New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-07-11
rhe rnrtG. pre.snt and Future.


-D-----
The Tariff, Present and Future.
From he Courier and Enquirer
fu TAhI-1hat VIC never approved OF ihe am 81
1e42 our readers well know and ihey koo" w. toa
were greatly abused by the Tarn press 10Y gaming upn
tbs anne Congress which passed It and that which ie
da,ely followed 10 modify It's provisions as 70 secure
Is perrnanency. ..u,. % rsr,r
y necessity 70 the welfare and prosperity OF the uho
country was and deeply felt BY u.s. that we objected
placing higher duty on any article than was a2soule
Iy necessary protection. We objected 10 Pro'btsr1
duties and insisted It alike the in;eIes: OF the
wealthy manufacturer the merchant the humble artisan
the sgcuturist and the daylaoore 50 10 arrange the
raS tina, IL would protect all manufacturers, while
II would a. the tine invite foreign competition
thus compel those protected to exercise economy and
SKILL at the same Time that 1t securea 10 our treasury an
abundance OF revenue.
Deeply Impressed with these views. we demonstrated
sganst the Tariff OF 1892 because 1t too high; and
because. II not changed by It's judicons friends 10 Ia
rim which should invite competition the time that
rave protection would later inevitably be
changed By It's enemies But our voice was unheedea ;
we we're denounced the enemies OF Protective Tariff
and now, afer OF uncertainty during which capital
afraid 10 invest In manufactures,
dction about be fulfilled, and the principle Of
protection TO be abandoned Better Tar better tat the
manufacturer had been less graspDg and that 10 1892
Tariff had been passed 1t might have been, which
would have put at rest forever this all important 1uoi-
tion.
That the Courier never approved the Tariff Of
use made of the fact by the enemies Of that Tariff
and of Wing Policy generally in former struggles
10 prove that no party was satisfied with the act oil
49, and that there existed clear, definite grounds
OF principle in reference to Tariff on which the
two great parties were at variance. The fact that
the Courier d Enquirer alone among One Thou
sand Wing journals, has persisen,ly evinced hos
tility the Tariff II Is instead OF being cited as
il should be to demonstrate the remarkable una
nimity of party so independent as ours on ques'
iion so vast and complicated. has often been I'M
justly but effectively used to prove division and
anarchy in our councils. We must believe that
the peculiar relation of that paper to the Importing
and Shipping Interests has been alowed-uDcon-
sciously perhaps-to influence iIs and modify
Ito convictions. II TO- the Country and the Wing
will have TO regret fire so peril
Gus at this eveniful crisis.
That the Courier has steadiasty ovinccd dislike
to the Wing Tariff is most true, but not less true
that. until within few years, il has secuted and
opposed the very idea of Protection. II has avowed
and commended tho principle Of unqualified Free
Trade long since the election of Harrison. 1t has
been converted since, it seems, and now calls urgent
ly on Congress to refrain from passing McKays BILL
as an act fraught with destruction to our National
Industry. We deeply regret to feel that tie whole
article in which these e1hora,ons appear will have
powerful tendency to promote the result they so
forciby deprecate.
We insist that the Courier In taking position
90 hostile to that Of tho Wing party generally, should
have indicated moro clearly the grounds Of its con-
demuaton. What are the duter what the items
objected to Is il Iron. or Sugar, or Woolens, or
Cotlona or Wares on which such exorbi,ant duties
are levied Let us know where the fault is, and
we will see how il can best be remedied. But
vague general allegations that the manufacturers
were 'grasping. and that the duties levied are
'prohibitory, are sufficiently answered by referring
to the notorious facts fortified by official documents
that hs Importatons of the three years which have
usnspred since this Tariff began TO be felt in the
Business Of the Country exceed those of the three
years Of lowest duties. while the falling off in the
importation even Of Manufactures has been very light
indeed The Shipping Interest has rarely if ever
been better employee or paid than for the last two
or three years, and Ship Building (which 1t pre-
dic,ed, would cease altogether, has been going on
steadily and prosperously. We repel, then, the
charge tha, the Tariff is prohibitory and il the
Manufacturers were indeed srasping and we
presume they are much like other men, we deny
tina, Congress yielded to their demands II some
of them have been enabled TO realize large profits
under this Tariff, il was because the ACT has been
constantly threatened with overthrow. Had it been
settled the beginning tina: this Tariff would stand
ten years all events the supply OF manufactures
would have been promptly graduated 10 the demand
and prices and profits regulated accordingly. l!
heavy profits have been realized in any branch Of in
dus,ry il /. because the fear Of reduc ton OF the
Tariff has prevented the natural and adequate now
Of Capital into the Protected avocalions
But says the Courier, the Tariff of lsi2 should
have been more moderate. SO that 1t would have
"put rest forerer this important question Never
was there greater mistake The Wing Congress
OF i2 was compelled TO raise additional Revenue
somehow, and no bill they could have passed would
have secured the acquiescence of our opponents
Do what We WILL it would still have been Strike
higher! Strike lower with them Nothing done
by our Congress satisfied them, and they have
since repealed nearly all our Acts excep, that re.
quirinS Single Districts for Members OF Congress-,
and that they openly nulli6ed. The very fac, ,ha,
the Tariff of 40 is the las, Of our great measures 10
be attacked, speaks volumes in its behalf In lakns
W01 QUIZ oy lne norns, toey Know weA thai they
have taken hard job but with the Courier tripping
At his heels they may possibly down him. No mat.
,er:-let US who believe Protection wise just and
sala,ary stand our own ground We do no, pre-
tend to say wha; the Wings In Congress should or
shoald not do They have a closer survey OF the
whole ground and may think best TO accede to prof
fers of Compromise, provided always ,ha, they
sre fair and eqaal. Tail they do 50. however
We shall stand by Tie Tariff L: Is, ready to fall
herewith if need be- in the confident assurance of
speedy and joyful resurrection
Analysis OF the Vote,