The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-06-19

In the Senate il passed by bare majority Of onei
Mr.. Wright and Mr.. Buchanan both voting for IL
under protest Mr. Wright
Assumed thaths bill pass in the form bears
OF that no revenue law could pass al the present session.
The sober-minded, even of the party that brought
II forward, seemed ashamed Of the deed. Mr.
WEssrER In that speech which he delivered in Fan
ueii Hail. in the autumn of 1912, TO ''sea Of up
turned faces" said:
III not true tina. tho Tariff system (of sI passed
by the wings alone We know that than thirty some
Of them leading and influential wings voted against the
rin out and out on all questions, direct aud Indirect"
And this is the bill, vagrsnt that went about in
the House. at the eleventh hour, begging among It's
whg friends for stray vote TO its threatened
life that saved in the Senate by its opponents
only because they thought it less crying evil than
a bankrupt exchequer and a broken public faith
this is the bill that is now the law Of the land And
this BILL thus forced despite the spirit of the age on
reluctant country, is TO remain permanent sys-
ten, to become our national policy! We are not to
touch or amend it! II is too good and holy TO incur
rebuke, or TO suffer alteration
IL is not within the scope of my present purpose
minutely TO examine the details Of this tariff Suf-
fee it, that 1t embodes the system Of specific duties
mlnimums, and all the of protective favor
Suffice 1t, that the average of Its duties has proved
be rmRTr-FoUR per cent, actually exceeding that Of
the tariff Of 1892, of which the average but
thirty three and eght.tenths The gross revenue II
produced, for the year ending 3Oth September, lSi5
was nearly thirty-one mlliOns the largest amount
raised from imports in any one year (the years
1881 and 1925 alone excepted) since the foundation
Of the government general idea Of It's impositions
may be gathered from the fact, that four staple
neeessares, iron, coal sugar and molssses yielding
six millions Of reyenue Its duties actually average
over SIXTY per cent; three times the compromise
ma ximum: while on cotton and woollen goods ION
which the duties reach six millions and three quar-
tsrs) the average rate is about THRrYSISE per cent?
nearly double the same maximum. Under this tn
riff, too, nearly one-haf the obtained from
specific duties.
In word, it a violation the most fragrant Of
every principle and promise Of the Compromise act
Il was open and undsguised return, both in form
and in rates duty, to the old protective policy, that
had been tried, condemned, sentenced, in 1888.
Again would appeal TO the friends Of tariff pro-
lection. Again | would ask them: Do you intend,
do you expect, TO maintain, unchanged such a sys-
ten as that Peacefully you cannot do il; all expe-
rienee proves that ard will you destroy the harmony
Of feeling that binds State TO State stir up again
heart burnIngs that but slumber among US, endanger
the very integrity Of our happy and glorious Union
all IN lrultless struggle after privileges you can
not perpetuate and policy that IL passing away
BIT you say 10 yourselves that you can but be
defeated at last, and may as we'll struggle against
the change, with the chance Of retsrding what you
may not avert Look to 1t! The history of reform
throughout the world teaches us this lesson: that
privilege has often lost all because she knew not
days Of the French revolution before the oath Of the
Tennis court or the fall of the Bastille when, by
well-tImed concession, the unfortunate Louis might
have saved kingdom and life. II suffered the COL
den moment TO pass and with 1t all power 10 control
the rising torrent that speedily overwhelmed him.
Look well to it! To day your influence Is still
felt, and you have power to shape modification oil
the tariff. You obtain discrimination within
certain limits, and even for time, protection
considerably beyond the pledges of the compromise.
To-day you do this, II you consent to guide q
movement which you seem disposed obstinately TO
resist. Tomorrow it may be longer in your
power. Reform, damned up by obstinate opposi-
tlon spreads far and fast the barrier has Civ.
en- way.
Reflect, also how small the gain is of temporary
success Protective favor, in order 10 benefit stead
business men, must be permanent FlucIuatlng
duties serve the purpose OF the Spectator only
Will any prudent manufacturer incur the outlay
and risk of founding a large establishment on the
security Of a tariff which he may expect to see re-
pealed from year TO year, But what is in point Of
fact the prospect before you, even if you defeat the
tariff bill of this session? Will its defeat be silently
acquiesced in! You know it will not. Session after
session the struggle will be renewed, and renew.
with increased forces and with growing strength
Yes and reform, like the sybil of old, will in.
| crease her demands at each return. The tariff bill
proposed now in 1876 is more radical than was
that reported in 1914. Reject it, and see if the
next proposal be not of yet lower rates and
of a strcter revenue stamp.
The bill now before us, reported from the
Committee Of Ways and Means, comedies much
to interests hitherto privileged and proposes mod
crate reform only Its average rate, as nearly as
can now be ascertained, will be about twenty four
and half per cent and thus the average Of all its du-
ties high and low taken together is in fact -four and
half per higher than the very highest contem-
plated by the compromise. It's principal schedule
Guiding the staples Of iron, coal, wooIlen goods
atipu eunH MIN and
many other staples put at thirty per cent, being
a tax higher by one-half than the maximum of the
compromise Cotton and silk goods bear duty OF
twenty-five per cent. Its duties wholly ad val.
orem, the only fair principle Of taxation; and in this
| il but carries out of the pledges of the COM
promise, of which the equity has been repeatedly
acknowledged by Mr. Clay; for example in his SEN
ate speech of March !, lS42:
Isay" said he, that in theory and according every
sound principle Of justice the al valorem mode Of taxation
is entitled to the preference "Nirss Re giste Of March 10
| 1912, p. ~.
The gross amount OF revenue which this bill
| would bring in, supposing the mportations to re-
| main the last year, is about twenty 1.-TWO
millions. But that importations will remain at their
present amount, there is no chance Its greatly re-
duced rates would of course, increase the amount
Of dutiabe articles imported. Our total mportations
| are now about one hundred and six millions; the
Secretary of the Treasury estimates, that under the
| proposed tariff, they would increase by fourteen
twenty millions, This estimate is, think, a very
moderate one. fit prove correct, then the tariff
as reported from the committee, would yield gross
revenue of about twenty-sx millions of dollars or
deducting million and half for expenses of col
lection, would bring in nett revenue OF twentyfour
millions and half
This is amply sufficient in time of peace. At this
| moment unfortunately engaged in war, though
not, trust, to be of long Duration nor to demand
an expensive armament And with view to meet
these extra expenditures, it is the intention Of the
| chairman of the Committee Of Ways and Means, as
| understand to move sundry amendments to the
reported BILL which will yield an increase Of some
three four millions. This will give a nett revenue
from imports of about twenty eight millions-about
as much the present tariff BILL the increased i'm
portations compromising for the reduced rates.
The substitute offered by the gentleman from
| New York Mr.. HUNGERFoRD] will produce, think,
about the same amount. Ii differs chiefly from the
| Ways and Means bill, as proposed to be amended,
! in retaining specific duties on few staples.
| 1t is common argument, that, since actu-