The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1845-12-09

hldAlHluih Ia'e OF duty winch can be land Tor
the bora Pile purpose of collecting money for
the support Of government. To raise the du-
ties higher than that point. and thereby d.
minish the amount collected, is to levy them
for protection merely, and not for revenue
As long, then, as Congress may gradually in
crease the rate ofduty on given article, and
the revenue is increased by such increase oF
dnty, they are within the revenue standard
When they 60 beyond that point, and. a,
they increase the duties the revenue is d;m;,-
ished or destroyed, the act ceases TO have 70,
It's object the raising OF money 10 support pow
eminent. but is for protection merely.
itdoes not follow that Congress sEould Ievv
the highest duty on all articles of import
which they will bear within the revenue STAN
dard; for such rates would probably produce
much larger amount than the economi,.,l
administration of the government woalJ re-
quire. Nor does it follow that the duties nm
all articles should be at the same or A bor;.
zOntal rate. Some articles will bear much
higher revenue duty than others. Below the
maximum Of the revenue standard CONGRESS
may and ought to discriminate in the rates
imposed, taking care so to adjust them on diff
lerent articles as 10 produce in the aggregate.
the amount which, when added to the pro-
ceeds Of the sales of public lands, may be
needed to pay the economical expenses Of
government.
In Ievyius a tariff ofIuties, Congress exer-
else the taxing power, and for purposes Of
revenue may select the objects Of taxation.-
They may exempt certain articles altogether,
and permit their importation ireeof duty. On
others they may impose low duties In these
clIsses may be embraced such articles of ne
cessity as are in general use, and especially
such as are consumed by the lahorer and the
poor, as well as by the wealthy citizen. Care
should he taken that all the great interests of
the county, including manufactures, agricul-
ture, commerce, navigation and the mechanic
arts, should, as far as may be practicable, de-
rive equal advantages from the incidental
protection which a Just system of revenue
duties may afford. Taxation, direct or indi-
rect, is burden, and it should be so imposed
as to operate as equally as may be, on all clas-
ses, in the proportion Of their ability 10 bear
il. To make the taxing power an actual ben
eft to one class, necessarily increases the bur
den ofthe others beN ond their proportion, and
would be manifcstly unjust.
The terms 'protection TO domestic indus
try" are Of popular import but they should
apply under Just system TO all the various
branches of industry in our country. The
farmer or planterwho tolls yearly in his fields,
i engaged in domestic industry" and is as
much entitled TO have his labor protected"
as the manufacturer, the man of commerce,
the navigator, or the mechanic, who are en-
gagged also in domestic industry" IN their DIFF
fcrent pursuits. The joint labors OF all these
classes constitute the aggregate of the do
nestle industry Of the nation, and they are
equally entitled TO the nations protection"
No one Of them can Justly claim to be the ex-
elusive recipients Of"protection,' which can
only be afforded by increasing burdens on the
domestic industry of the others.
If these views Re correct, it remains TO inquire
how far the tariff act of 1912 is consistent with
them. That many Of the provisions OF that act
are in violation of the cardinal principles heEe
laid down, all must eoncede. The rates of duty
imposed by it on some articles are prohitiIory,
and on others so high as greatly TO diminish i'm
portaiions, and TO produce less amount Of rev
enue than wculdbe derived from lower rates.
They operate as "protection merely" 10 one
branch of domestic industry" by taxing other
branches.
BY the Introduction of minimumS or assumed
and false values, and by the Imposition OF Speci
fic duties the injustice and inequality OF the act
of 1872 in its practical operations on different
classes and pursuits are seen and felt.-Manyo Of
the oppressive duties imposed byit under tie o.
Grafton of these principles, range from one per
cent, TO more than two hundred PER cent.
They are prohihitory on some articles, aud
par ialv SO on oh'rs, AMI hear most seavlly
on articles o. common necessity, and but lightly
on articles of luxury. II is so framed lhdtmuch
the greatest burden which itimpOSeSiS thrown on
labor and the poorer classes who are least able 10
bear il, while il protects capital and exempis Inc
rich from paying their Just proportion oil tue tax
alton required for the support oil SoEeTnmeEL-
While il protects the capital at wealthy MANI
facturer and increases his profits il does mol teh-
eft the operatives or laborcrS in his employmtrI
whose wages have not been increased by H. Al,
ticles of prime necessity or OF coarse quality anu
low price, used by the mas eS Of the people. are
in many instances sui jectcd ty it to heavy tag
es. while articles of finer quality and hiShe'
,rice or of Injury. which can lie used only Ly
The orulent. are lightly taxed. 1t imposes heavy
and unjust burdens on the farmer, the planter
the commercial man, and those oil all other ptI-
suits except the capitalist who have made MS III
vestmcnts in manufr ciuTos. Ali the great Inier-
ests of the country are not, as nearly as may be
protected by it.
The Government. in theory, knows no distinc-
tion of persons or classes, and should not eestow
uron some favoTS and privileges which an olhetS
NAV not enjoy. II was the purpose oil us MUS
,rionS founders TO base the Institutions which they
y
of inStice and equity, conscious that II admlni>
tered in the spirit in which they were CONCEIVE.
they would he felt only by the benefits which lNtE
diAused. and would secure to themselves &c,
, fence in the hearts OF the people, more Power-''
Than standing Armies, and all the means ana az
/ nIianceS invented to sustain the soVeInInehs
p founded in Justice and oppression. 600
The welLknown fact thatthe tarih act o. e. 60
was nassed hy majority of one vote IN inc ecu
md Two il, the House Of Representatives, an.
tbatsome of those Who felt themselves cohStiaiN-
ed under the peculiar circumstances exisnnss .
the time. TO vote in its favor, proclaimed rs c.
fects. and expressed their determination % ail 10
modification on the first opportunity, anon,
strong and conclusive evidence that II was hu'
intended to be permanent, and OF INC e&l cu''''''
and necessity ofits thorough revision
In recommending Congress reduch9 a,' ~
The present rates of duty, and revision ana
difcation of the act of 1872 am far en-
tanning opinions unfriendy TO the mahui1 ,ros.
ers On the contrary, desire to see the' i- p-S
perous. as far they can Re so, wIlhou! LII MI ~
mo UNEQUAL burdens on other interests ..-
vantage under any system OF indirect iaAse a.
cen within the revenue standard, must re ~
,,or of the manufacturing interest," and oI D'>''
otberin,erest will complain.
Nz...-oc- tho ah0litlOn O.