Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-03-01
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA. FRIDAY, MARCH !, 1874


maze iePara'ion FOR by the aid it gives IN rtdnfng
prices, lmn,shtng home markets. employing more Anne
r'can industry, and less fordsn pauper labor; and IN
various ways more than remunerang he country Us
its parts
Nov, sir, let US test these matters facts, and not
oroao assertions Is it good revenue asure
and IT not, what is the extent of the evils II els,
whether as protective or financial system? and are
those evils by any of the benefits that have
resulted or are likely TO flow from It, If we orbeaf
to amend it,
Several remarks have already been made indicating
my views as 70 OF Objectionable features as bill
ioT sing revenue. What the true elements and
features OF mere bill In the frs, place, The
leading object of bill IS to obtain revenue
equally OF this, unequay tax should be mace
to bear lightly us possible on consumers; this IS TO
bear mot heavily on them. The particular duties IN
numerous instances range TO- 90 ard even 40 and 40
per cen; higher than the common revenue standard
do moi pretend that, ike the dew point or freeing
point, tie financial scale be automatically mark
ed, beyond which duties should rise on any
SION or under any circumstances But do INSIST that
lew nations, ancient or MODERN have ever deemed II
proper Tor revenue 10 exceed 81 % per cent The &C
customed rate Tor thai purpose has oener las here from
l|Jo u l5l2j been und-r 20 han above IL and when
exceeding IT, as sometimes in England, France and
SPAN, aud here snce l>6 has usually been done ayew
edlV Tor purposes al protection, and not revenue IL
IS now, IN Prussia and Germany, less than Swift
Zerand, seide a. high IS ~ per cent. Hence the
COMPROMISE Act OF -:Ij provided for 4 gradual reduc
ton oil cur protective duties 10 ones, and iy"d
them al . maximum of % per cent. And hence both
General Harrison ard Mr. Clay, addresses before the
election at ol0, expressed their satisfaction with tue
Compromise limiting imposis tina, rate because that
rate not only would b. likely furnish enough
with The public lands for economical administration
OF the Government, but, coupled II was with cash
duties ard home valuation, would incidentally afford
large and equal protection against foreigners, 10 all
the predicting tas-es, and an ample one for any bus
ness VII CHI would be profitable for the country, lis
present POSITION, II have prosecuted here
DO an. Inier ftcm lhis that oppose the collection,
N prop'r way, of enough in time of pence 10
prevent Ilnnng 10 debt (as lately have Gomez wen-
ty-seven m,ohss or, however In relieve labor
and the lecessaris Of e, 10 deiray all honest debts
rather than resort TO by rtpHdafton?
or TO snsn IN due vgot all the useful establishments
of The country, with puhc credit, public faith and pub
hc honor: Far, far from IT, But collect It on revenue
principles. and in true revenue way.
In the mex, place. the present tariff bad as reve-
nue. measure by attempting tn collect more from the own
ers and consumers Of foreign imports than Oh equal or
proportonate burhen that kind of property. Beng
often 90 10 100 per cent particular cases, and 81 per
cent. average, il IS much higher than taxes on
othes property III society," looking either 10 value or IN
come AND though, under our double systems OF 60
vernment, do not contend that all the revenue Tor The
general government may be collected from imports
ing lands and her property be taxed by The States
yet imports should pay only far proportion II IS
another objection this b fiscal one, that 1t we
are to under II all the lis friends anti
pate-we shall collect larger proportion oil the money
ed taxes OF the whole county from CUSTOMS than II
usual 10 collect IN most other governments. In France,
only about thirty millions of dollars (or lh Of their
whole incomeO is collected from customs-over one
hundred and elgh p,li,nn hc,"s from other
come fro IAN 1Y sSladAh B5sf
rates probably not third Bnt here, at least half
OF the whole would be derived from customs-as all
average dollar per head, eighteen 10 TWEEN
millions Of dollars ;he aggregate. Ii you viii then
push national expenses high as not to be able 10
get sufficient al rate OF twenty or twenty
five rer cent sag II is sound political economy to 60
for the rest TO the other OF revenue, which The
constitution has conferred and for that very purpose
aud 10 act, in this respect, fathers wont to
do IN 1904 l79S, and sig.
But other and paramount objections TO the present
Tariff is, that it taxes articles of trade so high as t,
tend 10 break trade ITSELF that lakes necessaries
higher than Injuries before explained, that It taxes
the person in its opeaton rather than property or abb
y 10 pcy: and IN many cases, by one specihc duty,
collects from the consumer, 10 mdGlng or INDECENT
circumstances large tax on coarser aud cheaper
fabric-such az shoes tlannels, &c worn By them-as
on finer and more costly Of the name, worn
BIZ the rich The only efieclua mode OF preventing
partliiy and oppression in such bills is TO Tx LIBERAL
ma ximum of twenty or twenty five per cent within
that the duty may we'll uc,uae rather than be rgidly
horizontal, il revenue objects require and admi, ~ SO
as to relieve necessaes some 1t praclcable and ilvor
the needy rather than wealthy and graduate most, II
not all duties on srae nd caiorcm-so that the peo-
pe can know the of their burdens, and each
pay only in proportion to the value oil what he con-
sumes.
To illustrate the tendency of varying the amount OF
duty on particular articles beyond 4 certain ordinary
and settled standard for revenue, and on revenue
principles d. gentlemen see that II you can depart
from that and far above for protection to one class
(such as the manuiacturers at the expense OF others
ube fsrmers1 YOU may IS in England, by the odous
corn laws depart from 1t for the benefit OF The land
owners and AT the expense OF the manufacturers:
IF such enormous high duties as dsfgure the present
Tariff he imposed on particular attic les even Tor re-
venue much less protection do not all see tha door
also opened 10 equal II not greater injustice announcer
wnv, Cannot few articles he thus selected Tor re-
venue and others left Free lw rate, where the
articles selected consumed chiefly but IN one sec
ton of the country, or by one class oil the community
and when those being necessares are not able 10 De
dspensed wiih:-and thus dominant patty or section
force most Of The public burdens on their opponents:-
THIS s not be tolerated moment, even Tor revenue
on ary sound principles OF taxation.
Apain As n revenue measure IT had not yet besn
able 10 meet the wants OF The Government Dehcien-
ces Lad already occurred, and been supplied by loans
m a perod of profound peace; and the proper Official
oroon OF the Government informs rs, in his annual
-snort that more deficiencies are likely TO occar oolh
in II is and Tie ensuing year. Whether the Secretary
NJ ,te Treasury was correct not In his estimates
fand know from experience there IS no little dlI-
GUILTY in periods of fuctuaon, in forming accurate
orinlons as 10 The future, 1t was safer Tor us 10 take
in the main, the official data Certainly the Tariff had
not vet welded SO much, by five millions, the last
year as some of ts friends estimated IN 1872; and IT
The large returns from New York for January were
hastily looked to as guide for the whole year, The
aggregate revenue from customs would IN 1914, ex-
eed forty millions of dollars exceeding the previous
estimates of the Chairman near twenty millions
MIR Evans said he dIsclalmed considering them
guide for the whole year
think i, VIII be prudent not TO consider them SO, or
we must anticipate another rulnous Revision, ere
LONG Besides all this tie revenue, IN different quar-
ers has already so uc,uaed under this b as TO vary
million or more, sometimes lower, and sometimes
bpher in cach ever since lis passage, and peciudes
any reliance on IFS steady operation. 1t Is mIsake
too that raising the duties high these are Tor pro
lection is likely 10 raise much higher the aggregate OF
revenue than II would be- # none exceeded tnrty per
cent when We lock to its tendency 10 check and re
duce importations and to encourage smuggling. lnef
increase during the last few months, has arisen from
The impulses given TO the commerce OF me "o'u,
,penng new markets, and the low rate OF interest, Tor
cap,tn TO embark in new enterprises, rather tran IRON
any be nefs to the revenue, business generally, oy
so high Tariff
4, Tho verv moment while we are celebrating, the