Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1844-06-28
James E&. Polk aMd the
Tariff:
To the Hon James Irwin, of P enn.

SIR -- Upon the announcement Of Jas
X Pok on Yesterday as the nominee Of
the Baltimore Convention Tor President
which equally OslOnlshed Whiga and
Locos, you inqnlringIy asked What are
his opiaions on the TarM?'
According 10 the promise then given
! proceed to answer vour inquiry Mr..
Polk is, and claims to be, consistent
opponent ofa Protective Tariff; has ad
Vocaled the principle Of free trade, sob
slan,faljy: IN 1888 was for restoring The
tariff 10 tho tules prescribed by the tar.
ifT OF 1916, and has beena bitter revi,
Ter of the Wbrg tariff OF 1912; Is Tor ns
repeal: ami is 10 tagor OF returning to
the horlzouraI 20 per cent rates oD du,v
wh,ch nteyaded AT the time Of the mas
ssoe of ,he tariff Of lS42.
In the session 1882 3, Mr., Polk was
n o,or,har of,ha Cooom,,,ss of Wevs
and Means, which reported bill (Which
did not passl greatly reducing the du,
ties below those adopted by the tariff
nc, Of the precedlog session, (Tarf OF
1897 He made q lengthy speech in
favor Of the proposed bill, and against
the protective system, which will be
found in Congressional Debates, vol 9,
pages 1862 to MS As specimen Of
the views presented in that speech, |
will quote few short extracts
"II appears from this testimony that
the duties upon wooens (now fifty per
cent,) may not only be reduced but that
twenty FIVE per cent will be sufficient
protection, provided there be cores
pondlng reduction on the raw material,
and the duty be fully and fairly collect.
ted; and that the manufacturers OF cot
tons, and especially Of coarse co'toDs,
would be able to continue 'her business
proflabIy at the reduced duty of Twelve
md a half ner cant. on the rival fOreiun
article " r
"I propose next 10 establish, BY test.
mony equally entitled to credit, The third
proposlIon, which Is, that the manulac|
turers OF the United States were IN
prosperous condition under the act oI
1916, and tor the eight years lnterVen
ing between the years 1916 and lo24
and also that the act Of 1916 CBorded
them ample incidental projections - Con
Debates, vol 9 page II1O
"The WOO growers consider the duty
upon foreign wnol as important I" their
prosperity This opinion l 1PPrehend
is foundedia in error. Very llit'e wool o
the mldduDg quality, such as we pro
duce, is imported. The kinds chiefly
imported are either the coarse Sou't
American wool, costing eight cents ant
under the pound, OF the hne SaxonI
wool, costing more than dollar thC
pound, Dei'hef OF which do we produce
or il we do, to a very llmled extent
y
"MY OPINION IL THAT WOOL
SHOULD BE DUTY FREE; bu
as wool growers think otherwise W.
have retained duty oCGteen per cent
upon the imported article" " Congres
slonal Debates, vol . Pll74
In relation TO The tariff OF 1912, w
are at no loss for his opinions. Mr. Poll
was candidate Tor Governor in Tenne
see in l843 (ln which race, you know
he was a second time defeated by
large moJorl'yJ ana onf'og '0e canvas
he permitted no opportunity to escape Il
denOunce that toritf IN the most bite.
terms ln response TO On 'rQolry "he'l
or he "srproVed OF such lautFa wou''
give protection TO home industry Sga'ns
foreign indnslry," he answered, as an
informed by gentlemen who are perfect
" familiar ~,rh his views, as gwen OF
the stump and his circulars, that he IRA
opposed to The principle Of The protection
His answer to this and other lorerroga
tories will be published as soon as the,
,:-,