The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1842-01-04

of the act of 1898 upon the manufactures and
mechanical trades of the country, particularly
if 10 home valuation be- found, makes the In
quiry tooimportant to be overlooked.
1t is fully acknowledged that all duiesshould be
laid with primary reference TO revenue and il |
is admitted, without hesitation or reserve, that
70 mere money should be raised. under any
preterce whatever, than such an amount as IS
necessary for an economical administration OF
the Government. But within these limits,
ard as Incidental TO the raising of such reve-
nues IS NAV be absolutely necessary. AT is De.
Geyed that discrimination may be made, ana
duties imposed in such manner as that,whlle no
mart Of protection will be extended to the labor
and industry of large masses Of the people
while the whole country will be rendered more
prosperous in peace, and Inhnltely stronger
and better prepared if foreign war shouid
come upon US. The principle OF dIscrlmina-
ton has obtained from the period OF the foun
dalton of the Government. In many cases
it anay be found TO be Indispensable to
the interests of the revenue, if in fixing
system Of duties it it consists with the
true policy of the country SO to apportIon'
them among the various species of imports as
10 favor our own manufactures at the same
time that the revenue itself is benefited, and
no Injustice done to any. it would seem proper
and wise to reject arbitrary limits and the idea
of a forced and unnatural uniformity.
The Undersigned feels no difficulty in ad-
hitting that duty Of twenty per cent ad valo
rem, assessed upon the value of imported afii
cles in our own ports, would in mauy instances
be rate sufficiently high for the bene6; of The
revenue and also afford reasonable encourage
merit to home producers of the articles. As 10
those, therefore, the object of the act OF 1888
will be ACCOMPLISHED, if its provision for home
valuation be carried out BY Congress. But no
still supposes that there several descriptions
OF imored manufactures and produce, which
would well bear higher duty than twenty per
cent. upon The home value, and thus yield
greater revenue, 10 the Government, while, in
regard TO some of then, it will DC found that,
without such increased duty, the labor OF large
classes, engaged in producing similar articles,
will be greatly depressed, not entirely sup
planted.
II is unquesionaby true. ami well worthy OF
remark, that tic &C. 1888 was avowedy con-
scrvaiive in lis Objects and character; and,
While it was designed 10 remove what was es
cemed grievance by one part OF the country.
il was not intended that the Interests of any
other should be sacrificed by it. On the con-
i.ary a reasonable security was intended for
al lis true spirit, therefore, will be bat carried
cut bv acting. under any new state of circum-
-siunces with reference 10 the same great OBJ
tcts, and doing Justice alike 10 all. The great
,prlncipla Of thai act was moderation and con-
ciliaiion, and lhis should never be lost sight Of.
iSu, the measures proper and necessary 10 carry
Il. 10, IN f Ito
circumstances of the country c1H for such
change, without any departure from the Princi
pic itself.
No!hin. is moro established by our expert
ece and the experience of oiler na'Ions. than
that the aGgtrs NATION of duties does not aug
meat, IN an equal degree. the cost o: The article
10 Tie consumer. Ia many cases II appears
lot TO increase that cost at all. Very often
tie price 20 the consumer is kept down, not
wilAslcnciu@ an increase Cf duties, parity by
The great, f SUPPLY Of the home production, and
partly by lie reduction of The price in the ioc-
tign market. Ii is believed, indeed, that there
lave bc,n cases in which the joint operation OF
lie Two Causes has occasioned prices 10 iall
lower ikan they were before The increase ofJu-
tics was lalJ.
THIS result in Tie operation Of udc ard
business nli.!t readily be traced 10 lis cduseS;
bu; Il FIJI exposition Of those causes, aid the
modes of their operation, would too much swell
his report. Suffice il 10 say. ihut when al ad
dtionai duty is laid on an article, il a country
IN which the articles is extensively consumed,
TIC hurdcnl always falls in part and sometimes.
US experience shows, altogether, upon the
foreign producer. The foreign producer must
sell and il III The place Of sale he finds an ar
liclc produced on the spot which comes Into
adyaotgcous competition with his own. by rea-
son Of paying no duties, he sill must SILL ; and.
for tie sake OF being able 10 bear The burden
ofihc duties himself Tie du:y borne BY the
foreign producer in suclcasc is like The charge
for transpOriaiion-il is something which is
Necessary TO bring him into The market Of CON-
petition. Analogous instances occur in do
nestle trade. The wheat grower Of Indiana,
who incurs heavy expenses in conveying his
flower 10 an Atlantic port, expects 10 higher
price for it when it arrives there then is paid
for flour of tue same quality 10 producers in
the immcd neigborhood. The cost oftrans-
ror,aton, therefore, does not operate 50 much
10 raise the price al the place OF sale as 10 d.
minish il al the place of production.
Now the great law which regulates prices. by
demand and supply. is sternly observed in cases
of foreign Importation as in this instance of
domestic trade. The undersigned cannot for
bear TO add, that vastly the greater portion of
the agricultural population of The United States
is obliged to rely mainly upon the home mar
ket for sale of its products, although large
part ofihosc products, (wheal for insla Ice,) is
sucn as often enters extensively into the con-
sumption Of the world. The quantity of -four
and Indian corn exported from this country is
altogether lacorsiderable, in comparison with
- -n.,-,. L. l.