Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1846-12-26

banded, and no appropriations made except such |
as are absolutely necessary Tor its vigorous prose-
cuton and the due administration OF the govern
ment. Objects Of appropriation which in peace
may be deemed useful or proper, but which are
not indispensable TO the public service, may, |
when the country is engaged in foreign war. be
well postponed TO future period. BY the obser.
vance Of this policy at your present session, large
amounts may be saved 10 the treasury and be ap.
piled 10 objects Of pressing and urgent necessity,
and thus the creation Of corresponding smount
Of public debt may be avoided. u f.'t- z IT |
1t is not meant to recommend that the ordns.
ry and necessary appropriations for the support Of
government should be Withheld, but it is well
known that at every session OF Congress appro.
priations proposed for numerous objects,
witch may or may not be made, without mate
rally affecting the public interests, and these it
is recommended should not be granted.
| The act passed at your last session "reducing
the duties on Imports no, having gone into ope
ration until the first Of the present month. there
has not been time for its practical effect upon the
revenue, and The business Of the country. TO be
developed. 1t is not doubted, however; that the
just policy which it adopts will add largely TO
our foreign trade, and promote the general pros.
peIity. Although it cannot be certainly foreseen
what amount OF revenue it will yield it is esma.
ted that it will exceed tina. produced by the act OF
1912 which it superseded. The leading prnci.
Piles established by it are, to levy the taxes with
view 10 raise revenue, and TO impose them upon
the articles imported according 10 their actual
value. -
The act Of 1912, by the excessive rates of
duty Of which it imposed on many articles, eli
ther totally excluded them from importation, or
greatly reduced the amount imported, and thus
,.,,:e L,l of
the taxes were imposed, not for the legitimate
purpose Of raising revenue, but 10 afford advan>
tages to favored classes at the expense Of large
majority Of their fellow. citizens. Those employed
in agriculture, mechanical pursuits, commerce
and navigation, were compelled to contribute
from their subsistence TO swell the profits and
overgown wealth OF the comparatively few who
had invested their capital in manufactures. The
taxes were not levied in proportion to the value
Of the articles upon which they were imposed;
but widely departing from this Just rule, the light
er taxes were, in many cases, levied upon articles
Of luxury and high price, and the heavier taxes
on those OF necessity and low price, used by the
great mass Of the people. 1t was system, the
inevitable effect Of which was to relieve favored
classes, and the wealthy few from contributing
their Just proportion for the support Of govern.
ment, and to lay the burden on the labor OF the
many, engaged in other pursuits than nanufac.
lures ...
) A system so unequal and unjust has been su
perceded by the existing law, which imposes du.
Ties not for the benefit or injury OF classes OF
pursuits, but distributes and as far as practicable
equslises the public burdens among all classes
| and occupations. The favored classes, who, un
der the unreal and unjust system which has been
. repealed have heretofore realized large profits
and many Of them amassed large fortunes, at The
expense Of the many, who have been made tribu
tary to them, will have no reason to complain il
they shall be required to bear their just proper
ton OF the taxes necessary for the support OF 60
vernment. So far from it. it will be perceived
By an examination of the existing law, that dis
examinations in the rates Of duty imposed within
the revenue principle, have been retained in theil
; favor. The incidental aid against foreign com
petition which they still enjoy, gives them on ad
vantage which no other pursuits possess but O.
this none others will complain, because the du
ties levied are necessary for revenue. These
revenue duties, including freights and charges
which the importer must pay before he can come
in competition with the home manufacturer in
our markets, amount, on nearly all QUE leading
branches Of manufacture, to more than one.
third Of the value OF the imported article, and
With such advantages it is not doubted that our
domestic manufacture will continue to prosper
realizing in weconducred establishments even
greater profits than be derived from any other
regular business Indeed. so far from requiring
| the protection of even incidental revenue duties
our manufacturers in several leading branches are
; extending their business giving evidence Of grea,
ingenuity and skill and of their ability TO com.
pete, with increased prospect of success, for the
T open market of the world. Domestic ma nufac.
:. lures, to The value of several mi ons OF dol
] lars, which cannot find a market at home, are
annually exported 10 foreign countries. With sue
rates Of duty as those established BY the existing
. law. the system will he probably permanent; and
capitalists. who have made, or shall hereafter
make their investments in manufactures, will
know upon what to rely. The country will be sat.
: isiied with these rates, because the advantages
which the manufacturers still enjoy result neces
sarily from the collection of revenue for the sup.
port of Government. High protective duties, from
their unjast operation upon the masses of the
people, cannot fail to give rise extensive dissat.
isfaction and complaint, and to constant efforts
to change and repeal them, rendering II invest
J ments in manufactures uncertain and precarious
: Lower and more permanent rates Of duty, at the
same time that they will yield to the manufac
, turer fair and remuneraling profits, will secure
him against the danger of frequent changes in the
system, which cannot fail to ruinously affect his
interests.
simultaneously with the relaxation of the re-.
strctive policy by the United States, Great Bri.
tain, from whose example we derived the system
has relaxed hers. She has modified her corn law
and reduced many other duties to moderate reve-
nue. rotes. After ages of experience the states.
men of that country have been const rained hv ..