Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1846-08-13
From the NJ y. Journal Of Commerce.
The New Tariff.


they consume, than are paid by the rich. By the
usual modes of taxation all pay in proportion to their
property; John Jacob Asor, say, 900 per annun
and the poor nothing. for he has property.
But because the poor man has stomach, well as
Mr.. Astor, and like him must be clad, and like him
must provide for his amily and because he is obliged
to content himself with inferior quality Of goods,
the mnimums and specific duties tax him just as much
on that inferior quality they do Mr. Astor tie
best. II is undoubtedly true, that many a not
worth $1,000 in the world pays more for the support
Iofte national government, than Mr. Astor withhis
SIS 100000. But this not the of the case.
II the poor only paid taxes to the government,
even though out of all proportion compared with the
rich man, his patriotism might render il toerabe.
But what if he obliged to pay large part of it
to the rich to the manufacturers, who of his
hard earnings, and those of others like bin, have
made their fortunes in year. and living in SPLEEN
did palaces while he pines in a hOvell What would
human nature say 10 this Yet it is exactly what is
passing before DER eyes every day and moment. By
subecting foreign articles to extrayagan duties they
are either excluded entirely, or greatly enhanced in
price. Both these things together, constitute what is
called "protection." BY enhancing The price Of the
foreign article the price of the domestic article with
which il in competition, is also enhanced: and
thus, while consumers are paying dollar to the
government they paying another dollar, or it may
be, two, three, five dollars, to the manufacturers
producers of the competing article II is not pre-
tended that the price of The domestic article is en-
HANGED in precisely the amount of the duty on the
foreign article; for such is not commonly the fact.
Various collateral circumstances in to modify
the result 1t sufficient for our present purpose to
say that after elaborate investigation, with all the
helps which his official station gives him. the Secretary
of the Treasury Dir. aker,-a clear-headed INTEL
ligent and candid man,-states that sixteen arti
ces which he specifies, viz. iron and the manufactures
thereof-the manufactures of tobacco, cotton, wool,
and leather-coal salt, sugar, molasses paper cord
age cotton baggng hats and caps straw hats, bonnes
and Braid and annual production of
which in theU. States is 1881, 19S $50 in value-the
enhanced price to consumers In consequence of the
Tariff of 1912, if equal to the duty on the foreign
articles with which these compete, Irold be Sll9 TO
$50 and fact according the best light he can
obtain, S75 754, 405. THIS enormous sum, according
| to Secretary Walkers calculations Is paid to the
manufacturers and producers of the said sixteen ar
ces by their fellow citizens the consumers, raising
nett revenue for the government, (after deducing
81 304, 163 expenses of collection. of only SIT 032
2S9. The process by which the Secretary arrives at
these astounding results, and many of the details of
that process contained In his recent Report 10 the
Senate made in compliance with resolution of that
body and the accompanying tables. The Report
itself we published on Monday last One of the
principal tables will be found on our first page. The
actual addition to the price of the domestic articles,
says Mr.. Walker, is based upon prices current
and sales, and upon the actual difference in price of
the foreign and domestic article in our own markets
arising from the Tariff This is founded upon actual
sales home and abroad, comparison of the foreign
and domestic prices current, including the charges
and transportation of articles together with numerous
invoices based upon actual imporiatons and sales, and
furnished heretofore by merchants of the highest
character. Whenever any difference presented
in comparing these data the lowest sum has inyaria
bly, been TAKEN"
Admitting that the Secretary's calculations are
correct any thing like correct any body wonder
at the prosperity of the manufacturers and iron men,
or at the comparative depression of other interests,
especially that greatest OF all interests, the agrcul
tural Taking human nature as it is, and not as it
ought be- any body wonder that the classes first
mentioned should be reluctant TO part with any por
ton Of their S75, 100000 bounty per annum, (or
S50000,0 600 if this amount is preferred,) and cry
Ruin. Ruin, Fire, Blood, and Murder if the " deed
should be consummatedI"
Now bear in mind that large part of this 10 or
so 900 O00 is paid by in moderate circumstances,
who are scarcely able to make the ends of the year
meet and paid TO men Gin numerous cases) of spien-
did fortunes derived from this long continued, but
half-concealed oppression, and you have the case
little as it presents itself to our own minds. $3.50
Is not, then, law which removes the grinding ine-
qualities of the Tariff of 1872 by a5olishing mini
NUNS and specific duties and which dimnshes the
executive burdens borne by the for the benefit
of comparatively small portion of the people,
public blessing! And ought it not to be welcomed
bv. every man. whether a manufacturer or not who
cts Of their fellow citizens without equivalent
Surely it ought, moral perceptions strangely
bewildered.
| Complaint has been made that dye-stuffs and raw
materials used in manufacturing, are subjected to
duty under the new Tariff. On examination we find
that almost the whole class of dye-stus, except ndi
60 are assessed at FIVE per cent. on their value. and
no more Indigo, the most important of all the dyes,
pays ten per cent. duty, while under the Tariff of
1912 it paid six cents pound Five per cent, duty
is little more than nominal; yet we should be quite
willing that it wholly dispensed with in reference
to dyesiuffs. 1t will not amount altogether to S25
900 year yet it enables the manufacturers to cry
persecution, as if they ever to pay any thing
from their own business, towards the support of the
government
Then again. it is said the manufacturers are OPP
pressed by an increase Of the duty coarse wool.
BY the Tariff of 1912, wool costing not exceeding
cents a pound al the place whence imported, was
charged with only per cent. duty, while wool cost
ing more than cents pound, subject to duty
of three cents pound 80 per cent ad vaiorem. Now
the fact is that under the per cent. duty immense
quantities of wool imported. -about IL, OOO.OCO
lbs in lS45,-and it was found that good deal OF it
was so fine, lowing to change in the breed of the
Aocks) as to come in competition with our own wool
growers. With this view, no Doubt wool being
about the only agricultural article which il possible
to protect,-ihe duty on all wool was fixed in the
Tariff at 80 per cent If the carpet-mcn are dis
pleased at this they must settle the question with tic
farmers. The former are few in number,--tbe latter
are hundreds Of thousands.
! The iron men are favored with duty of 30 per
cent under the new BILL which, at the present price
of iron in Europe, will give them ample protection
Some decline from the extravagant prices Ut IRON
abroad is to be expected but such the increase OF
consumption for rail roads, ships, roofs and thou
sand other things, that the price is likely to continue
high for long time to Manufactures of wool
not otherwise provided for subject TO 30 per cent