The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1842-07-12
TARIFF BILL VETOED.
NJ Z S S A e. E e.

Read IN the House OF Representatives.
Wednesday, June %, 1912.
To the House of Representatives.
| return the bill which originated in the
House of Representatives,, entitled San act
to extend, for limited period, the present
laws for laying and collecting duties on i'm
ports, with the following objections
1t suspends-in other words, abrogates
for the time-the provision of the act of 1893,
commonly called the compromise act. -
The only ground on which this departure
from the solemn adjustant of a great and
agitating question seems TO have been re-
garded as expedient, is the alleged necessity
OF establishing, oy legislative enactments,
rules and regulations for assessing the du-
ties to be levied on imports, after the 3Oth
June, according to the home valuation and
yet the expressly provides that ''if, before
the LIST of August. there be no further legis-
lation upon the subject, the laws for laying
and collecting duties shall he The same as
though this act mad not been passed" In
other words, that the act of 1888. imperfect
as it is considered, shall IN that case con-
tnue to be, and TO be executed. under such
rules and regulations as previous statutes
had prescribed, or had enabled the Execu-
five Department to provide for that purpose,
leaving the supposed chasm in the revenue
laws such as 1t was before.
am certainly far from being disposed to
deny that additional legislation upon the
subject IS very desirable; on the contrary,
the necessity, as well as difficulty, Of estab-
fishing uniformity in the appraisement to
be made in conformity with the true
intention of that act, was brought to the
notice of Congress, in my message to Con-
gross at the opening of its present session.
But, however sensible may be of the en-
| barrassment to which the Executive, in the
absence of all aid from the superior wisdom
of the legislature, will be liable, in the en-
forcement of the exising laws, have not.
with the sincerest wish to acquiesce in its
expressed will, been able to persuade myself
that exigency of the occasion is so great as
10 justify me in signing the bill in question,
with my present views of its character and
effects. The existing laws | am advised,
are sufficient TO authorize and enable the
collecting officers, under the directions of
the Secretary of the Treasury, TO levy the
duties imposed by the act of 1888.
The act was passed under peculiar cir
cumstances, to which it is not necessary
that should do more than barely allude.-
Whatever may be, in theory, its character,
have always regarded it as imparting the
highest moral obi CATION. 1t has now exis
ted for nine years, unchanged in any es-
sential particular, with as general acquies-
cence, it is believed, of the whole country,
as that country has ever manifested for any
of her wisely established institutions. 1t has
insured to it the repose which always flows
from timely, wise and moderate councils
a repose the more striking, because of the
long and angry agitations which proceeded
it. This salutary law proclaims, in express
terms. the principle, which, while 1t led TO
the abandonment of scheme of indirect
taxation founded on a false basis, and push. ,
cd TO dangerous excess, Justlhes any en- /
argement of duties that may be called for
by the real exgencies of public service. 1t .
provides "that duties shall be laid for the :
purpose of raising such revenue as may be
necessary to an economical administration
of the Government. 1t is therefore, in
the power of Congress TO lay duties as high
as high as its discretion may dictate, for the
necessary uses of the Government, without
infringing upon the objects OF the act OF
1899. | do not doubt that the exIgencles
Of the Government do require an increase
Of the tariff of duties above 20 per cent
and as little doubt that Congress may,
above as well as blow that rate. so dlscrim
mate as to give incidental protection to
industry-thus 10 make the
burdens which it is compelled tc impose
upon the people, for the purposes of Gov
eminent, productive of a double benefit.
This, most of the reasonable opponents
of protective duties seem willing to concede;
and, if we may Judge from the manifesto
tons Of public opinion in all quarters, this
is all that the manufacturing interests real
ly require. am happy in the persuasion
that this double object can be most easily
and effectually accomplished at the present
juncture, without any departure from the
spirit and principle of the statute in question.
The manufacturing classes have now an
which may never occur again,
of permanently identifying their interests
with those of the whole country, and ma
king them, in the highest sense of the term,
a national concern. The moment is pro-
pitous to the interests of the whole country,
in the introduction of harmony among all
its paris and all lis several interests. The
same rate of imposts, and no more, as will
most surely re'establish the public credit.
will secure to the manufacturer all the pro-
lection he ought TO desire, with every pros
pect of permanence and stability which the
hearty acquiescence of the whole county,
on reasonable system, can hold out TO .
him.
But of this universal acquiescence, and
the harmony and confidence, and the ma
nv other benefits that will certainly result
from it, L regard the suspension of the law
for distributing the proceeds of the sales
of the public lands as an indispensable
condition. This measure is, in my judg-
L. hor Z