2ine silk which