Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1846-12-09
RATE AT WHICH THE WORLD PAYS
we FOR The PRIVILEGE OF TRADE.

In a former number we took, as our
basis Of calculation, The tubes compiled
from the returns Of English custom house
rFrenne, by which il appeared that Great
Britain taxes her import commerce TO an
extent which brings into The treasury Of
the government the yearly amour, of nearly
$92 100000. Adding 10 that amount,
the estimated cost OF collecting, OF TIC i'm.
Porer's, wholesalers, and retailers profts
upon yearly addition of S92 ,OOo000 TO
their outlay, We found The people Of Great
Britain and Ireland paying $l33, 100000
for the privilege ofbuying of other nations
part Of what their necessities and Interests
require. We then assumed that all other
countnes import seven times as much as
Great Britain, and under an average OF
equal restrictions: and VIC found according
10 that estimate, the commerce of the world
incImbered with yearly tax of more
than Sll3e 100000. An amour, sufii
Cent TO liqn'date the national debt Of Great
Britain III ihreo years and quarter: or
sufiicien! 10 p1y the debts of all European
governments in nine years. The aggre
gate OF lie debts Of al American govern,
ments woald not absorb the tax upon the
worlds commerce four months So that
less han what is cxac ed for the privilege
OF trade would be sufficient, in len years.
TO pay OF The national debts Of oil Europe
and America. Again, the total Of yearly
cxactions upon commerce would, if ds.ri-
baled among the worlds entire population,
give eight dollars and half, every
Twelve months, TO each family Of six per.
sons Or. if the distribution were 10 be
made TO the population Of those countries
alone which pay the eleven hundred and
thiriy,eight millions annually, each family
Of six pcfsons would receive upwards Of
twcnly.lhree dollars q wear. Or, once
moro, the tax on the worlds commerce
would require the industry Of The whole
lsboring population Of the civilized world
ESTIMATING labor at MY day. and
one able bodied loborer'for every six per-
sons Of the popuIaion) about 46 days Of
every year. Aud even this is getting about
as near 10 the true extent Of The mschiefs
occasioned by res rclions upon trade as
the cost Of II gwen number OF gallons Of
whiskoy would be 70 the extent of the
misch;c's Cccasiored by its use in com.
munity.
We m'ghi go mo consideration Of lie
mischefs occasioned, by restrictions upon
trade, in forcing the industry or The world
out o(lts natural channels, and consirainng
il, al enormous disadvantage and expense,
10 find and occupy unnatural channcls;
taxing The many for the omoIumenl Of The
few; forcing the people Of u country 10
sell nj reduced prices, and TO buy at prices
greatly enhanced; compelling them to sup
port branches Of industry which cannot be
sustained upon their own Inherent merits,
md which ought therefore 10 be Abandoned
instead olbei1g thrown by government upon
profitable labor for support; and, above all,
the immense Guctua ions, and endless uncer-
taintcs ia the business world, otcasioned
by tic change Of policy adopted and car.
rlcd into effect by our own and other gov
erpmcn's every year or two, and not I'M
Frequently several times in The lapse Of a
single year. For example; ~e repeal one
,arid in ls4l, get Up a rew one IN 1912,
repeal that IN l645, in;roduc, another ia
1916, repeal tina, in 1917 or 8, and so on,
in iefnilely. Each os these changes, pes
sng with an influence Culi o. disaster upon
the va6iuus business occupations and iG-
,ercsts Of the country, ADD clnssGs an eX.
Ten, of business derangemrni, failures and
bsnkrHp'ciss, which no other nation on
carlh could meet and s,s,ain.
Bul, the above considerations apart. our
present accusation Of the policy of burden
ing and deraneing commerce by governs
ment restrictions is, that it is source of
endless lellousies, rlvalships, attempts TO
oyerreach, out.msuGuyre, reialiatc and
compensate, by the goyernmea $ of the
different commerce al nations of the world
their various gambling and swndling en-
croachmenis upon each others interests.
A tax upon The worlds commerce, amount
jns 10 eleven or twelve lundred millions
or dollars every year, is the sum staked
for some thirty governments 10 gamble for
And the everlasting pco5lems OF legislators
and diploWais;s arc; How 10 blrdrn our
o,tn popplation with Us iihis as possible,
and q u ST other countries with as much
as possible, OF this yearly tax Of eleven
or twelve hundred millions Of dollars. Il
is customary 10 denounce an extra reputa
ton for experience and skill in gambling
nc N tUsonoG6r ,tiOn E,r n(ffsa Hnt Va h y