Holly Springs gazette., 1843-01-20
From the National Inttlligencer.
THE NEW TARIFF


cient revenue. and at the same time to af-
ford incidentally, but intentionally. an ade
quate protection to American industry Il
has been assaied with good deal Of vio-
lence by certain partisan presses and by in
terested individ uals. The object fthe pre-
] sent communication IS an examination into
the justice of these attacks, and an inquiry
how far they are we'll founded
1t is true the bill passed both Houses of
| Congress BY the smallest possible ajorities.
and after Ioug discussion. But we should
search in vain in those debates for many OBJ
/ iectons to lis details. 1t was opposed in gen
eral terms as highly protective, instead of
being horizontal, in conformity with the
compromise bill; as giving a bounty to the
manufacturers at the expense of other inter
ests as interfering with the distribution of
the public lands; and as being too high for
the purpose of revenue.
Ii is true that this bill supersedes the CON-
promise act 1t re-es:ablishes the principle
of incidental protection in the mode Of levy
ing duties on merchandise imported Much
discussion has been had whether protection
should be incidental or Intentional; but to
my apprehension It is merely dispute about
words. All the positive protection which
the reasonable advocates of the protective
system have claimed is, that import duties
! for the support Of the Government should
be laid with discrimination, 10 a manner to
favor and protect our own productions This
protection is Incidental to this system of rev.
enue, at the same time it is positive and in
territorial
The object has been to apply this princl-
IL Ill I.,.o b~aY bac Of
industry; and the question is. whether this
bill does not fairly accomplish this objectl
K NAV here be observed that this is not in
troduced as a new principle. 1t is the poll
CIV which was introduced in 1916, and has
been pursued By all subsequent legisla-
tion.
The highest duty is upon the article of
iron; this bears hardest upon the interest of
navigation and upon manufactures general
w; but ii has always been considered mat
ter of national interest that we should our
selves furnish supply Of this article. so es-
sental in war as well as peace, the raw ma
terial of which exists In so great abundance
in almost every part of our country. Be
y SIDES, a great amount Of capital has been IN
vested in this branch of business, which
would be sacrificed by the abandonment of
the principle of protection. At the same
time, such Improvements are making In the
application of anthracite coal as make it quite
certain that, under the inducements to a fur
ther application of capital and skill. the
price will be gradua lily but greatly reduced
under a full domestic competition After
all. great reduction has been made in the
duties on this article. Rolled bar-iron,
which paws the highest duty. having been
reduced from $50 in 1916. S37 in 1924.
$50 in 1923 and 1882, to S25 per ton.
The article next in general importance
is wool. on whioh high duty has been laid
for many years, with a view to the protec
ton of great agricultural interest common
to nearly all the States This duty has been
reduced from 40 per cent and cents q
: pound, in 1882. to 80 per cent. and 4 cents a
bound The protection OF this article IS IN
teresting to nearly all the States, and to few
more than to Virginia. who, BY the last cen
sus, stands fifth in the wool-growins depart
ment
The duty on salt has been reduced from
20 cents the bushel in 1916 to 8 cents in the
present bill; and yet, for want Of better
grounds of objection, this reduced duty has
been the object of particular attack, es
pecially by Mr. Woodbury., 10 the Senate
who argued, with his peculiar logic
that this duty, combined with the exis.
ting reduction in price. was peculiarly and
especially oppressive to the great lar
ming interest Another article on which
the rate os duty is the highest, is coal,
but of which domestic competition Is furnish
ing us an ample supply at low prices
The foregoing enumeration shows how
utterly groundless is the charge, so easily
made, and so frequently repeated, that tins
bill has been framed with an especial and
exclusive regard to the benefit OF the manu-
featuring understanding, 1t Is presum-
, ed. those of cotton and wool. The hlghes
of these is that on manufactures OF wool--4t
: per cent in the place of 50 per cent undel
1.-The act of 1882. The high duty on WOO
! makes high duty on lis manufactures lndis
pensable; and it is the opinion OF 2ractlca
men that under this bill we shall sell more
! importations of manufactured woollens thar
0 of the raw material
We now come to the manufacture OF cot
+ tons. more important by far, in amount
capital invested and number of persons en-
e ploved, than any other in the country In
duty on manufactures of cotton IS 50 pc
cent. being the general rate of duty IKE
: bv the Com nittee of Ways and Means o.
;, | objects snited 10 revenue alone This is al