True Democrat. (Paulding, Miss.) 1845-18??, 1845-12-24

agriculture, commerce, navigation, and the
mechanic arts, should as far as may be
practicable, derive equal advantages from
the incidental protection which just sys-
tenn of revenue duties may afford. Taxa
ton, direct or indirect, is burden, and it
should. be so imposed as to operate as
equally as may be, on all classes, in the
proportion of their ability TO bear 1t TO
make the taxing power an actual benefit to
one class, necessarily increases the burden
ofthe others beyond their proportion, and
would be manlesty unjdst. The terms
"protecton TO domestic industry" are of
popular import; but they should apply I'M
der inst system TO all the various branch
es ofinduStry in our country. The farmer
or planter who tolls yearly in his fields, is
engaged in domestic industry" and is as
much entitled to havehis labor protected"
rs the manufacturer, the man of commerce,
the navigator, or the mechanic, no are
engaged also in domestic industry" in
their different pursuits. The joint IaborS
of all these classes constitute the aggregate
ofthe domestic industry" of the nation,
and they are equally entitled to the nations
"protection." No one of them can Justly
claim to be the exclusive recipients of "pro-
tecton," which can only be afforded by
increasing burdens on the domestic indus
try" Of the others.
II these views be correct, it remains to
inquire how far the tariff act of 1912 is
consistent with them. That many of the
provisions of that act are in violation Of
the cardinal principles here laid down,
all must concede. The rates of duty i'm
posed by it on some articles are prohib-
tory, and on Others so high as greatly to
diminish importations, and to produce a
less amount of revenue than would be
derived from lower rates. They operate
as protection merely" to one branch Of
domestic Industry" by taxing other
branches.
BY the Introduction of ninimums, or
assumed and false values and by the i'm
position of specific duties, the injustice
and inequality of the act of 1912, in its
practical operations on different classes
and pursuits, are seen and felt Many Of
the oppressive duties imposed by it under
operation of these principles, range from
one per cent. TO more than two hundred
per cent. They are prohibitory 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 Of the
greatest burden which it imposes is thrown
on labor and the poorer classes who are
least able TO bear il, while il protects cap
ilaI and oxemptS the rich from paying
their just proportion of taxation required
for the support of government While II
protects the capital of the wealthy manu-
lacturer, and increases his profits, it does
not benefit the operatives or laborers in
his employment, whose wages have not
been increased by il. Articles of prime
necessity or of coarse quality and low
price, used by the masses of the people,
are, in many instances, subjected by il TO
heavy taxes, while art Giles of finer quality
and higher price, or of luxury, which can
be used only by the opulent, are lightly
taxed. II imposes heavy and unjust bur
dens OH the farmer, the pla! ter, the com.
mercia man, and those of all Other pur-
suits except the capitalist who has made |
his investments in manufactures All the
great interests of the country are not, rs !
nearly as may be practicable, equally pro-
tected by IT,
The government in theory knows no /
distinction of persons or classes and should |
not bcSlow upon some lavorS and privi-
lcgos which all others may not enjoy. IL
was the purpose of its illustriouS founders
to base the institutions which they reared
upon the great and unchanging principles
of Justice and equity. conscious that il I'd
miuiStered in the spirit in which they
were conceived, they would be felt only
by the benefits which they dif'used, and
would secure for themselves a defence IN
the hearts Of the people, more powerful
than standing armies, and all the means
and appliances invented 10 sustain govern
menls founded in injustice and oppres-
sion.
The well known fact that the Tariff
Act of 1912 was passed by majority of
one vote in the Senate, aud two IN the
House Of Representatives, and that some
Of those who felt themselves constrained,
under the peculiar circumstances existing
at the time, to vote in iis favor. proclaim
cd its defects, and expressed their deter
nination TO aid in It's modification on the
first opportunity, affords strong and con-
elusive evidence that il was not intended
a