Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1844-06-13
COL. ]. X. POLK AND THE TARIFF.
70 the Hon. James Irrin, Of Pcnnsyl-

10 the Hon. James Irrin, Of Pcnnsyl-
rama.
SIR: Upon the announcement Of James
X. Polk OIL yeste day as the nominee Of
the Baltimore Convection for President,
which equally asonished Wings and Lo.
cos, you inquirmgiv n,ked. |" What are
his opn ;oas on tie Tariff"
According 20 The promise then given. |
proceed TO make the irq"iry. Mr.. Polk
is, aud claims to be. a con>istant opponent
of Protective Tariff: has advoc ,ed The
principle OF Free Trade. substantially il
1888 was for restoring the Tariff to the
rates prescribed by the Tariff Of 1916 !;
and has been a bitter reviler of the Wing
Tariff o: 1872; is for IFS repeal; aud is
in favor of Returning 10 the horizontal 20
per cent. rates of duty winch prevailed at
the time Of the passage of the Tariff Of
1912.
In the session Of 1928, Mr.. Pslk
was a member Of the COMMITTEE of Ways
and Means, which reported bill (Which
did not pass) greatly reducing the dulles
below those adopted by the Tariff act Of
the preceding session, (rariff Of 1882.
He made lengthy speech in favor of the
proposed bill, aud against the Protective
system, which will be found in Congress
;sional debates, vol. 9, pages l62 to IT'S.
Asa specimen of the views presented in
that speech, will quote few short ex
tracts:
s'~ II appears from this testimony that
the duties upon woolens (now fifty per
cent may not only be reduced, but that
trenty. fire per cent wiU be a sufficient pro-
lection, provided there be corresponding
reduction on the raw material, and the
duty be fully and fairly collected; and
that the manufacturers of cottons, and es-
pecialIy of coarse cottons. would be able
to continue their business probably at the
reduced duty of twelre and half per
cent. on the rival foreign article" :
IL propose next to establish. by testl-
mony equally entitled to credit, the third
proposition, which is, that the manufac-
lures of the United States were in pros
porous condition under the act Of 1916,
and for eight gears Intervening between
the years 1916 and 1924. aud also that
the act of 1916 afforded them ample Incl
dental protection.-[Con. Debates, vol. 8,
page 1l7O.]
"The wool-growers consider the duty
upon foreign wool as important to their
prosperity. This opinion, 1 apprehend, IS
founded in error. Very little wool Of The
middling quality, such as we produce, is
imported. The kinds chiefly imported
are either the coarse South American
wool, costing eight cents and under the /
pound, or the fine Saxony wool, costing
more than dollar the pound. neither of
s0hich do ,ce produce, or if we do, to ve-
~ limited extent.
:" My oun opinion is that rool should
be duty free !; but as wool-growers think
otherwise, we have retained a duty of if
teen per cent. upon tie imported article"
Compression al Debate, vol. 9, p. liza.
In relation to the Tariff of 1912 we are
at no loss for his opinions. Mr.. Polk
was a candidate for Governor in Tennes-
see in 1913, lin which race, you know.
he was a second time defeated by largo
and during the canvass he per-
miited no opportunity TO escape him to
denounce the Tariff in the most bitter
erms. In response to an inquiry wheih-
er he approved of such a Tariff as would
give protection to home industry against
foreign industry" he answered, as am
by gentlemen who are perfect
" familiar with his views, as given on the
stump aud in his circulars, that he was
opposed to the principle Of Protection
His answer to this and other interrogalo-
lies will be published as soon as they can ;
" procured from Tennessee.
Fortunately, however, | am at no loss
or an authentic document which presents
Col. Folks views of the Tariff Of 1912.
have before me the "Synopsis of Cor.
PolKs Speech to the People Of Madison .
md adjoining Counties, delivered at Jack
ON, on Monday, the Sd of April, l643," Q
printed in pamphle. form, and written out a
or publication by Gov. Polk. From it =
1uoao tuC ioito wing SA'oS'o. A.
He took other views, briefly presen- T"
ed. of the subject. and proceeded to the '
DISCUSSION of the Protective Tariff act pas q
ed by the last Congress. He showed !,
hat it was highly protective Tariff, and u
ot one for Revenue. He showed that, 9
y the Compromise Tariff of 1888. the q
Ak on no imported article was to exceed .
70 per cent. upon its value after the Both !,
fJune, 1912. No higher duty than 20 y
er cent. ,cas imposed on any article af- u
.rihe 3Oth of June, 1912, until the Both u
{ August, 1912, on which latter day the
resent Tariff law was passed by a Wing A
congress. The Wing Congress laid VI B
lent hands on the Compromise Act OF a
633, and broke it up
alt was clear, therefore, that the Ia.
if act was not revenue measure. Ii