Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1845-12-24

teetIon merely 10 one nfanCo % -e''s~S
tic industry" by taxing other Iran he's.
By the Introduction oil minimuus. eF as-
sumed and false values. and BY the inape-
sition If specific duties, the injustice and
inequality of the act OF 1912 N Us praeti-
cal operations on different classes and pur-
suits are seen and felt. Manv OF The oP-
pressive duties imposed By II undcr the
operation of these principles, range from
one per cent. to more than two hundred
per cent. They are prohibilory on some
articles, and partially so on others, and
bear most heavily on articles OF common
necessity, and but lightly on articles of
luxury. Ii is so framed that much The
greatest burden which il imposes IS thrown
on labor and the poorer classes who are
least able to bear it, while Il protects capt
tai and exemPts the rich from paving their
inst proportion of the taxation required
for the support of the government While
it protects the capital oi the wealthy ma
nufacturer, and increases bis profits, 4 does
not benefit the operatives or laborers IA
his employment, whose wages have not
been increased BY il. Articles OF prime
necessity or of coarse quality and lox
price, used by the masses of the people.
are, in many instances, subjected by II TO
heavy taxes, while articles Of finer q'Iah-
y and higher price, or of luxury. which
can be used only bs the opulent, are light
iy taxed. Il imposes heavy aud unjust
burdens on fhe farmer, the pInter, he
commercial man, and thnse Of all other
pursuits except the capitalist who has made
his investment IN manufactures. All the
great interests OF the country are not, as
nearly as may be practicable, equally pro-
tected by it.
The government in theory knows NJ
distinction of persons or classes. and
should not hestpw upon some favors and
privileges which all others mas not enloy
1t was the purpose of its iilustrious found
ers to base the institutions which they rear
ed upon the great and unchanging prnci-
pies of justice and equity, conscious that
if administered in the spirit in which they
were conceived, they would be ielt ONLY
by the benefits which thev dilIused, and
would secure for themselves defence in
the hearts of the people, more powerful
than standing armies, ana all the means
and appliances invented to sustain go
vernments founded in injustice and OP-
preston.
The well known fact that the tariff Of
1892 was passed by a majority OF one
vote in the Senate, and two IN the House
of Representatives, and that some OF thOsc
who felt themselves constrained, under the
peculiar circumstances existing 1T the
time, to vote in itS favor, proclaimed its
defects, and expressed their determination
TO aid in IFS mobilization on the first oppOr-
tuniiy, affords strong and conclusive evil
dence that it was not Intended to DC per-
manent, and of the expediency ami neces-
sity of its thorough revision.
In recommending 10 Congress a reduc-
ton of the present rates OF duty, and re-
vision and modification of the act OF '42,
! | am far from entertaining opinions un-
friendly to the manufacturers On the
contrary, | desire to see them prosperous,
as far as they can lie q, without Imposing
unequal burdens on other interests. The
advantage under any system of indirect
taxation, even within the revenue stand
ard, must be in favor of the manufacturing
interest; and of this, no other interest viii
complain.
| | recommend TO Congress the abolition
Of the minimum principle, or assumed, ar
bitrary and false values, and of speeihc
duties, and the substitution IN their place
of ad rdlOrem duties, as the fairest anC
most equitable indirect tax which can Be
imposed. By the ad ralorem prin~iple, al
articles are taxed according to their cos
or value, and those which are of inferior
quality, or Of small cost, bear only the JuS
proportion of the tax with those which are
of superior quality or greater cost. The
articles consumed by all are taxed al the
same rate. A system Of dd ral0rem reve.
venue duties, with proper determinations
and proper guards against frauds in col
lecting them, it is not doubted, will affOrC
ample, incidental advantages to the manu-
facturers, and enable them TO derive a;
great profits as can be derived ttnm any
other regular business. II is believed TIA
such a system, strictly within the revepu'
standard, will place the manufacturing in
teresls on stable footing,and inure 10 theI
permanent advantage. While IL will, a
nearly as may be practicable, extend Il
, all the great interests of the country tn
, Incidental protection which can be afford
ed by our revenue laws. Such sy stem
when once firmly established, wou,. -
, permanent, and not be subject to the con
) slant complaints, agitaiIons and change
which must ever occur, when duties ar,
; not laid for revenue, but for the :. protec
, ton merely of favored interest.
In the deliberations of Congress on hi
; subject, it is hoped that a spirit of mutaa
r concession and compromise between cor
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