Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1845-12-09

are lcss by SPOIL $50 90. than the rcccim,
oi the same quaftor last year. Amonp The
causes Il the progressive diminuticn oi the
importation OF highly protected articles, and
the substitution OF rival dumes,ic products.
For the niue months ending June 80. 1913
since the pns'nt tariff the average ot duties
upon dutiab,e imports was equal to 1881 | =
10 per cent. for the year ending June b. 1871.
$3.50 9-lOper cent; and for the year ending
June 30, 1910, 29.90 per ccnt--showing great
dinihution IN the averagh per ccntage owing
in part TO increased importation of some arti-
cles bearing the lighter duties. and decreased
importation OF Others bcaring tn. high n duty
Ths revenue from AL valoreln duties last wear
exceeded that realized from specific duties, al
| though the average of the AL valorem duties
was only 23.j7 per cent. and the average OF
the specific duties Al .30-prescnting another
strong proof that lower dutics increase the re
venue. Among the causes tending to i'm
crease the revenue are increased emigration.
and tho annexation of Texas. The estimates
for the expenditures of 1916, are based chi, A !,
upon appropriations made b. Congress. The
ESTIMATED expenditures for 1913 are founded
upon data furnished b. the several depart
ments, and are less By St,lOS 23S e. Than
those of the preceding year. These estimates
are submitted in the full conviction that.
whenever Congress, guided by an enlightened
economy, can diminish the expenditure with
out injury To the public interest. such re-
trcnchment will be made, so as TO tighten the
burden of taxation, and hasten the extinguish-
ment OF the public debt, reduced on the lst of
Oetober last TO 100, iIo 81.
In suggesting Improvements in the revenue
laws, the following principles have been adop-
| ted:
LIST. That no more money should be collcc-
To- al han tS Al.
vernment economically administered.
u. That no duty be imposed on any ar,i-
clcs above the lowest rate which will Weld the
largest amount of revenue.
81. That, below such rate, Determinations
may be made, descending in the scale of du-
tie or Tor imperative reasons the article may
be placed in the list of those free from all du.
ties:
9th. That the maximum revenue duty b..
imposed on luxuries.
9th. That all mnimums, and all specific
duties should be abolished, and adj valorem du-
ties substituted i'm their placc-care being Ia
ken to guard against fraudulent invoices and
under valuation, and To assess the duty upon
the actual market value.
9th. That the duties should be so imposed
as TO operate as equally as'possibc throughout
the Union, discriminating neither for or a
gainst any class or section.
No horizontal scales of duties is recon
mend d; because such scale would I've re-
iusIl TO dis rlminate Tor revenue, and might
| SINK that revenue below the wants of the GOV
eminent. Some articles will Weld the arc-
est revenue at duties that would be wholly or
partially prohibitory in other cases. I.uxu-
ries, "a general rule, will bear the highest
revenue duties; but even some very costly lux
uries, easily struggled, will bear but light
| duty Tor revenue; whilst other articles. of
great bulk and weight will bear higher du-
| ty Tor revenue. There is no instance within
the knowledge of this department of any hor
izonal tariff ever having been enacted by any
one OF the nations o the world. There must
be discrimination Tor revenue, or the burden
oi taxation must be augmented. in order TO
oring The same amount OF money into the
| treasury. Ii Is difficult, also, TO adopt anv
arbitrary maximum, To which AN inilexiblc
adherence must be demanded in all cases.
Thus, upon brandy and spirits, specific du-
~, varying as an equivalent d-valorem from
$50 TO 26l per cent, yields large revenue:
yet no one would propose either of these rates
as maximum. These duties arc too hioh
Tor revenue, from the encouragement they pre-
sent Tor smuggling these baneiul Injuries: vet
duty oil 70 per cent. upon brandy and spi
rits would be far below the revenue standard
would greatly diminish the income on these
imports, requires increased burdens upon the
necessarles of life, and would revolt the NOR
al sense oil the whole community. There are
many other luauries which will bear much
higher duty Tor revenue than 20 per cent.
ana the only true maximum is that which cx-
pcrisnce demonstrates will bring, i'm each case.
The largest revenue at the lowest rate ufduty.
Nor should maximum revenue duties be- i'm
posed on all articles for this would Weld too
large an income, and would prevent all dis
elimination within the revenue standard and
requires necessarles TO be taxed as high as lux
uTies. But, whilst ii is impossible to adopt
any horizontal scales of duties, or even any
arbitrary maximum, experience proves that.
as a general rule a duty of 20 per cent adj val
orcm will yield the largest revenue. There
are, however, few exceptions above, as well
as many below, this standard. Thus. whilst
the lowest revenue duty OH most luxuries ex-
ceeds ~ per cent, there are many costly ar
tlcles, OF small bulk and easily smuggled
winch would bring, perhaps, no revenue at
uuty as hlgh as ~ per cent, and, even at the
present rate ot7s per cent, they will Weld
IN most cases, small revenue whilst coal. i
ron, sugar, and molasses, articles of great bnIk
and weight, yielded last year six millions of
reyente, at an average rate OF duty exceeding
to per cent, adj valorcm. These duties are
lar TO high Tor revenue upon all these articles.
and ought to be reduced 10 tile revenue stand
ard; BUTT Congress desire to obtain the lare
est revenue from duties on these articles.
those duties, at the lowest rate for revenue.
would exceed 20 per cent. adj yalorem.
There are appended to this report tables.
prepared with great care aud labor, showing
the rates OF duty each year on each of these
four articles, and the equivalent adj vaorem.
from the organization Of the government down
to the present period, with the revenue col.
lected every year upon eacl--lrom winch Ia
bies Congress will be enabled TO Judge how
lar the present rates exceed the lowest reycn
ne duties, and how much they must be redu
eed, so as toyield revenue equal 10 that now
obtained from these articles.
tits believed that sufficient means can be
obtained, at the lowest revenue duties. ON
She articles now subjected TO duty; but if Con
grcss desire larger revenue, il should be pro.
cured by taxing the free articles, rather than