The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1845-12-18


are consumed by The laborer and the poor,
as well as By the wealthy citiz=u. Care
should be taken that all he great Interests
OF the country, including manufactures,
agriculture. commerce, navigation, and
The mechanic arts, should, as far as may
be practicable, derive equal advantages
from The incidental protection which ust
system Of revenue duties may Afford
Taxation. direct or indirect, is burden,
and it should be so imposed as to operate
as equally as may be on all classes, in the
proportion of their ability to bear it. TO
make the taxing power an actual benefi!
10 one class, necessarily increases the bur-
den of the others beyond their proportion,
and would be menilestly unjust.
I'ne terms "prottcii9n 10 home indus
Try" are Of. popular import; ta! they
should apply under just system TO all
the various branches of industry in our
country. The farmer or planter who
tolls yearly in his fields, is engaged in
domestic industry" and is as much en-
titled to have his labor projected" as the
manufacturer, the man of commerce. the
navigator, or the mechanic, who are en-
gagged also in "domeslic industry" in their
different pursuits. The joint labors of all
these classes constitute The aggregate OF
the " domestic industry" Of the nation, and
they are equally entitled to the natiou's
protection" No one of them can Justly
claim TO be the exclusive recipient of "pro-
lection" which can onl be afforded by
increasing burdens on the "domestic n>
dustry" OF the others.
If these views be correct, it renal ms TO
inquire how far the Tariff Act OF 1912 is
consistent with them. Tha, many Of the
provisions of that Act are 10 violation OF
The cardinal principles here laid down, all
must concede. The rates of duties impos-
ed by it on some articles are prohibitory,
and on others so high as to greatly dimin.
iii imporaiions, and TO produce less
amount Of revenue than would be derived
from lower ra,es. They operate as "pro~
lection merely TO one branch of tdomes-
tic industry" by taxing other branches.
BY the introduction Of minimums, OF
assumed and false values, and by the inl>
position of specific duties, the injus ice and
inequality Of the act Of 1912 in its prac,i>
cal operations on different classes and pur.
suits, are seen and felt, Many of the OPP
pressive duties imposed by it under the
operation of these principles, range from
one per cent. to more than two hundred
per cent. They are prohibtory on some
articles, and partially 50 on others, and
bear mos, heavily on articles Of common
necessity, and but lightly on articles OF
luxury. Il is so framed that much the
greatest bur,hen which i! imposes is
thrown on labor and the poorer classes
who are least able to bear it, while it pro.
iccts capital and exempts the rich from
paying their jus. proportion Of the taxa
tion required for the support of govern
mcot. While it protects the capital ofthe
wealthy manufacturer. and increases his
profits, i. does not be..efit the operatives
or laborers in tEer employment, whose
wages have no! been increased by it.
Articles Of prime necessity or of coarse
quality and low price, used by the masses
Of the people, are, in many instances, sub
jected by it 10 heavy taxes while articles
of fiaer quality and higher price, or Of
luxury, which can be used only by the
opulen,, are lightly taxed. 1t imposes
heavy and IN ust burdens on the farmer.
the planter, the commercial man, and
those of all other pursuits except the cap
i!alist who has made his investments in
manufactures. ALI the great Interests of
the country are not, as near as may be
practicable, equally projected by it,.
The Government in theory knows no
distinction Of persons or classes.and should,
not bestow upon some. avors and privilege
as which all others may moi enjoy. Ii was
the purpose of its illus.rous founder: to
base the institutions which they reared
upon The gr1a; and unchangiug principles
Of Justice and equity. conscious that if adj
miuistered in the spirit in which they were
conceived, they would be felt only by the
benefits which they diffused, and would
secure for themselves defence in the
hearts Of the people, more powerful than
standing armies, and all lie means and
appliances invented 10 sustain Govern
meats founded in injustice and oppycs-
zion.
The we'll known fact tina! the Tariff OF
1912 was passed by majority Of one vote
in the Senate and Two in the House OF
Representatives, and that some Of those
who felt themselves constrained, under the
peculiar circumstances existing AT The time,
10 vote in is favor, proclaimed its defects,
and expressed their determination 10 aid
in its modification on the first opportunity,
affords strong and conclusive evidence that
il WIS not intended TO be permanent, and
of the expedency and necessity OF its thor
ough revision.
In recommending 10 Congress a reduce
ton Of The present ra'es of duty, and re-