Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1845-12-17
.the Bono 6ds purpose or eollecling money

iHo uuir , "
thereby diniipistR lie mount collected, is
10 levy Them for protection merely, and
MOI for revenue AS long, tten,a as Con
gress may gradually increase the rate Of |
duty onEa given article; aud the revenue
BY such increase ofduly, they
are Within tberevenue standard. When
they go beyond that point, aud, as they
increase The duues, the revenue is dimin-
ished or destroyed. the act ceases 10 have
.forsits object The raising osnoney to sup
port government, bat is for, protection
merely. -.
e II does no, follow. that Congress should
levy this highest duty on all articles of
import which they will bear within the
repenne standard; for such rates would |
.probablY produce a much, larger amount
Than the economical administration of the
government would require. ;. Nor does 1t
follow hat the dulles on articles should be
Tarihe same or a horizontal rate Some
articles will bear much higher revenue
/. dutydhan others. Below the maxum of
theTeyenue standard Congress may aud
oughtto, discriminate in The rates imposed,
taking care SO adjust them on difieren,
articles as 10 produce in the aggregate
amount which, when added 10 lhe pro-
eceells of sales or public lands. may be
needed to pay the economical expenses of
she government. ,.,..-..E
- In levying a tariff of duties, Congress
exercises the taking power, and for pur
poses of reAenue may sc!ecl The objects ol
taxation. They may exempt certain
altogether, aud permit their importation
free of duty. On others they may i'm
pose low duties. In these classes should
be embraced such articles of necessity as
are in general use. and especially such as
are consumed by the wealthy citizens.
Care should be taken that all the great
interests of the country, including the
manufacturers. agriculture commerce,
navigation, and the mechanic arls, should,
as far asmay.be practicable, derive equal
advantages from the incidental protection
which just system ofrevcnue dulles may
afford. Taxation direc, or inJirecr. is d
burden, and it should he SO imposed 81 as
10 operate as equally us may be on all
ciasses. in the proportion of their ability
20 bear it. To make the taxing power
an actual beuei, to ono class necessarily
increases the burden Of others beyond
their proportion, and would be maniiestly
unjust. The terms "prolectionlo domes-
tic Industry, "are Of popular import but
they should apply under as just system TO
1.-the various branches of industry n our
country. The farmer. Or planler who
tolls yearly, iu his fields. is engaged in
s.domestic: induslry." and is as much
entilledio have his labor protected. astle
mapufactureI,. the man of commerce the
navigator, or. The mechanic, who are also
engaged in t'domeslic industry in their
different pursuits. The joiul labors Of all
these classes constitute The aggregate of
the "domes,ic industry" Of the nation, and
they are equally entiriedlo The naTion's
"proleciion." No o. oflhem can justly
claim 10 the exclusive recipients OF pro
tection,"" which can only be afforded BY
increasing burdens on the domesticRinz
"a . 2! - 80
If these views be correei, H. remains ID
inquire how farlhe tariff act:of 1912 is
consistent with Them. Fhai many OF the
provisions of thai act are in violation of
thecardinal l'principles here laid down, all
must concede. The rates ofduty imposed
by.it on; some articles are; .prohib,ory.;
aud.onothers SO high as greatly 10 dimin
ish,imporations, aud to produce a less
amount ofsrevenue than would be derived
from lower rates. They operate an "pro-.
lection merely" to o..e branch of "lo-
mestic industry" by taxinglother branches
By the introduction of minimus. or
assumed and false values, and by impnsi
ton Of specific duties, the injustice and
inequality Of the Aci OF eisl'tecn hundred
and fnrty Two, in its practical operations
OH different classes and pursuits, are seen
and felt. Many Of the oppressive duries
imposed 10y thunder the operation Of these
principles. range from one per cent 10
more than two hundred per. cen.-They
are prohibitory on some articles, and
partially so on others, and bear mos,
heavily on articles of common necessity.
and butsliehrly on articles Of luxury /,
is so rfamed that much the greatest
burden5it imposes is thrown on labor, and
poorer classes, who are least able to hear
it. while it protects capitaland exemp's
wv ''sh t"'h pos "'b 'HSi JuS' IiOpoI tIUU
OF the taxation required for The supper,
Of government. While it protects the
capital Of the wealthy manufacturer. and
Increases his profits, il does not benefit
: the operatives orlaborers in his employ
meni, whose wagons have not been
increased hy il. Articles of prime neces.
si'y of coarse quality, al low price, used
by the masses ofthe people, are in many
instances. subjtcredby it to heavy taxes.
while articles Of finer quality and higher
price or of luxury taxed. IL imposes
heavy and unjust burdens on he farmer.
The planter, The commercial man. and
those of all pursuits except the capitals,
who has made his investments in manu-
features. All The great interests of The
country are not, as nearly as may be prae-
.ticaole, equally protected by il.
The government in theory knows no
distinction of persons or classes. and
should not beslow upon some favors aud