The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-08-19
Farmers! Wool
ers, Look at this!
The Tariff Bill.

On motion of Mr. EVANS, the Senate Aug. 3,
proceeded with the unfinished business OF yesterday,
Che further consideration of the revenue bill JAS in
committee Of the whole; the question pending be-
ing on Mr. BENTON's amendment to strike ont the
word screR and insert fire, in the 9th line Of the
first section; which will be understood from the
following extract of that part Of the first section in
which the word seven occurs:
"On coarse wool manufactured, the value
whereof, at the last port or place whence exported
to the United States, shall be screen cents, or I'M
der, per pound, there shall DO levied duty Of five
per ccn,um ad valoren,.
Mr. BENTON said that on this notion as on all
others to be made either by himself or others, he
intended to be BRIEF limiting himself to the explain
ntory statements which were necessary TO make
his object known. lie wished to have his share il,
the legislation of the session. and for that purpose
to offer the amendments which he deemed ncccssa-
ry to improve the character Of the hill Lu, he did
not wish to delay the action of the body, and pro-
lorg session already 10 long, The bill before the
Senate was an important onc-a tax Till OF D
pngcs--and it was his right and his duty 10 attempt
to improve It. lie could not reconcile ii 10 any
sense Of duty TO permit D. pages of taxes to 90
through the Senate without examination and with
out attending to details, and the duties ON items,
in which all practical Legislation depended The
present motion was TO reduce the minimum on wool
from cents to 8 cents. by the bill, wool was
divided into two classes: above cents cost, il is TO
pay Il heavy duty, To wit cents per pound, and
30 per ccnum on tho yaue costing less than 7
cents, it is TO pay but per ccnlum, which Is the
same rs free.
Now the object of the bill is revenue, and these
rates defeat reycnuc one is too high, the other too
low. All the wool that is imported, will be 50
managed as to bring it under the cents cost
This is proved by cNprlcnce. The same cIassll-
cation Of imported wool has been heretofore made
IS cents being given in place of 7-and what was
tho consequence! why, that nine millions OF
pounds light of foreign wool was imported at Il
value under 8 cents, TO wit, at 7 Ia cents; and
only half million pounds weight above the value
of cents. Thus. there was no revenue from
wool! aud thus it will be again; for although cts.
is substituted for s, yet the universal reduction of
prices is greater than in that proportions; and the
result viii be the same under the minimum of I
rs Of 8. No re, clue will be had from wool, and
m injury will be done to agriculture. Wool is an
agricultural product. All parts Of our country
produce il, and produce all qulilics Of it, and in
any quantity that the manufacturers can consume.
The argument on The other side is, that no wool
W lIils W" UVlN'u NllN " -'VNH III wv h'''
States. TO which the answer might he, that this
bill intends there shall be such and, for that
purpose, will take care TO keep down the home
product, by encouraging the foreign importation.
Even if all should be fair, and no wool actually
imported but tina, which cost less than cents still
there would be- an interference with our domestic
wool for this item differing from the rule establish
ed for other importa,ions--i home valuation
takes the foreign cost for the ascer,ainment Of the
value; and we know that on the coasts Of Asia
Minor aud in South America, the sheep is worth
almost nothing; and the wool il, consequently pur-
chased for a mere lrc. lf all was fair there would
still he a dangerous interference with homegrown
wool but all would not be fair Good wool will
be mixed up with coarse Low prices in foreign
ports--in Asia aud South Amcrica-wlll be prov
ed: and wool worth much more than cents the
pound will be imported at per ccntuni--that Is
10 say, free Of duty-will be imported as costing
less. This has been the case under the cents
limit, and will be under the I; and thus, an injury
will be worked both 10 the revenue and TO the az
ricuura interest of the country. MIR u. showed
that the bill contained provisions TO connteract
these frauds, which admitted their existence; while
the law was important 10 prevent them. The true
remedy was, TO make the limit SO low, that II
would only cover the really coarse wocls; and he
proposed as the limit. which would effect that
object Mr. X. said II was evidently TO favor manu-
features that this classification Of woods was made,
aud nine millions of pounds admitted free of duty.
Now, (Nlr u. said, )the manufacturers which work
cd up domestic material stood on very differ
ent footing from those which worked up foreign
mYerials. The former encouraged our agicul-
tyre; the latter discouraged it, And Of this charac
Ter was the manufacture Of this foreign wool. II
was the manufacture Of foreign article and il TO
this is added that foreign soap is 10 be admitted
free Of duty, to wash it-foregn oil free, TO greese
t-and foreign ingredients frec.t dye it-then the
name Of domestic manufacture would become fan
ciful and imaginary. There would be nothing
domestic about it but the name. Mr. D. said
that further reason for making these coarse woods
nay vo,no fpvonuc A. Tho tro.eury in tho lp,i