Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1846-08-15
Correspondence Of the Times.
WAsnlSoroN CIrY, July 3Olh, IS46.

Messrs. Benson q GREEN: The Tariff bill
finally passed yesterday and Of course will be
approved by the President and become law.
This is the result OF combination OF circum.
stances, which has enabled mere politicians to
triumph over the wishes Of the people; the only
chance for the latter is 10 order its repeal, and
which have no doubt they will do, during this
Congress. This universal system OF ad valorem
duties levied on foreign inroices OF valuation,
of itself, is a direct premium TO the fraudulent.
10 the disadvantage OF all honest dealers 1t is
true, there is power given the appraisers at our
custom houses, TO enquire into the foreign ualue
when they think the invoice price is Too low, but
OF whom must they enquire? Surely, to put the
best feature on it, OF those engaged in the trade.
What chance is there then TO come at the truth?
Will the trade not soon fall into the hands Of
those who can most easily perpetrae fraud on
our government? And will not they be foreign
ers, who will have less conscience about cheating
our government than our own fair trader, whose
reputation depends upon the good opinion o.
those who live in the vicinity OF the custom house,
where his goods are examined? If any evidence
is wanted Of this, ask you TO look at the con.
duct OF our best citizens who trade TO Santa Fe,
do they not nearly always prepare double, even
treble invoices TO their goods before they leave
home, SO as to get their goods in under as low
a duty as possible, and yet these men are entirely
incapable Of attempting such thing against
their own government! This is the very nature
Of mankind, to have less respect for other gov.
ernments than they have for their own. There.
fore, this levy,ng the revenue on the foreign in.
roice value has direct tendency 10 throw the
, trade into foreign hands. because they ,ciH gel
their goods in at less duty than the natire and
fair trader, Then, If enquiry is 10 be gone into
at our custom house, say at St. Louis which
may be port OF entry, who will be there who can
( inform the appraisers as TO the value OF goods in
Canton, except it is the agents really engaged in
are not interested (and who goes agains, his in
teres) 10 put the duty as low as possible? !
on the contrary the enquiry was how much the
article was worth al 81. Louis, it is easy 10 SEE
kind, could be had from persons in no way in
=, terested in the importation Of the article. vii
any man deny but this latter does not furnish
: the best chance for justice? The best chance
for equal and accurate justice. Besides, this i:
principle arising on: Of new theory even ir
e the world. Heretofore, it has been the aim, a.
: far as practicable. OF all governments 10 adop
] specific duties on every named article. In th!
4 age of the world, it has fallen to Mr. Wake
e 10 adopt new theory-to have no specific
duties and foreign invoice valuations, while al
other governments have abored as far as possible
5 to adopt specific, and where that could not be
done, home valuation, as the basis OF duties lev
led. Nous rerrons its operation, but | fear We
shall pay severely for the sight-ior this triumph
of political juggers over the people 1t takes
effect on the LIST Of December next. four day!
before the meeting Of Congress. and trust BY
that time even our Legislature will have ISSUED
her order in tones Of thunder for its repeal, a
; least so far as Iron and Hemp are concerned
5 if nothing else.
The law Of 1912 imposed duty on unmanu
featured Hemp. OF $40 per ton. The value
say at New York, for our dew rotted article
, which Missouri has chiefly produced heretofore
has been rarely over S120-ihis then was
protection to the grower Of near so per cent
for $50 has been generally as much as the ari
Gle brought al home. Under the new act thu
duty is 80 per cent. adrolorem, Now, suppos
ing the value TO be the same. it would be only
$36 duty per ton, making 81 difference agains
the grower, which the act avowedly takes out o
his pocket, which the act Of AZ placed in it 70
each ton But this is by no means the wors
feature OF the new law, for instead OF valuin2
the Hemp at New York, it is TO be valued a
what it cost in Russia, or other countries from
which it is imported, and duty OF 80 per cent
levied on that value. Now Dc not know wha
ton Of such Hemp will cost there, but suppose
; it cost $50 which suppose is over the price
then the duty on ton will be Sl8 instead o
$40, making difference Of S22 per ton agains
the grower. II you suppose the Hemp costs SS(
in Russia then the difference will be Sic.
The law Of AZ imposed duty OF cents pc
pound on cordsge cables, &c. The new Law
imposes only 25 per cent. on its cost in TIL
country from which it is imported, say from Rus
sia, thereby not only throwing off cents pc
pound, but per cent. on the Hemp used in it
E mandatory, against the rope factories in GU