The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-10-13
THE TARIFF

They have felt It's oppression, not only In the high
and exorbtant duties which they have had to pay
upon iron, copper, sail-duck and cordage, which
ter to great extent into shp-bulding, but in the
burdens and restrictions which il imposes upon
them in their foreign trade II is true they have, to
some limited extent enjoyed the benefit of the
drawback system; but this practically applies only
to few articles and, in relation to those, it operates
greatly against the interests of the merchants.
The effect of the tariff system upon some
branches of foreign trade has been extremely adj
verse to the interest of that enterprisng and valuable
class Of our countrymen. The operation OF cash
duties has had the effect to cause great decline IN
the re-export of foreign goods. We learn from
Hunts Merchants Magazine for the present month,
that the trade with Mexico and South America has
declined rs per cent. since 1885 The able and in
tellgent editor of that excellent periodical attributes
the cause Of this great decline in our Mexican and
South American trade, to the operation of cash du-
ties. He goes on to remark:
1.-THE old long credits upon bonds allow
ed Of the import Of goods here and their reexpo to any
market without being by additional expense
II Of this country what the warehous
ing system to that Engani Foreign goods were here
abundance and vessels bound TO Mexico and the West
could make assorted cagoes cheapy and TO as
good advantage merchandise duty free In ware.
houses Of these foreign goods to complete
cargoes greatly promoted the sale of the manufac
of the United States For instances in the case OF
Mexico the export of foreign goods that country in 1885
score 900 and in the year there was sent
hither 43s52 Of domestic cotton goods necessary 10
goods TO Mexico was only S64 se2 and the sales OF
domestic cottons to that quarter had declined to So6o
falling off OF 81 323000a serious loss to manuiac-
lures The first blow struck this carrying trade the
Of July H. 1922 which required the duties on woolen
goods be paid in cash. and all other goods in three and
he
apparent down sl2 when the requirements that all du
ties should be paid in cash put the finishing stroke to the
trade about 81 900 only sent TO Cuba and Mex
ice place of in 1895 This effect the more
marked when consider the following paragraph from
report Of the Secretary Of the Treasury dated Decem
Der, 1912:
1.-THE amount of foreign commodities in our markets is
still found greatly 70 exceed the demand and the fall IN the
average not less than 10 per cent
Notw outstanding this gut Of goods and fall In prices
the 81 % y Wa s nreSoa. Hdn
which had overaken markets for those goods. The
trade has got into other channels and to recover it is the
work oil time"
Thus has the export trade Of the United States
with Mexico and the West Indies been nearly de-
stroyed by the present unjust and iniquitous tariff
system of the United States
In regard to the effects of the tariff upon trade
with certain West India islands, the editor of the
Magazine adds:
"The existing such work out the total ruin
Of with the West Indies; for instance
Rico the Dutch main amounting to $50 900 and 100000
hogsheads imported into the United States and greater
countries This employs great tonnage; eastern
sells carry out lumber fish, &c., which is exchanged for this
what il will fetch Its cost Is accounted nothing by the
planters The average price Is Gents PER gallon ana
the draw back allowed ON the spirits exported The
tariff OF 1912 enacts however that drawback of cents
gallon shall be allowed spirits distilled from foreign
moasses until January, 843 when it shall be reduced
cent gallon and one cent annually thereafter until the
whole is discontinued Hence the drawback is now cents
per gallon. The effect Of this duty on molasses without
the drawback the spirits to transfer the manufacture
of the latter to Cuba TO deprive the eastern country Of the
American colonies Africa the Mediterranean ports the
trade OF supplying Cuba with that which she buys in ex
The eastern vessels carry lumber and fish to Cuba ex-
change for molasses which manufactured in New Eng
land and the spirits sold TO the British North American
colonies thout drawback the colonies will send their
fish and lumber to Cuba and procure spirits direct The
Of Spanish vessels in the ports Of New Brunswick
is an instance of ths.'
Thus have the merchants suffered severely from
the operations Of the tariff system. To avoid the
difficulties they encounter from that source, they
Congress to adopt the warehouse system, which,
so far as they professionally concerned, would
avoid the evils of high tariff
In relation to properly constituted warehouse
system, we believe the democratic party have
agreed, and still agree, in opinion with the mer-
chants. They concede its justice and its great
benefits to the foreign trade Of the country. But,
they have been reluctant grant the benefits of this
system to the merchants, mainly for the that
hitherto the great body of the merchants have
tanned and upheld the odious and oppressive tariff
system Cor, which is the thing, the party that
has fixed it upon the country from the evils Of
which the warehouse system would relieve them.
Now, if the merchants desire the aid of the demo-
cratic party in establishing this convenient and me-
cessary appendage Of our commercial system, they
must abandon for time their strong party preju-
dices, and unite with the democracy in reducing the
present tariff to the revenue standard. While the
tariff system operates with tenfod injustice upon
the great mass of consumers in this country, the
merchants cannot expect that the democratic party
will make much effort to relieve them from the oner-
GUS burdens of system, which they, as class, do
all they can to uphold, Notwithstanding they cannot
fail to see that it must be destructive in its effects
upon all foreign commerce.
In closing our remarks upon this subject, we would,
in view Of the fact that all classes of the community
except the manufacturing capitalists, sufferers
from the effects Of the present burdensome tariff call
upon the merchants lay aside their political preu
dices, and good patriots and sound political econo-
mists, unite with the democratic party in its efforts
to reduce the tariff to the revenue standard. II will
then operate with equal justice and impartality on
all interests, far justice and impartiaity can
result from such system of taxation. Let the
merchants do this, and they will find the democracy
not backward in aiding to establish, in connection
with the revenue system, wise and judicious ware
house system. Then will not only the internal
trade of the Union be more buoyant and hourishing
than ever but the foreign trade Of the country will
receive an impetus which will soon re-estabsh it
on a sound and durable basis, and enable our mer-
chants to compete with the whole world for the
trade Of the world. They will then not only re-
cover, but they will retain, the trade of Mexico, the