Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1845-12-11

4
a''" ""' 'or revenue AS long then, as Com
sieSs may gradually Increase the rate of du,y
ON given article, and The eyenue is increased
~ Soen increase duty, they are within the rev.
enue standard, When they 60 beyond ,ha,
Po'"'' and' as they Increase the duties, the rev.
enue Is diminished or desroyed. the nc, ceases
10 nave ior lis object The raising of money TO
support government, but is for protection merely.
IL does not now follow that Congress should
levy The highest duIy on all articles of import
which they will bear within the revenue stan
dard; i'r such rates would probably produce
'huch larger amount than The economical ad-
In'nIsira'lon ol the government would REQUIRE.
Nor does II ioiiow that the duties on all articles
shouiu De al The same, or horizontal rate
Some articles wall 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 different articles as 10 pro,
duce In the aggregate the amount which, when
added TO The proceeds of sales of public lands,
may be needed to pay the economical expen-
ses of the government
In levyIng larfT of duties, Congress exer-
else The taxing power, and for purposes of rev.
enue may select The objects Of taxation. They
may exempt certain articles altogether, and per-
init their Importation free of duty. On others
they may impose low duties. In these classes
should be embraced such articles of necessity
as are IN general use, and especially such as
are in general Use, and especially such as are
consumed Ivy me iahorer aud the poor, as well
as by the wealthy ciIlzeG. Care should be Ia
ken that all The great Interests OF the country,
Including manufactures, agriculture, commerce,
navigation, and the mechanic arts, should,
lar as may be practicable, derive equal advan-
iages from the incidental protection which
just system ol revenue duties may afford. Tax
a'Ion, direct or Indirect, Is burden, and 1t
should be s, imposed as 10 operate equally
| as may be, Oh all classes, In the proportion of
their ability TO bear it. TO make The taxing
power an actual benefit 10 one class, necessar-
lily Increases the burden Of the others beyond
their proportion, and would he manifesly uu-
just. The terms protection 10 domestic in
dusiry," are OF popular import; bul they should
apply under just system 10 all the various
branches of Industry IN our country. The far
mer or planter who tolls yearly in his fields, is
engaged Ia domestic industry" and is as much
entitled 10 have his labor protected" as The
manufacturer, the man Of commerce, the navi-
gator, or the mechanic, who are engaged also
In domestic industry" in their dfferen, pur-
suits. The joint labors of all these classes
constitute the aggregate of the domestic in
dustry" Of The ha'ion, and they are equally en-
titled TO the nations protection" No one Of
them can justly claim To be the exclusive re-
cipients of protection" which can only he af-
| lordeG by increasing burdens on The domestic
| industry Of the Others.
IL, l.
quire how far the tariff act of 1912 is consist
! ell, with them. That many Of the provisions of
that act are in violation of The cardinal prlnci-
| plies here laid down. all must concede. The
rates oi duly Imposed by il on some ARTICLES are
prOhibiiory, and on others SO high as greatly to
diminish lmporiatlons, and to produce less
amount Of revenue than would be derived from
lower rates. They operate as protection mere
ly,' TO one branch of domestic industry" by
taxing other branches.
By the introduction of minmuns, or assum-
ed and false values, and by the imposition of
specific durIes, the Injustice and inequality Of
The act Of IS42, in lis practical operations on
different classes and pursuits, are seen aud felt.
Many of The oppressive duties imposed by /,
under the operation of these principles, range
from one per cent. 10 more than two hundred
per Cent. They are prohbtory on snIne arii-
cles, aud partially others, and bear most
heavily articles of cOnnon necessity, and
bur lgh'l on articles of luxury. Ills so framed
that much the greatest burrhen which il iGpI-
seS is thrown OH labor aud the poorer classes
who least able To bear it, while II projects
capital and exemPrs the rich from paying Their
just proportion OF the taxation required for the
support of government. While it protects the
capital of the wealthy manufacturer. and in
creases his profits. il does no bene6 the ope-
raIives or laborers in their employment, whose
wages have moi been increased by II.
Articles Of prime necessity or Of coarse quail
ity and low prlce, used by the masses of the
people, are. in many instances, subjected by II
to heavy taxes, while articles OF finer quality
and higher price, or of luxury. which can be
used ony by The opuIent, are lightly taxed. 1t
imposes heavy aud unjust burdens on HE farm
er, The planter, the commercial man, and those
of all other pursuits except the capitalist who
has made his investments IN manufactures. All
the great Interests 0f The country are not, as
nearly as may he practicable, equally projected
by it.