The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1844-06-12
COL. ]. K. POLK AND THE TARIFF,
To The Hon. JAMES IRWIN of Penn.

"
SIR: Upon the announcement of James X.
Polk on yesterday as the nominee of the
Baltimore Convention for President, which
equally astanished Wings and Locos, you in
quiringly asked, What are his opinions on
the Tariff"
According TO the promise then given, |
proceed to answer your inquiry. Mr.. Polk
is, and claims TO be, consistent opponent of
a Protective Tariff; has advocated the prin-
ciple of Free Trade, substantially: in 1888
was for restoring the Tariff of 1916: and had
been bitter reviler of the Wing Tariff of
lSi2h is for its repeal; and is in favor of re-
turaing to The horizontal 20 per cent. rates of
duty which prevailed at the time OF the pass
age ofthc Tariff Of 1912.
In the session of 1928, Mr. Polk was
a member OF the Committee of Ways and
Means, which reported BIZ (which did not
pas,) greatly rcJncing the duties below those
adopted by the Tariff act Of the preceding
session, (Tarilrof 1922 He made lengthy
speech in favor of eproposed bill, and against
the Protective System, which will be found
in Congressional Debates, vol. 9, pages 1lG2
to HIS. As specimen of the views present
cd in that speech, will quote a few short OK
tracts:
.'lt appears from this testimony that the
duties upon woOlens now fifty per cent. may
not only be reduced, but that twenty five per
cent will be a sufficient protection, provided
there he corresponding reduction on the
raw material, and the duty fully and fairly
collected; and that the manufacturers ofcOt-
tons, aud especially OF coarse cottons, would
he able to continue theirbuS;ncss pr0ftably at
the reduced duty Of twelve and half per
cent. on the rival foreign article"
81 propose next to establish, by testimony
equally entitled to credit, tie third PROPOSE
ton, which is, that the manufactures of the
United States were in a prosperous condition
under the act of 1916 and c2i, aud also that
the act ofl616 afforded them ample inciden-
tai protection. ICON. Debates. vol. 9, page
Il7O.)
The wool-growers consider tie duty up
on foreign wool as important to their pros
perity. This opinion, | apprehend, is found
in error. Very little wool Of the middling
middling quality, such as we produce, is i'm
ported. The kinds chiefly imported are Ell
iher the coarse South American wool, cost
ing eight cents and under The pound. neither
of which do we produce, or five do,to very
limited EXTENT
NY Own OlilnlOil Is tudt lie WOOL should
be duty free; but as wool growers think 9th
erwise, we have retained duty of fifteen
per cent upon the imported article. - Con.
Debates, vol. 9, p. ll741
In rotation 10 The Tariff Of 1912 we are
al no loss for bis opinions. Mr.. Polk was
1t candidate for Governor in Tennessee in
I-i3 lin which race, you know, he was
sccnnd lime defeated by large mljori.
tv,) and during the canvass he permitted
no oapoftdnity 10 escape him TO denounce
the Tartf in the most hitter Terms In re-
rr,nse 10 an inquiry whether ho "approy>
ed of such a Tar;f' as would give proiec-
r'on 10 Home Industry against Foreign
InduSirv,'' he answered. as am inforla.
al hy gentlemen vino are perfectly falnii-
lar wiIh his views, as given on the stump
All in his circulars, tina; b. was opp Jsed