Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1845-12-25


ions Of the rates of duty imposed by our
present tariff laws. The obieci Of Impos-
ing duties on imposts Should be TO raise
revenue 10 pay the necessary expenses Of
government Congress may. nndoubted
lynn The exercise of sound discretion.
discriminate in arranging the rates of du's
on different articles; but the determinations
should he within The revenue standard.
and be made with the view 10 raise money
f"r the support Of government
1t becomes impor,an, 10 understand
distinctly what is meant hv revenue
standard. the maximum Of which should
not be exceeded IN the rates of duty
imposed Ii is co iceded, and experience
proves, lha, du les NAV he laid 50 high a.
To diminish, or pronhi altogether, the
thereby lessen or destroy the revenue
which, al lower rates, would BE- derived
from its importation Such duties exceed
the revenue rates and are moi imposed to
raise money for the supper, of govern
ment. IL Congress levy duty. for
revenue. Of one per cent. on given arti.
Gle. il will produce given amount Of
money To the treasury, ana will inclden.
tally and necessarily afford protection. or
advantage, to the amount of one per cent.
10 the home manufacturer of similar or
like article over the importer. IL llIe dnly
be raised 10 ten per cent. II will produce
greater amount Of money, aud afford
greater protection. Ii 1t still be raised to
twenty, twenty five or thirty per cent.
aud #, as il is raised, The revenue derived
protection or advantage will also he IN
creased; but If it b. raised To thirty one
per cent. and II is found thai the revenue
produced al that rate Is less than a, thirty
per cent. IL ceases TO he a revenue duty.
The precise point III the ascending scale
OF duties AT which 1t is ascertained from
experience that The revenue Is greatest. IS
the maximum rate of duty which can be
laid for the bona file purpose of colerung
money for the support of government. =
To raise the duties higher Than that point.
and thereby diminish the amount collected,
IS to levy them for protection merely, and
not for revenue. As long, then. as
Congress may gradually increase the rate
OF duty on gwen article. and the revenue
Is increased bv such increase Of duty.
thew are within The revenue standard -
When they 90 beyond that point, and. as
they increase the duties. the revenue l.
diminished or destroyed, The act cea-es ID
have for lis object The raising OF money To
supper, government, bu, Is for protection
merely.
Ii does not follow that Congress should
levy the highest duty on all articles of
Import which they will bear within the
revenue Standard; for such rates would
probably produce much larger amount
than The economical administration of The
government would require. Nor does II
follow that The dnlles on all articles
should be at the same, or horiz nntal rate.
Some articles will bear much higher
revenue duty than others. Below the
maximum of the revenue standard Con
gress may and ought TO discriminate in
the rates imposed taking care So 10 adjust
them on different articles as To produce IN
the aggregate amount which, hen added
to the proceeds Of sales of public lands,
may be needed to pay the economical
expenses of The government
In levying tariff of duties. Congress
exercise the taxing power and for pnr-
poses Of revenue may seirct the objects nt
taxation. They may exempt certain
articles altogether. and permit their i'm
porlatlon free of duty. On others they
NAV impose low du'ies. IL these classes
should he embraced sncn articles OF
necessity as are IN general use. and e-pe
cIally such rs are consumed by the labor
er and The poor, as we'll a by TIE wealthy
cilizen. Care should be taken that all
the great interests of The country. including
manni aciures. agriculture, commerce. ma.
viga,lon, and the m-chanic arts. should,
As far as NAV he practicable, derive equal
advantages from the incidental protection
which Just system at revenue duues
NAV afford Taxation, direct ar indirect.
is burden. and /. shnul! be so imposed
as /, operate as equally as may be. on all
classes. in the proportion OF their ability
TO bear II. To make the taxing power an
actual benefit 10 one class, necessarily
increases The burden Of The Others beyond
their proportion, and would he manifes,Iv
unjust. The terms, 'proieeion to do
mesl'c industry. are of popular import;
but they should apply under a jus, .ysit IN
TO all the various branches of industry in
our country. The farmer or planter who
tolls yearly IN his fields, is engaged il
domestic industry" and is as much
entitled to have his labor ''protecled, As
the manufacturer. the man Of commerce.
The navigator or the mechanic who are
engaged also in .'domesiic indus rv' in
their different pursuits. The JOINT labnrs
of all these classes cons. iiute the aggregate
Of the domestic industry" Of the nation.
aud they are equally entitled 10 the nat
ions "pro,ection No one OF them can
Justly claim To he The exclusive recipients
nf"prot-ction' which can only be afford
ed nv increasing bun.ens on the ..dones.
nc industry" Of the Others.
Ii these views he correct. il remains I.
inquire how far the tariff ac, of 1912 i.
consistent with them. That maav nj The
provisions Of that ari are IN violation OF
The cardinal principles here laid down, All