The Democratic pioneer. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1845-1853, 1845-12-12

incidentally and necessarily afford protec-
tion and advantage TO the amount of one
per cent. 10 the lone manufactured of a
II the duty be raised to ten per cent, it
will produce greater amonnt of money,
and afford greater protection. lfit be still
raised twenty, twenty FIVE or thirty per
cent, and if, as il is raised, the revnue de>
rived from it is found to be increased, the
protection or advantage will also be in~
creased; but if it be raised TO thirty-one
per cent, and it is found that the revenue
produced at that rate is less than at thirty
per cent, 1t ceases to be revenue duty.
The precise point in the ascending scale
fof duties, at which ii is ascertained from
| experience that the revenue is greatest, is
the maximum rate of duty which can be
laid for the bona fde purpose of collect.
ing money for the support Of government.
To raise the duties higher than that point,
and thereby dimisl, the amount collected,
is 10 levy them for protection merely, and
not for revenue. AS long, then las Cons
gress may gradually increase the rate Of
duty on gwen article, and the revenue is
increased by such increase Of duty, they
are within the revenue standard. When
they go beyond that point, and as they in,
crease the duties, the revenue is diminish
ed or destroyed, the act ceases to have for
its object the raising of money to support
government, but is for protection merely.
1t does not follow that Congress should
levy the highest duty on all articles Of i'm
port which they will bear within the reve,
nue. standard; for such rates would probaly
produce a much larger amount than the
dutfes on all articles should be al the same,
or horizontal rate. Some articles will
bear much higher revenue duty than 9th.
ers. Below the maximum Of the revenue
standard Congress may and ought to dis
crimnate in The rates impo sed taking care
so TO adjust the IN ON different articles as to
produce IN the aggregate the amount
which, when added to the proceeds of sales
of public lands, may be needed to pay the
economical expenses ofthe government.
Ia levying tariff of duties, Congress ex-
ercises the taxing power. and for purposes
of revenue may select the object of taxa~
ton. They may exempt certain articles
altog and permit their Importation
free Of duty. On others they may impose
low duties. In these classes should be EN-.
braced such articles of necessity as are in
general use, and especially such as are
consumed by the laborer and the poor, as
well as by the wealthy citizen, Care
should be taken that all the great interests
Of the country, including manufactures
agriculture, commerce, navigation, and
the mechanical arts, sl.onld, as far as may
be practicable, derive equal advantages
from the incidental protection which lust
system of revenue duties may afford. Tax
alton, direct or indirect, is a turd DO, and
it should be SO imposed as to operate as
equally as may be, on all GLASSES, in the
proportion of their ability to bear it, To
make the taxing power an actual benefit
10 one class, necessarily increases the bur-
len ofthe others beyond their proportions;
md would be manifestly unjust. The terms
protection TO domestic industry are of
popular import; but they should apply un:
lera just system Of all the various branch.
IS Of industry in our country. The farmer
r n In tor ~ hn fofl II, -,
Engaged in "domestic industry" and is
is much entitled to have his labor "pro-
ecl ed,' as the manufacturer, the man OF
commerce, the navigator, or the riechaiS
C, who are engaged also in domestic in.
ustry in their different pursuits. The
ONT labors OF all these classes constitite
he aggregate Of the domestic industry
Il the natlon, and they are equally enti-
led to the nations protection No one
f them can justlAclaim to be the excu-
i've recipients of protection which can
MY be afforded by increasing burlcns OF
he domestic industry Of others.
If these views be correct, it remainsto
onsistent with them. That many oft@e
rovislons OF that act are in violation of -.
he cardinal principles here laid down,
Il must coneede. The rates of duty i'm.
osed by it on some articles are prohibi.
Dry, and on others so high as greatly to
finnish importations, and to poduoe
ess amount of revenue than would be
erived from lower rates. They operate
5 protection merely to one branch Of
lomestic industry, by taxing other
ranches.
by Tie Introduction of m;uimus, or as
imed and false values, and by the imuos.
ion Of specific duties, the injustice aud
'eqaulity of the act of 1872, in lis prae.