The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-12-02

tireai BRAIN was exiingushed. and ws ~ va
10 me world The rare and noble spec acle Of,
aud growing people who had fully d>et sa
every ooligaiion. Since that time, the e1i.,sssd
debt has been contracted and small as !, y
comparison with the similar burdens of nv, =
nations, Il should he extiheuished at the s..,ief
practicable period Should the stale of Inc sa,ss
permit, aud, especially, If our foreisn rsIs'lr
nerpose no obstacle, II ~ contemplated IN annl
the moneys IN the treasury as they aecrns tpl all
what rs required for The appropriateness hu Inend
sress To its liquidalpn. cherish The hone Soa'
being able TO congratulate The country on iIs ~oa
ering once more The lofty position which !, ' s
Gently occupied. Our county, which sXh;ts 90 re'
the world the beneds of selfgovemment IN S.s9
oping all the sources OF national pIo>per;lv s,et
10 mankind the permanent example Of man,, VHes
from The blighting influence of public deh "ee
The attention Of Congress is invited 10 N. !.
portance OF making suitable modification ara ~
ducnons of the raies of duty imposed bv on e
ent tariff laws. The object Of imposing dusps s'
imports should be to raise revenue TO ray The ~
cessary expenses Of government. ConsIe.s s ae
undoubtedly, In the exercise Of sound djsc,.sivs
discriminate in arranging the rates of duly an ~
ferent articles; but the determinations sb,nltunt
within The revenue standard, and be mnds ~ y
the view to raise money Tor the support of gov.,a
men.. SYST
II becomes important 10 understand d;s;,.,
what is meapt by revenue standard, The mssq
mum of which should not be exceeded IN m. .. '
Of duty imposed. II is conceded, and e.n.,,u us
proves, that dutier may be laid SO high rs - u
mnish or prohibit altogether the inporta,ioO
any given article, and thereby Lessen or ds,..'wa
the revenue which, al lower rates. Womb - ~
rived from its importation Such duties .y,s ~
the revenue rates, ard are not imposed 10 ~
money for The support Of government. IConar.,s
levy duty for revenue Of one per cent on sv.,
fsnlA In Vryill xx,sx
the Treasury, and will incidentally and n,ces,.,;S
afford protection or advantage 10 the NOM, my y
enc per cent. 10 the home manufacturer Of s;m;..
or like article over the importer tfibe An. y
raised to ten per cent, II will produce a,.,,..
amount OF money, and afford greater prosc,Ios
II il be still raised Ia twenty twenty FIVE n, ,h,
per cent, and IT, il is raised, The revenue d.rs.i
from il is found TO be increased The protection !,
advantage will also be increased but If b. r,i.ss
to thirty.one per cent, and It is found ina, NJ
revenue produced al that rate is less lhan 4, ~
per cent il ceases TO be a revenue dn,v ~,
precise point in the ascending scale of dp.s ',
which il Is ascenained from experience I'M, y.
revenue is greatest, is the maximum rate If asss
which can be laid for the bona fde puipose fsX
Letting money for the support Of government. N
raise the duties higher than that point. and ,hs,.l
diminish the amount collected, Is 10 levy them 4,
protection merely, and not for revenue. AS lonv
then, as Congress may gradually increase Inc NJ.
OF duty on given Article, and The revenue isM
creased by such increase Of duty, they are whLh
the revenue standard. When they 60 beyond ill.,
point, and as they increase the duties the rev.Dss
is diminished or destroyed the act ceases 10 h.s.
Tor Us object The raising of money TO support gey.
eminent, but is for protection merely.
II does not follow that Congress should levy ii.
highest du'y on all articles of import which tbss
will bear within the revenue standard. for s,ri
rates would probably produce a much l,rr.,
amount than the economical administrator of Il.
government would require. Nor does il iollu.
thathe duties on all articles should be al The sams
or horizontal rate. Some articles will bear,
much higher revenue duty than others. Beloy
The maximum OF the revenue standard Congress
may aud ought TO discriminate in the rates In.
posed, taking care SO TO adjust them on dfereu,
articles as 10 produce in the aggregate the amouu
which, when added 10 the proceeds of sales Of puk
lie lands, may be needed to pay the economical
expenses Of the government.
In levying tariff OF duties, Congress eYercis,
the taxing power, and for purposes Of revenue
may select the objects OF taxation. They NAV
exempt certain articles altogether, and III perma
their importation free of duty. On others lhey
may impose low duties. In these classes should
be embraced such articles OF necessity as are
in general use, and especially such as are con-
sumed by the laborer and the poor as well Isl
the wealthy citizen Care should be taken that h
The great interests of the county including msnd.
features, agriculture, commerce, navigation sd
The mechanic arts, should, as far as may be pftti
cable, derive equal advantages from the iacidenul
protection which just system Of revenue duties
may afford. Taxation, direct or indirect Is bur.
den, and IL should be so imposed as TO oneraIe
equally as may be, on all classes in The proportion
of their ability 10 bear it. To make The taxing
power an actual benefit 10 one class, necessarily IN.
creases the burden Of the others beyond their pro-
tsSr h.
terms protection to domestic industry are d
popular import; but they should apply under ua
system 10 all the various branches Of industry ID
our country The farmer or planter who tolls
yearly in his fields, Is engag in domestic indus
try" and is as much entitled to have his labor PRO
tecied, as the manufacturer, The man of commerce.
the navigator, or the mechanic, who are engaged
also In domestic industry" in their different pur
suits. The joint labors Of all these classes constr
iute the aggregate of the "domesiic industry d
the nation, and uhev are equally entitled 10 the ~
TONS protection" No one of them can justly
claim 10 be the exclusive recipients Of "prolec
lion," which can only be afforded by increasing
burdens on the domestic industry" Of the olhen
II these views be correct, It remains 10 inquin
how far the tariff act of l642 is consistent viii
them That many Of the provisions Of that act ah
in violation Of the cardinal pr inciples here bid
down, all must concede. The rates of duly 10
posed by it on some articles are prohibiory, and q
others so high as greatly 10 diminish imporisiod
and TO produce less amount of revenue than
would be derived from lower rates. They opepr
as protection merely" 10 one branch of donf+
tic industry" by taxing other branches
BY the introduction of mnimums, or assume
and false values, and by the imposition OF spsck
duties, the injustice and inequality of the gel
1912 in It's practical operations on difsfa
classes and pursuits are seen and felt Mann
the oppressive duties imposed BY II under
operation Of these principles, range from @
per cent. 10 more than Two hundred per cnl
They are prohibilory on some articles, and pal
TALLY so on others, and bear mos, heavily 2
articles Of common necessity, and but lishly o.
articles Of luxury. Il is so framed that much 'k
greatest burden which il imposes is ihrovn
labor and the poorer classes who are least aoe
bear H. while II protects capitaland exemPls the n
from paying their just proportion Of The nIam
required for the support of government. WINES
protects the capital Of The wealthy manufacture
and increases his profits, il does not benehl "
operatives or lab0fers in his emrloymenly wao,
wages have not been increased by il. Articles ~
prime necessity or Of coarse qnaly and low pIa
used by the masses Of The people, are, IN many
stances, subjected by IL 10 heavy to xes while aips'
of finer quality and higher price, or Of lusuI
which can be used only by the opuen', are heal
taxed Il imposes heavy and unjust burdens % y
farmer, the planter, the commercial man, and lnD
Of all other pursuits except The capitalist w1o "