New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-05-09
The Tariff Qaestiou.


Committee Of Ways and Means revising and reduc.
ing the present Tariff and will move that the House
20 into Committee Of the Whole thereon, with an
express or implied Limitation Of the debate TO the
ensuing fortnight Our present impression IL that
the very strong Administration majority in the
House, though weakened by many dissenters, will
sustain Gen. M in ali his propositions, and that Il
bill cutting down the Tariff will pass the House be-
fore the close of the present month We may be
agreeaby disappointed, but such is present i'm
precision.
Yet it is evident that Congress approaches this
Job with decided reluctance, and that many Mem
bers of the majority would gladly push it till
the Summer and Fall Elections shall have passed.
Not merely by the Pennsy lvaDians and other known
advocates of jadicious Protection is this feeling
evinced, bat by a number of the Western and even
Southern Loco Focos whose sections are beginning
to feel sensiby the benefits of the Tariff of 1912
New mills. factories machinery are springing up,
branches of industry are being established, in
States which q few years ago supposed that Manu-
features must necessarily be confined TO NewEng-
land and were TO be opposed and broken down OF
course But now Boston and Lowell are no longer
chiefly interested in Protection; their Manufactures
are established, and many of them brought to per
lection which can defy Foreign competition, even
under strictly Revenue Tariff; while those of Ro-
chester, Cincinnati, Louisville, ST. Louis aud the
Great West generally are just getting under weigh
The fallacy which confined the term Manufactured
to Cotton and Wooden fabrics is beginning TO be un.
derstood; and even Members of Congress rcaize
that the production of these fabrics comprises but
small portion either in valae or in amount Of labor
a.. Dso,
terests Of the Country We do not believe there is
a city or village in the whole land-not even Charles
ton itself-whch would not experience decline in
prosperity consequent any etiectua reduction of
the Tariff
We have not chosen to keep up an eternal
agitation On this subject-to repeat old or proter
new arguments in answer 10 everrecurring iallacles
When were beaten, after fashion, i'll the last
Presidential canvass, we considered the mntter set
tied that the Protective Policy was TO be broken
down. President Folks Message and Mr. w alker's
Report c9nlrmed this impression When, there
lore, we find The Union, the Evening Post, Morn
ing News, &c. filed with new attacks on the Tariff
we usually let them psss without word. They
are not intended TO convince or any who think
with us, but to bolster up foregone conclusion
up to the work which the party requires al their
hands. In this they will of course succeed and al
any rate our appearance as their antagonist would
aid them in the appeal to party loyalty on which
reliance is placed. We choose therefore, TO give
them the road.
Yet when Mr.. Walkers bill appeared we could
not refrain from pointing out some OF its more
glaring defects and Inconsistencies whereby certain
raw materials were proposed TO DO taxed higher
than the fabrics into which they wrought, while
other articles far more proper subjects of taxation,
were to be admitted free The bill was bespangled
with such crudities and errors which could not
have been sanctioned by Congress without doing
vast evil, whether Protection or Free Trade be the
true policy These errors, we happy 10 observe,
are mainly corrected in the bill reported to the
House by Gen. Mckay. If we presume that our re
marks were never seen by the Committee Of Ways
and Means tho justice Of exceptions will be the
more clearly manifest,
The Committees BILL as we have minated is u
great improvement on the Secretarys. twill work
far less mischief il enacted into law than that
would have done. Yet this bill has faults apart,
from its radical error Of principle. One vice which
runs through too much of our Tariff Legislation is
terests, which could make struggle for life any
how and taking revenge on those which are most
feeble, infantile and imminen,y in need of Pro,ec.
ton Thus Iron which is a strong and very flour.
ishing interest is allowed the highest of duty
or 80 per cent-aii perfectly right; but Iron could
do very well while present prices maintained in
Europe at lower rate, and 10 per cent is a good
deal nearer Revenue standard than 80 On the
other hand, Needles which with Pins come in free
OF duty prior 20 the present Tariff and are now sub
tect TO so per cent 10 be cut down TO Is or half
as much as the duty on Iron by Gen. McKay's bill
Now Pins have attained such start under the s,rin.
gent and specific Protection 4o cents per lb afford
ed by the presept Tariff that they never can be
rooted out. They are, owing 10 the extraordinary
Improvements of our courtrymen in the machinery
and processes by which they are manufactured, now
made here as cheap as any where else in The world
and OF far better quality than any we ever import
ed. But Needles, after several failures in the sb.
sence OF duty have as got started under the pres
emf Tariff; and, although they are now made here
as cheap as they ever were aao,ded even when i'm.
ported free Of duty they have not ye, ob,ained The
command of our markets They ere jus, getting foot
hold, and in two years more viii probably be able
10 take care OF themselves IL uoes seem 10 as that
no man who viii carefully consider the matter,
whatever his politics his Political ECONOMY. can
vote to break down this young and feeble branch OF
Home Industry unless he be directly interested in
the sale OF Foreign Manufactures. Members OF
Congress! will you look to this matterl Will you
ihink also OF the kindred case Of our infant Silk
Manufactured Shall these and many like them, be
snitsen down because of their need of Nstions
care, while the strong command attention and seen.
rity' We pray you, consider!
Another case illustrating the pas, working Of Pm
tection comes to mind a, this moment. The Morn.
ing News last year paraded specimens of British
Ginghanas, made in Glasgow and Manchester at Sid
or 10 cents per yard, and sold in this market, in
spite of the American competition al 90 cents The
simple reason was that the manufacture Of Cling,
hams had never been undertaken in this country ex.