The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-10-14
THE SILK DUTIES AGAIN.

The "Intelligencer" Of this morning replies to oul
article on this subject, and are glad to perceive
,h,t IFS reply is conceived mainly in a courteous
.oirit. Certainly we are tempted to smile at Its
,,,t candid confession that retort upon its wit
or rather its waggery-brought on feeling OF incl
ancholy." We supposed our answer might pro-
dnee such an effect; but we could hardly have ex-
acted that the "Intelligcncer" would admit the fact
40 ,oiv,lu. That journal, il seems, does not find
ar ...mirthn Contagious" Probably not Few
men like to find their own jokes fairly turned against
themselves. We receive, however, in the same
sniri, in which it is given the "Integencers" man.
~ disclaimer of any intentional dscourtesy towards
NO and we trust that, in future discussions with
that journal, we may con6ne ourselves to criticism
0fi, "logic,n without finding in its articles any
nroyocation to animadvert again upon its "man-
ners."
To sustain its general position, that the silk du-
lies of the present tariff do not press unjusty and
uueoualy on the poorer classes, the lntellgencer
ouotes from the annual statement of the Treasury
neoarment list of the different kinds Of silk man.
ufac,ure imported From this list, it appears that
the whole amount of silk importation, for the year
ending sOth June, 1874, was $s,485,622. or this,
At a6I .359 paid specific duties-duties ad va!orem
being char ed only on 81 ,224 1853. Thus, nearly
seven. Gig hths of the silk imported into the country
IS on the showing Of the Intelligencer ITSELF bur
dened by specific duties. This is just we stated
the fact to be in our first article on the subject The
bulk of the silk imported into the country consists
of ,bose heavy substantial silk fabrics which are
worn by the unostentatious classes. These silks,
amos, all of them, pay specific duty by the
mound The Intelligencer then proceeds to give
further list of articles of silk manufacture paying
specific duties, by way of showing the ad-valorem
valuation placed upon these specific duties by the
treasury
The list made out by the Intelligencer is as fol-
lows:
Manufactures of silk not specified 50 so per pound
equal by the treasury valuation, to 81 per cent ad valo
Sewing silks and silk twists. 50 per pound equal to 80
Ponses and plain white silk 81 so per pound equal to 40
Raw silk and silk the gum so cents per pound equal to
l6 per cent. ad valorem ~
The Importation OF shoes shppev mats, ana pohneH SO
trifing as not to need noncing.
Upon this list the Inteigencer calculates (and this
il the conclusion of it's whole artcle that the silks
worn by the poorer classes certainly not taxed
more than one per cent. more than those worn by
the rich. Now, to this we say, that under q, wise
and equitable adjustment Of the tariff, these plain
substantial silks in general use, instead Of being
taxed lille more, should be taxed much less than
those fanciful forms of the fabric, which are mere
uxures and as such, above the reach Of the muses.
Of the community. And so, on this very conclusion
of the Intelligencer's own argument, we should be
willing to rest our case, against the present system
of silk duties.
But this conclusion by no means comprehends
the whole case. BY the first item in the list of silk
imports, quoted by the Intelligencer, it appears
that the duty Of ~ so per pound on manufactures
of silk not specified" is estimated at the Treasury
as equivalent to 81 per cent. ad valorem. Now,
this valuation of 81 per cent. is, of course, an
average valuation. OF the silks, included under the
general title Of manufactures of silk not specified
some are heavy and plain Silks designed for general
use, while some are light fancy silks, colored and
figured, and curiousy wrought These last are
consumed exclusively by the wealthy. They
,egh bM little comparatively, yet they bear high
price, because they are made with great skill and
labor. But these, like the heavier and palmer
silks, pay duty of - so per pound. That
Duty estimated at the Treasury on the gross bulk,
and the gross value of manufactures of silk
no, specified" is equivalent to 81 per cent ad
valorem. But that estimate is made on the average
weight and according to the average price, of
great quantity of silk, some of which is heavy,
plain, and comparatively cheap; while the rest is
light, curiously figured and wrought, and SO COM
para,vey high priced. Who cannot see at once
then, that in this state of the duties the plain and
heavy silk, under duty of 80 so per pound, pays
in fact, more than 81 per cent. ad valorem; while
the lighter silks, made costly by the art of their
manufacture, pay, under the same duty Of 90 so
per pound, much less than 81 per cent ad valorem'
So that after all the Intellgencer's" ingenuity,
"Mrs. John Smith" does not get her plain black
silk gown till she has paid duty on it much high.
er than 81 per cent ad valorem.
We might easily 60 on to more special statements,
to show the oppressive and unequal working of the
duties in question; but we find the work well done
this morning. We have much pleasure in quoting
from that journal the following passage:
But not true that the palue of silk manufactures
lnPoporion to their .oeightn To prove this will give
aew facts We have obtained the eighs of several pieces
o SIX goods for dresses their length in yards and their
Pree per yard, which follows:
i, Length Weight Price per yd Val Of piece.
piece 90 yards, lbs. Of, GA cents, $37 SO
. o. g O." I 37& % so
3" 2 90 % 90
hese are the retail prices in this city. The freight
insurance. &C. goods imported this country
are computed at 2t per the invoice price at the
ace where brought; and the merchants profit compu-
10 Per cent on the cost duties and charges OBJ
,sned these are the data upon which returns are
made to Congress-. Leaving then the retailers profit
VI. view and supposing the above values be the
wholesale value IL we deduct from them thirty per cent
sha obtain the with di,s added; and ID we deduct
,u mat amount the duties 81 so per pound weigh
ns nave the cost ard easily ascertain what pro
on the duty to the cost and also hat the proportion
u 'ne cot Is to the VesM We give the single pieces in
we same order as they above:
'sme per 80 ret costless weght Duty at Cost less
ece on value 80 per Ct per piece "a 50 p H. duty.
'S oa Sll25 5000 lbs. or. $s.A $l7sl
s ss &05 65A5 1900 50A5
10" $40 1850 ao7 1853