Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1846-03-26
VERMONT PHOENIX.
BrattlebOrO, Thursday, March 20, 1916.
The Tariff of 1912 VS.. Sir Robert Walker.

The Tariff of 1912 VS.. Sir Robert Walker.
Our readers are aware that Mr. Walker, the present
Secretary Of the Treasury, has made famous report
against the Tariff Of Isi2 and all protective legislation
In this he contends, that duty should be levied for
protection but for only, and that no greater
duty should be laid in any case, nor on any article,
than that, which will produce the greatest amount Of
revenue, and he that duty Of 90 per cent.
ad paiorem, will produce the greatest amount Of rev.
enue Hence he nlers and lays down the proposition,
that no higher duty than that should be levied 10 any
case
The followers Of Sir Robert Peel in the English
Parliament are well satisfied and so highly pleased
with this report, that they have had il printed at the
public expense, and it is now used text book by
the ultra free truders of Sir Robert Peel's party
Hence some wag has dubbed Mr. Walker, Sir Robert,
doubtless thinking that as the first one is the knghiy
leader of the free traders OF Great Britain, the other
ought surely to be Of those at home. Being The same
in principle, they ought TO be certainly the same in
rank.
writer in Hunts Merchants Magazine for March,
has taken up some of Sir Robert Walkers assumed
opinions and demonstrates very clearly their utter
lalscness
He attacks first the axiom laid down by Sir Robert
Walker, that specific duties should not be laid, but
that oil duties should be laid Gd uaiOrem. He shows
that under specific duty, the article pays every
where the same duty, and hence in cases Of draw
back every shipper knows what duties he is entitled 10
have refunded but that with duties levied dd uaioreu
no one can tell what the duties are, 10 be refunded
and hence shipper could buy, ill he had sseertane
from the Custom House what the duties were that had
been imposed.
He says:-"Every person who makes a shipment to
the United States, fixes his own valuation. Let US
suppose planter in the island Of Cuba TO make ship
ment of the produce Of his plantation, consisting OF
sugar, TO this country. He will invoice il the low
est price that in his opinion il will pass through our
custom house without seizure. The sugars Of Brazil,
and other parts OF South America and the West Indies
will be invoiced at different prices however fair and
honorable the shippers may be. Upon expectation,
therefore, merchant must ascertain the amount Of The
duties to know the amount OF the drawback"
Another effect Of ad raloren duties, is 10 throw the
whole importing trade into the hands Of foreigners
and give them all the profits Of ii TO the dement Of
counlrymen thus loving foreigners not as but
more than ourselves.
"Avsiling himself Of the ad raiorem duty, the
French manufacturer fixes his radiation TO his
shipments to this country they 30 IS per cent less
than he sells TO the American merchant or even more
II in his opinion the invoice will pass our custom
house. With respect TO French fancy goods there is
not definite and certain value affixed; other
tcles ofmerchandse there therefore, less risk OF Sci
zuTe But the consequence is, that the great part Of
the merchandise from France paying Hd rGiorem
duty, Is shipped by French manufacturers, and the
business is engrossed by them. The American agents
who have been for years resident in Paris TO purchase
French manufactures, Obliged leave their busi-
ness and return to the United STATES The same re-
mark may be made with respect TO the trade with Eng
land. by lar the greatest proportion is mOnopozed
by the English manufacturers. The respectable and
numerous class OF American merchants who have i'm I
ported the nd raioren goods from England and France
is now diminishing every year"
And what ought 10 be particularly noticed is the
fact, that public opinion in Europe sustans any one who
manages in this manner mercantile operation in
foreign country. II is considered a mark Of shrewd-
ness and skill thus 10 deffaud foreign government
out Of its legitimate dues Thus we see that every act
Of legislation of this kind ia leaisans in favor OF the
foreign manufacturer and merchant, and against hnse
OF our own land. This suppose is an evidence OF
love TO the "dear people," peculiarly "demOerGiie"
Again Sir Robert Walker lays it down as an axiom.
not to be disputed that ga duty of per cent Gd palO
rem will yield the largest revenue But what does the
truth testiiyIn the year is4a, the average duty on
oil merchandise imported paying duty, was "a per |
cent Was the increased according 10 Sir Rob.
erts theoryi No. but greatly reduced, for the whole
amount received less than $4,000 co. and the |
government in consequence Of these low duties was
reduced 10 the verge Of Bankruptcy. One year more /
of low duties and the wheels Of Government would
have been stopped If "a per cent brought the gov
eminent to the verge Of bankruptcy, where would 20
per cent. carry themi The experience Of England
and France in high duties is the entire reverse of Sir
Roberts theory, FOR they get large revenues from du
ties varying from so TO 1000 per cent upon tobacco,
spirits, sugar and coffee.
Again Sir Robot Walker states in his argumen,
upon the tariff, that, "the wages Of labor had not aue
mented, since the tariff of ls42 and that in some cases
they have diminished" This assertion is not sustain
ed by any proofs. The reverse is true as any one
knows who has examined the question. In Lowell,
the six, or seven thousand girls, employed there, in |
1912, received $3.50 per week, and their board
"They now receive s2,00 per week, and their board
The difference is SO l-3 per cent" In 1912 the CAT
fers, employed by the Sandwich Glass Co. received
$1,000 per week They now receive ST. 90 per week,
for doing the work The difference is more Than
10 per cent
We regret that we have not room TO give our read
ers the whole of this able article. We have given
them specimen, and they can well Judge from this, |
that the positions OF Sir Robert are pretty eleciualy
overthrow, and his opinions thoroughly refuted-
We felt more than while reading it the truth of
Senator Haywoods remark, 'That pery lille men
sometimes fill eery great Offices" especially add in
the democratic" party.
gJ' Week before last, the inhabitants of Burlington,
Plasburg, Johnson ST. Adams and other towns in
the vicinity very appropriately celebrated the hunded
day Of uninterrupted seighing, by engaging in various
seghing ifolics The ST. Adams Messenger says of the