The daily union., 1846-10-27

freedom from which hey diyerged under the belief
thai it was al least prudent II not necessary, TO do
so. They have now called for reduction OF the du-
ties on imports TO the measure OF revenue wants Tor
AN abandonment Of all Legislative avontisnij for an
equalization ofthe burdens which they know should
be borne by all alike; and they have insisted, with
emphasis that indirect but copious tribute shai no
longer be exaeted from the agricultural, commercial
and mechanical Masses under pretenee OF protecting
where protection is obviously and VIGOROUSLY mere
pamperng. Calls such as these, from such source,
il is as wise as it is wholesome, in conformity with
the spirit OF ouT institutions, TO obey with as little
delay or oppugnaton as possible, .. ...r......
MY faith in the intelligence and patriotism of the
people Is habitual. The democracy never iall,
sooner or later to understand and pursue their true
policy and interests. On the subject of tariff,
however, difficulties existed at once complex and
covert, by which they liable 10 be embarrassed
and deceived II is indirect and unseen taxation on
all but the importing merchants; and impoyerishes
without its agency being perceived. Incomes or
wages become inadequate, and il is not immediate
discovered that this lnadeqnacy Is caused by the
swollen prices which men are obliged to pay for
their iron implements, their clothing, their house
hold utensils, their groceries, and their comforts
| The demand of the tax-cOlleetor who visits them
for the ordinary rates and ves is distinct enough,
and il that be exorblant they redress themselves by
eectng more economical county COMMISSIONED
the grievance is direct and undlsguised--snd they
| know their remedy. Not so with the taxation
/
ploughman is unconscious OF having paid any rate
or levy upon the machine with which he is furrow-
/ ing the so-so is the blacksmith as 10 his anvil
and the family matron her blankets, her sugar,
and her sat-they bought the articles at neighbor-
ing store for the same money that others paid, and
| nothing intImated that part of the money they
gave was the reimbursement or final payment OF a
public tax. We Of Pennsylvania who can scarcely
continue quiet under the imposition Of three mills
per dollar 10 meet the interest our debt, have ac-
| tually become accustomed to contribute from our
means without the slightest murmur, fifty, nay, a
/ hundred times as much in many deceptive modes,
| under the operation of the tariff Of 1912. We not
only pay our share towards supporting the general
government, but we also pay that portion OF the
price of every article we buy over and above what II
would have cost If the tariff had not been enacted.
Why then, wonder that the aboring classes OF our
| population were late in attending to, and slow in
thoroughly approaching the oppressive draining con-
| sequent upon an exOi bItant tariff Like banking,
there is a mystery in it whose solution lags at the
close Of protracted discussion, inquiry, vigilance,
mastered the operations and tendencies of the one
and resolutely arrested them, have now, with the
progressive spirit which eharacteTizes them and their
epoch, pushed forward to check the other.
1 THE veil by which the evils Of indirect taxation
are concealed from the eye of the people should be
| determnatey lifted by those who have at heart the
happiness Of the Masses and seek ameliorate their
| condition. This is high obligation of democratic
representation, legislative executive Ii is the high
err because easily evaded pausby left undone. Let
the wrongs of coHfdng and toiling constituency be
studied by the agents whom they honor with their suf
| rages, and let the real of those wrongs be
| laid bare. Ii harsh, unfair, unnecessary de-
mands upon their substance have been made, they
ought not to be considered sanctfed and unassail-
able because long and patiently endured. On the
contrary, the faithful sentinel should "cry aloud
and spare not ~ the more zealously when the oppor-
tunities of his elevated position enable him TO see
what is hidden from others. strong and crafty
ing illustration presents itself in recently dIstribu-
ted document addressed by the Secretary Of the
Treasury to Congress, and received at the close of
| the late session Our counrymen should have their
attention invoked towards this remarkable paper
remarkable in every respect-it5 broad bearing,
It's precision, its cOgency, It's authentic facts, and It's
| striking results. No development OF which | am
| aware has been made equally lucid and impressive
| IL purpons to be a report Sin compliance with q
resolution of the Senate exhibiting list Of arutac
tursd articles upon which S54 900 900 (FIFTY FoUR
MLLIoSsD are annually paid 10 the protected eiasse,
| (NoT TO THE NATIONAL TREASURY by enhancing tn.
price Of the domestic articles, and the amount so paid
on each article, under the tariff of 1912, and by ac-
curatey formed tabular statements IL establishes the
annual aggregate Of indirect taxation imposed by
| that law-seen and unseen-for government and for
fayorite casses-to exceed EiGHrY-Two MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS Were the American people sensible thai
this tariff which ostensibly anced but single vein
|
| professed TO collect for public uses twenty-elgh
millions, yet silently and impercepubly drew
also for pipdie monopoly almost vice that great sum
Did we of this Commonwealth realize the extraor
dnary juggle by which the federal Legislature seem
ing to seek from duty on iron alone gross rev.
enue Of but 50, 237, ,427 actually extored q tota
tax of S26, ,Sl5, ,S47i seeking from duty on Goa
alone the sum of $3.50, ,22I, extorted tax Of
Sc ,669 ,092 and seeming to seek from a duty or
manufactures of toool alone the sum of 3,73l ,OO5
extored tax Of l04S7,l45 Some few financial
students may have early detected these latent vices
| Of the system; but our farmers and yeomanry, oui
working producers and tollng poor, our men of the
axe and the anvil, the scythe and the saw, they
have not the means the time for such investiga,
tons they could "take note of 1t but by Its loss
they suffered long under the weight of the burden
and dreamed not that it was the invisible and nsa
tiate vampire of indirect taxation which exhausted
| their strength.
wish not to be understood to prefer the substtu
ton of excise for impost. There asperities Ir
the former which render it almost intolerable among
a people peculiarly sensitive as to domiciliary
VISITS and 1t is abuse only that makes the latte
mischevous. Certainly our liberties would bt
safer under a system of open and direct taxation
with all its roughness, than under prolonged admin
lstraton Of such furtive oppression, gross Unequal
ity and immoral deception characterize the tariff
Of lS42 But reduce the duties half take from
them their tendency to nurse and rear monopolies
adopt pdlue instead of name or form as the control
ling standard, drop the false hypocrisy of minmums
and the thing essentially democratized, becomes a
least harmless. Such, in plain truth, is the Law
which 1.-THE GREAT CoNGREss" has passed, to com
mence operating the first of December next
That law may contain errors of detail, amendabl'
as developed by experience; but comparatively it,
traits are equality, JUSTICE moderation, and candor
| While the necessary revenue is sought at custom
houses we shall experience less wrong, and incu
less risk from tariff founded its principles thar
from any other mode of taxing. IL am not mis-
taken in the pervading spirit Of that law, poltica
economists will hereafter say that it's reforms CAV,
security to the earnings Of labor and limits to thu
power Of capital s.' LIP
The home operation Of the tariff of l646, promises
to be genial and sauary-l mean in regard to thu
great industrial masses. Its reduction of taxes,
half, is immediate relief; its indirect abatement o
prices and The general expenses of comfortable
living, awakens hope in the breasts of all whose
wages means low and precarious; and iu
tendency to oblige capitalists to seek the sue