The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-12-03

293. Even before the cash duties. for FIVE wears
preceding the high tariff Of 1925 the value of duti-
able goods re-exported S94 1896 24l and for the
showing q loss of $4,000 49 Of our trade IN
foreign. exports after the tariff of 1923. The
great diminuuon Of this most valuable branch of
commerce has been the combined result of cash du
ties and OF the high tariff Of 1912 Ii the cash du-
yes are retained, as il is believed they should be,
the only sure method Of restoring this trade is the
adoption OF the warehousing system, by which the
foreign imports may be kept in store by the govern
ment until they are required for re-exportation
abroad, or consumption at home--in which latter
contingency, and at the time when for that pur-
pose they are taken out of these stores for consump-
ton, the duties paid, and if re-exported, they
pay no duty, but only the expense of storage. I'M
der the present system the merchant introduces for
eign imports OF the value of 100000. He must
now, besides the advance for the goods, make
further advance 10 cash, in many cases, Of $4,000
Tor the duties. Under such system, but small
amount Of goods will be imported for drawbacks;
and the higher the duty, the larger be the ad-
vance, and the smaller the imports for
The imports before payment Of duties, under the
same regulations now applied to our imports in tran-
sit to Canada, may be taken from warehouse to ware
house-from the East to the lakes and to Pittsburg,
Cincinnati, and Louisvlle--from New Orleans to
Natchcz, Vicksburg, Memphis, and ST. Louis--and
warehoused in these and other interior ports, tho
duties remaining unpaid until the goods are taken
X
age, at such ports, for consumption; thus carrying
our foreign commerce. into the interior, with all tho
the advantage Of augmented business and cheaper
supplies throughout the country. II will introduce
INTO our large ports on or near the seaboard as
sorted cargocs OF goods, to be reexpored with our
own, to supply the markets of the world II will
cheaper prices to the consumer, by deducDg the in
terest and profit that now charged upon the ad-
vance of bodybuilding up the marts Of our own
commerce, and giving profitable employment to our
own commercial marine. It will greatly increase
our revenue, by augmentng our imports, together
with our exports; and is respectfully recommended
to Congress- as an important part of the whole sys-
tenn now proposed for their consideration.
The act of the Sd Of March last, allowing draw
back on foreign imports exported from certain ports
to Canada, and also to Santa Fe and chihuahua, in
Mexico, has gone, to some extent into effect under
regulations prescribed by this department and is
beginning to produce the most happy results--es-
peclaly In an augmented trade in the supply of for
e'gn exports to Canada from our own ports. In
deed, this law soon give to us the whole Of th,
valuable trade during the long period when the ST.
Lawrence is closed by ice, and large proportion
OF it at all The result would be aliIl more
beneficial, If Canada allowed to carry all her
exports 10 foreign nations in trsnsi,u through our
own railroads, rivers, and Canals, To be shipped
from our own ports. Such system, whilst it
would secure To US this valuable trade would great
" enlarge the business on our rivers, lakes, rail-
roads, and canals, as well as augment our com
mere; and would soon lead TO the purchase, by
Canada, not only of our foreign exports but also
IN many cases, of our domestic products and fabrics
TO complete AN assortment. In this manner, our
commercial relations with Canada would become
more intimate, and more and of her trade,
every year, would lie secured to our people.
Connected with this department, and the finances
is the question of the sales of the public lands.
The proceeds Of these sales, it is believed, should
continue TO constitute a portion Of the revenue, di-
minishng to that extent the amount required to be
raised by, the tariff. The nett proceeds of these
sales paid into he treasury during the last fiscal
year, was S207702 3d. and from the first sales in
1881 up to the 3Oth of September last, was SllS,-
GUT 1886 81. The average annual sales have been
much less than two millions of acres; yet the aggre-
gate aett proceeds of the sales in 1884, 1885, 1886,
and 1887, was S5l, 26S,6l7 90. Those large sales
were almost exclusively for speculation; and this
only be obviated, at all times, by combining the sales
to settlers and culvators in limited quantities suf-
Gent for farms or plantations The price at which
the public lands should be sold an important ques-
on 70 the whole country, but especially TO the peo-
pie OF the new States, living mostly remote from the
seaboard, and who have scarcely felt the presence Of
the government in local expenditures but chiefly in
the exhaustion of their for purchases of pub
lie lands and for customs. The public lands are not
OF the same value; yet they all fixed at one UNI
varying price, which is far above the value Of largo
portion of these lands. The quantity now subject
70 entry at the minimum price of 81 IS per acre 10
l333O7 457 acres, and los, 035, 345 in addition
which the Indian title has been extnguished-
an aggregate of 242,342, 800 acres, and requiring
century and quarter to complete the sales ut the
rate they have progressed MISREPRESENTATION in
Guiding any of the unsold lands of Texas or Ore
gon or of the vast region besides to which the In
dian title Is not yet exnguished II is clear then
that there Is vast and annually-incrcasng surplus
OF public lands, very little of which will be sold
within any reasonable period at the present price,
and in regard to which the public interest would be
promoted, and the revenue augmented, by reducing
the price. The reduction of the price Of the public
lands in favor of settlers and cutyators would en-
nance the wages of labor. II is an argument urged
in favor of the tariff that ought to protect our la
Dor against what is called the pauper labor of Eu-
rope. But whilst the tariff does not enhance the
wages of labor, the sales of the public lands at low
prices, and in limited quantities. to settlers and cult
vators, would accomplish this object. If those who
live by the wages of labor could purchase 800 acres
Of land for $780, l60 for S4O 80 for $780, or 40acre
lots for $40, the power of the manufacturing CAPT.
alst in reducing the wages Of labor would be greatly
diminished; because, when these lands were thus re-
duccd in price, those who live by the wages of la
Dor could purchase farms at these low rates and cul-
vate the soil for themselves and families instead Of
working for others twelve hours a-day in the manu.
factories. Reduce the price which the aborer must
pay for the public domain; bring thus the means Of
purchase within his power; prevent all speculation
and monopoly in the public lands; conne the sales
to settlers and cutivators, in limited quantities. pre-
these hundreds Of millions of acres for ages
to come, as homes for the poor and oppressed; re-
duce the taxes, by reducing the tariff, and bringing
down the prices which the poor are thus compelled
to pay for all the necessaries and comforts of life,
and more viii be done for the benefit of American
labor than If millions were added to the profits of
manufacturing capital by the enactment Of protec-
tive tariff. ha,e gs FtFs
The Secretary of the Treasury, on coming into
office, found the revenues deposited with banks.
The law establishing the independent treasury was
repealed; and the Secretary had power to re.es-
tabsh that system. Congress had not only re-
pealed that law, but as substitute, had adopted
the present system of deposite banks, and prohibit
ed changing any of those for another bank, ex-
cept for specified reasons. No alternative was left
but to continue the existing system until Congress
should think proper to change it. That change, it
is hoped, will now be made by return to the rea-
sury Of the constitution. One of the great evils
of banks is the constant expansion and contraction
Of the currency; and this evil is augmented by the