Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1842-05-02
WATCHMAN g. STATE JOURNAL.
MONDAY, MAY 9, ls42
REpORT or THE COMMIITEEiOF MAN.
FRACTURES ON THE TARIFF.
Presented March 81, 1912.


our columns entire This, however, could not be
done in one lumber, and we have therefore de.
teruincd to extract the most important points yer.
bam, coudensiug the re t.
The committee entered upon the duties as
signed them promptly, aud for the purpose Of
milking udcious discrimination Of duties, aim
ing at both revenue and protection they asked
Ieate Of the House to send for witnesses and take
testimony as to the operation Of the tariff laws
upon The interests of the country. This was de-
MED, and consequently they were forced to rely
upon information rom persons voluntarily in at
tendance, and from written statements voluntarily
presented. Their knowledge, then, the commit
tee shy, is lmperlecti they have possibly made
mistakes in the arrangement. ofdutes which 9th.
erwise would not have been made and they
have also been delayed, in point of time Tile
report hen proceeds
Probable amount Of rerenae necessary.
Revenue must be raisrd-it can only be raised
by duties upon imported goods. The probable a.
mount of revenue annually waited is estimated =,
e260O0,o00 or s27OOOOOO From ~ 20 40 in.
elusive the average was ah5ut % millions with
no national deLt; ori the committee think 26 or
y millions email enough in the future taking in
10 consideration the increase of population. md
the payment Of the existing deut and interest ON
treasury notes.
Probable anount If dut,abie Imports
The average from 1884 to 1910 was about 20
millions per annuin, and the committee estimate
that the amount for this and the two subsequent
years viii fall below the average. Under the OK.
IsIing (compromise) nct The revenue will he hut
about 10 millions. revision of the tariff. then.
is considered absolutely necessary for revenue
and the commineo suggest that by the terms Of
ne compromise act, it is extremely doubtful
Whether any duties at all can be collected after the
sub Of June next, without the action ofCongress.
THE compromise act
Required that the duties by the act Of 1892
should be reduced TO 20 per cent. ad valorem on
hc 5Ulh OF next June but the committee deny
that there is any provision require all duties to
be limited 10 that SUM. Congress could not thus
bind the nation for all time to come. The com.
nIitlee, however, are disposed TO carry out the
compromise act, 50 far as they can consistently
WIN The Interests of the government and the Sc
curly and preservation Of great interests, which
have grown under the policy of our laws" Cash
duties are approved; and IA ware housing system
10 iavorably considered though the committee
choose 10 present Il eaperate bill hereafter on this
last point.
Home Udludtion
Anxiety is expressed to Retain this feature of the
act Of 1888, but its practicobty is considered
very doubtful nevertheless no change is embra-
ced in the bill. The committee Of lhe Senate
offers system Of home valuation (by fixing the
value Of dulable articles at specific sum by law
which can be Incorporated into this BILL il deem
ed adyizable. This plan strikes us favorabIy :
for instance, let wool be fixed unchaugeably at
any price. is it not then perfectly easy put upon
it duty high enough for protection, which will
operate precisely like specific duly?l
The mode of imposing duties.
IF the raising the necessary revenue were the
OILY Object, their task would have been coinpnra-
lively easy but far difficult question nrose
the manner in which it shall be rased whelh-
er by Il uniform aud horizontal, or 10y varying
and discriminating rate OF duties as regard to the
revenue and 10 The condition Of great interests in
our country might require. They fully accord
with the President, in the opinion expressed in
that part Of his message referred 10 hem: I'm I'M
posing duties however, for the purposes of reve-
nue., right to discriminate us 10 the articles on
winch The duty shall be laid, well The amount
necessarily aud properly exists Otherwise the
Government would he placed IN the condition of
having to levy the same duties upon all articles,
the productive well as the unproductiye The
slightest duty upGH some might hnye the effect of
causing Their importation to cease whereas 9th
a
the country, might bear the heaviest, without auy
sensible dimnution in the amount imported So
also the Government may be Justified in so dis
crmlnatng, by reference to other considerations
OF domestic policy connected with our manulnc-
lures. so long Us the duties shall be laid with dis
tinct reference 80 the wants of the Treasury, no
well-iohnded objection can exist against them.
The President Inns here expressed opinions ia
accordance with those Of his predecessors, who
have recommended the encouragement of man
ulacures, either an important source of nation
al wealth, or to render us independent Of foreign
nations for our necessary supplies in he event Of
war.
The lnpost system of The United States has
been, from the first act in 1889, and more esDec-
tally since 1916, intimately connected wilh the
growth and protection of American capital and
labor rs to have raised up great national interests
which have become Indispensable to the prosper.
ity of the country, aud the destruction of which
would spread calamity over its whole extent. They
have grown up under our system Of Iaws; they
are connected with all the other great interests OF
the nation and al must agree that they cannot be
dsregarded in any new adjustment Of the revenue
system, without The most serious consequences.
1t is impossible TO Iegslate this subject with
out affecting these interests, for good or for evil
such is the necessary connexiOn between the reg
uatio0 of duties aud all the great departments OF
industry No one, il is presumed would desire
any change in Our policy which would materially
iniure, mueh less destroy, these great int sresis
spread over the nation in which our citizens have
embarked capital TO a vast emount, relying on the
faith oftbe Government that Congress would here
after, as they have hitherto, so adjust the tariff OF