Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1845-12-17

lars and seventy cents; from the sale of public lands
two millions seventy thousand and twenty two
dollars and thirty cents, and from incidental ant
miscellaneous sources, enc hundred and sixty three
thousand nine hundred and and ninety-eght
dollars and fifty-six cents. The expenditures
for the same period were twenty nine millions nine
hundred and sixty eight thousand two hundred and
SIX dollars and ninety eight cents; of which eight
millions five hundred and eighty eight thousand one
hundred and fifty seven dollars and sixtytwo cents
were applied to the payment of the public debt The
balance in the treasury the first of July last
seven millions six hundred and fifty eight thousand
three hundred and six dollars and twenty two cents
Reduction Of the Tariff.
The attention of congress is invited to the mpor-
lance OF making suitable notifications and reductions
OF the rates of duty imposed by tariff laws. The
object OF imposing duties on imports should be to
raise revenue to pay the necessary expenses of gov
eminent. Congress may, undoubtedly, in the exer-
cises of sound discretion, discriminate in arranging
the rates of duty different articles; but the dis
elimination should be within the revenue standard,
and be made with the view to raise money for the
support of the government.
1t becomes important to understand distinctly what
is meant by revenue standard, the maximum of which
should not be exceeded in the rates of duty imposed
1t is conceded and experience proves that duties may
be laid SO high as to diminish prohibit altogether,
the Importation of any given article and thereby les
sen or destroy the revenue which, at lower rates,
should be derived from its Importation Such duties
exceed the revenue rates. and are imposed to raise
money for the support of the government. If con-
gress levy duty, for revenue, of one per cent,
given article, it will produce given amount ofmon
ey to the treasury, and will identicay and necessa-
tly afford protection or advantage to the amount of
one per cent to the home manufacturer of similar
or like article, the importer If the duty be rails
ed to ten per cent it will produce greater amount
of money, and afford greater protection. If it be
still raised to twenty, twenty-five, or thirty per cent,
and if it is rased revenue derived from it is found
to be increased, the protection advantage will also
be increased; but if it be raised to thirty one per
cent, and is found that the produced at that
rate is less than thirty per cent, it ceases to be
revenue duty. The precise point in the ascending
scale of duties at which it is ascertaned from expe-
rience that the is greatest, is the maximum
rate of duty which be laid for the bona fde pur
pose of collecting money for the support of the gov
eminent. To raise the duties higher than that point
and thereby diminish the amount collected is to levy
them for the protection merely aud not for reveha
As long, then, as congress may gradually increase
the rate of duty On given article, and the revenue
is increased by such increase of Duty they within
the revenue standard. When they 60 beyond that
point, and, as they increase the Duties the revenue
diminished destroyed the act ceases to have for
its object the raising of money to support the gov
eminent, but is for protection merely.
1t does not follow that congress should levy the
highest duty all articles of import which they will
bear with the standard for such rates would
probably produce much larger amount than the eco
nomcal ADMINISTRATION of the government would re-
quire. Nor does it follow that the duties on all
tcles should be at the same, or horizontal rate
Some articles will bear much higher revenue duty
than others. Below the maximum of the revenue
standard Congress may and ought to discriminate In
the rates imposed, taking care to adjust them on
different articles as to produce in the aggregate the
amount added to the proceeds of the sales
of public lands, may be needed to pay the economi-
cal expenses of the government.
In levying a tariff of duties, Congress exercises
the taxing power, and for purposes of revenue
may select the objects of taxation. They may
exempt articles altogether. and permit the impor-
tation free of duty. On others they may impose low
duties. In these classes should be embraced such
articles as are IN general use, and especially such
as are consumed by the laborer aud the poor, as
well as the wealthy citizen. Care should be taken
that all the great interest of the couniry manufac
lures, agriculture commerce navtga ton and the
mechanic arts, should as far NAV be practca BILE
derive equal advantage from the incidental pro.
lection which is a just symptom ofreYenue duties
may afford.
Taxation, direct or indirect, is burden, and il
should be so imposed as TO operate as equally as
may be OIL all classes, in the proportion Of their
ability to bear it,. To make the taxing power an
actual benefit to one class, necessarily increase.
the burden of others beyond their proportion, and
would be manifestly unjust. The terms "protec-
ton to American industry" are Of popular i'm
port; but they should apply under just system
to all the various branches of industry in our
Country. The farmer or planter who tolls yearly
IN his fields, is engaged i'll domestic industry
and is as much entitled to have his labor "protec-
ted" 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 con-
sute the aggregate ofthe domestic industry" Of
the nation, and they are equally entitled to a ma
TONS "pro,eclion.'
No one Of them can justly claim to be exclu-
sve recipients of 'Pfotection," which can only be
allowed by increasing burdens on the domestic
industry" of the others.
Ii these views be correct, it remains to enquire
how long the tariff act Of 1882 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
imposed by il articles are prohibitory, aud
on others SO high as greatly 10 diminish impofla-
tons and 10 produce less amour, OF revenue than
would be derived from lower rates. They opsr-
ate as protection merely" 10 one branch OF "do-
nestle industry" by taxing other branches.
By the introduction of minimums, Or assumed
and false values, and by the imposition OF spec
iic duties, the injustice and inequality of the ACT