The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-11-05

ed as tho original protective tariff. was an ad
valorem as well as a specific tariff. Cpon manu-
factores Of iron and metals 20 per cent. on wool
len and c2iton ctDths % per cent. manufactures
Of leather 80 per cent. aud so on.
&c ln all subsequent tariffs the ad valorem prin.
ciPle more or less prevailed. with. the really
vicious principle first introduced in 1916 upon
coi'ons. OF minimum valuations. by which the tax
on the poor man was enhanced.s and the rich ex.
emPted through the deceptive process Of attach
ipg a fictitious value to low. priced articles. so an
TO tax the cheapest and The dearest fabrics all
alike ny the false process of tdcsming' tina, the
loves. price cost not less than the highest
".fRe new tariff avoids this practical false.
hood, W.hicn : deep,ed' that a poor man wure as
expensive cloth as the rich. and taxed him the
same for il. II tells the plain truth. viz ,ha, he
who wears the most expensive fabrics shall he
taxed according To their Gust. and he who canno,
afford to buy the highest priced article shall nut
pay the highest priced tax.
But, aside from the plain justice of This rnle of
taxation according TO value, there is the fact that
the whig tariff of l842, at this mnment, raises
three MINIS oi It's revenue by ad valoren, duties
and 1t wing authority is wanted. there is the dec.
laration OF Henry Clay in the Senate Of lS42,
who said: ! am willing to abide by thar princi
Pile. Compass the difference between the specific
and The ad valorem system ofduties. and + main
tain that The latter isjustiy entitled 10 ihe prc-
ference"
A. to the other : vicious principles a reve.
nue. tariH.' no other was ever passed until the
system OF bounties was got mp by special leuisla-
ton, the injustice of which has done more Than
all other causes 10 weaken the Uniun.
:" The next objection raised by the Nassachu.
sets wing convention to the new tariff, is tha,
all former Tariffs embodied protection, and This dues
not.
Now, SO far from this being true. no tariff. rs
a whole, except that of 1912, ever embodied so
much protection as the tariff of 1916. IL pives
an average protection 10 iron, coal, and woullens.
of 30 per cent, and to cotton fabrics generally IF
40 per cent. adding tn the duties levied of 80 and
% per cent. the freight and charges, which all
agree VIII enhance the cost of imported articles To
that amount IN com petition with our own.
" Let the simple fact he stated, that, i'm selling
a coat or carpet, the American manufacturers has
81 per cent. advantage over the foreign under the
new tariff. and in selling a shirt, sheeting, or
drilling, 40 per cent, and then ask the consumer
1t he thinks he onght 10 be taxed more than that
TO proht The manufacturer Or let the manufae
turer himself say ifhe really expects 10 perma
nenily establish a higher tax than that fur his
special benefit
"Or take The vexed article of coal and IRON
the great necessaries Of life-ani who will saw
(or 1t he says 1T, ough, it To be regarded p that a
tax which enhances the price nearly one haif 10
the American consumer, is not bounty enough
even tor the Pennsylvania miners and iron mas.
ters2
owe venture to say that no sober and in,clli-
gent manufacturer in New England will deny the
sufhclency of protection in the staple articles TO
secure as much profit AT least as any other bust
ness Will yield, unless il be in the single article
OF fnousellne de lanes, which il is apprehpnded
may fall under the classification uf ,porstea. and
thus come under the duty Of 25 per cent"