The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-07-15


Whole number paying duty 3O7
This list Of the articles paving duty from the LIST
Of July, 1884, TO the LIST Of July, l845, making one
entire fiscal year, presents many striking facts. There
are sixty-one articles paying duty OF IS and under
50 per cent There are ffty-eight articles paying
duty Of so and under rs per cent. There are TWEEN
ty-one articles paying a duty Of rs and under 100
per cent There are four articles paying duty Of
100 and under 1875 per cent There three arti-
les paying duty Of l25 and under $50 per cent
There are five articles paying duty Of $50 per
gate number paying duty over IS per cent. OF one
hundred and ffty-two articles, which lacks one and
fraction Of being ons-hsf Of the whole number Of
articles paying duties during that fiscal year. IL
will be SEEN also, that there ninsy-ons articles
THAT is, nearly one. third Of the articles paying du-
ty,) actually paying duty over so per cent. Most
OF these extraordinarily high duties are not only
protective, but to great extent prohibitory. That
reduction Of these excessive duties to revenue
standard-say to maximum OF 30 per cenL-woud
greatly increase the mportntons, cannot be doubted
even by the most bgoted advocate OF protecton. In
deed the exravaganty high rate Of ddty imposed by
the law Of 1892 proves how very strong The enden-
cy to import these articles thus so high tax.
ed Perhaps a fair and safe measure TO calculate
what will be the increase Of importations by reduc-
ing the tariff, is to examine and ascertain hop high
they had to elevate the duties in order TO resist the
couniry for either the tariff party for protect
ing their interests against weil.founded and really
heavy importations in requiring these high duties
to be imposed, or else they were laboring under
deusion based upon inaccurate data, and therefore
were defending themselves from imaginary and not
real dangers, so far they dreaded free and full
foreign competition. If the first position is cor
rect, my plan Of measuring the probable increase
in commerce by lowering the duties down to the
simple revenue point, 10y looking to the rate per
cent. ofsduty the tariff men deemed it proper to i'm
pose in order to protection, will be fully sus-
tanned. But il they were mistaken in estimating
what considerable portion of commerce coming into
the country would be restricted by the prohlbltory
measures they passed, then the protection sought
was nugatory, and the commerce Of the country
would be but slightly increased by lowering the ex-
listing duty. | amagne, however, they were not
so devoid of their usual keenness in finding out
fully and accurately whatever would promote their
interest, to have been guilty of the folly OF pass
ing high restrictive laws to protect themselves
against nothing So, therefore, take it, protec-
tive tariff is designed not only to enhance prices,
but first to diminish imports. Upon no other prin-
ciple can account for their anxiety to admit dye
stuffs, which they cannot produce, and therefore
whish to purchase on the best terms, duty free, and
their eagerness to prohibit those foreign articles
coming in competition with those they manufac-
tue than that they get the first in greater qnanti-
ties, and much cheaper, when they come in duty
second instance gives them the monopoly Of the
home market, and therefore better prices In both
instances they benefited: by purchasing the free
Article on the best terms, in case, and by sell
ling their goods, in the Other for the highest price
These considerations satisfy me that we may safely
reduce the dues and greatly increase the commerce
Of the country and with that the general welfare of
the Union. In support of this position, again
have recourse to facts.
In arguing financial questions, it is unsafe to rely
upon isolated facts or detached Statements for that
reason have selected periods extending through
several years. and embracing in each period The sew
eral material changes in our financial policy.
The following tables G, ID, E, F, were carefully
prepared at the Treasury Department, from public
documents: ..a
Average annual import and exports from 1926 TO 1888
from 1894 10 1912 and from S44 10 1885, ,oiih in
crease Of second period the first, and the decrease
ofMe third compared Nth the second.
TABLE G.. .. ..... ..s