Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1845-12-16

our finances. The imports of the fiscal
wear ending on the 30lh Jure last, were
If The value of SLIPS 1894, Of which
the amour, exported was $l5,346, $40
leaving a balance Of S10l ,907,734 for do
nestle consumption. The exports for the
snme year were $II4,646, 500, of which
the amount Of domestic Articles was &c.,
o99, 776. The receipts into the treasury
during the same year were S-9,763,133
"a. If which there were derived from Gus
IONS. S27, 528,l 20; from sale of public
lands. 50 OFT ,O22 80, and from incidental
and miscellaneous sources $l63, 99S &c.
The expenditures for the same period $685.
e63, 3O6 50 ;of which So, 598, 9 81 we're
applied TO the payment of the public debt
The balance in the treasury on the LIST Of
Jlly last, was S7,65a, 306 %.
The attention Of Congress is invited 10
the Importance Of making suitable modifi-
cations and reductions of the rates Of duty
imposed by our tariff laws. The object
of IMPOSING duties on imports should be 10
raise revenue TO pay the necessary ex-
pense Of government. Congress may
undoubtedly. in the exercise of sound
discretion, discriminate in arranging the
rates Of duty on different articles ; but the
discrimination should be within the reve-
nue. standard, and be made with the view
to raise money for the support of the gov
eminent.
Ii becomes important 10 understand dis
tincily what is meant by a revenue standard
the maxium OF which should not be excee-
ded in the rates Of duty imposed. 1t is
conceded, and experience proves that du-
ties may be laid SO high as to diminish, or
prohibit altogether, the importation of any
given article and thereby lessen or destroy
the revenue which, at lower rates, would
be derived from its importation. Such du-
ties exceed the revenue races, and are not
imposed to raise money for the supper:
of the government. If Congress levy du-
tY, for revenue of one per cent, on given
article, it will produce given amount OF
money to the treasury, and will incidental
ly and necessarily afford protection or ad.
vantage, to the amount Of one per cent 10
the home manufacturer of similar or
like article, over the importer. If the du
ty be raised TO ten per cent, it will pro-
duce greater amount Of money, and af-
ford n greater protection If it still be
raised TO twenty, twenty five, or thirty
per cent. and if, as it is raised, the rcve-
nue. deprived from it, is found 10 be in
creased, the protection or advantage will
also be increased but if il be raised 10
thirty percent, and it is found that the
revenue produced al that rate is less thnn
OF thirty per cent, it ceases to be reve
nue. du'y.
The precise point in the ascending
scale Of duties al which it is ascertained
from experience that the revenue is great
est, in the maxim IN rate OF duty which
can be laid, for the bona fde purpose Of
collecting money for the support of gov
eminent. TO raise the duties a title b e eI
than that poiot, and thereby dim n;sh the
amt collected is to levy hem for protect
,oa merely, aud not for revenue. AS
long, then, as Congress may gradually in
crease the ra of duty on given article
aud the revenue is increased by such in
crease Of duty, they are within the revc-
que standard. When they 60 beyond that
point, and as they increase the duties, the
revenue is diminished or destroyed, the ac
ceases TO have for lis object The raising Of
h''"CS w oHPP'lt SNNG' AHiCH', Jul - lOl
protection merely.
1t does not follow that Congress should
levy the highest duty on ali articles Of i'm
port which they will bear within the reve-
nue. standard; for such rates would proba-
bly, produce n much larger amount than
the economical administration of the gov
eminent would require. Nor does il fol-
low that the duties on all articles should be
at the same time, OF horizontal rate
Some articles will bear q much higher rev
enue duty than others. Below the maxim
UNI Of the revenue standard, Congress may
aud ought 10 discriminate in the rates I'M
posed, taking care so to adjust them on
different articles TO produce in the aggre
gate the amount which, when added to the
proceeds Of sales OF public lands, may be
needed to pay the economical expenses oil
the government.
In levyng a tariff Of duties, Congress eX'
cTcsc the taxing power,and for purposes OF
revenue may select the object OF taxation.
They may exempt certain articles altogeth-
cr, and permit their mportauons free OF du
". On others they may impose low duties
In these classes should be embraced such
articles as are in general use, and especial
~ such as are consumed by the laborer and
the poor, as we'll as the wealthy citzen.--
Care should be taken that all the great III
terests of the country, manufactures, agricuI
ure, commerce, navigation and the mcchan
ic arts, should as far as practicable, derive
equal advantages from the incidental protec
ton which ust system OF revenue duties
may afford. Taxation, direct o: indircct,is
burden, and i should be so imposed as &c
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 ben
fit to one class, necessarily increases thu
burden of the other beyond their proportion
and would DO manifesty unjust. The terms
protection to American industry" are o.
popular import but they should apply un
dera Just system TO all the various branche:
of industry in our country. The farm o
planter who tolls yearly in his fields, is en-
gagged in a "domestic industry and is 4:
much eAtitIed TO have his labor protected a:
she manufacturer; the man of commerce
ihe navigator or the mechanic, who are en-
gagged also in ''domcStic industry" in the
different pursuits. The joint labors of al