The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-03-15

the existing may entail upon the country would be
qudated in few years But it is objected, that under
this arrangement, tea and coffee would be subjected to
aXaton and therefore the should not be adopted
Mr. Chairman have listened with great attention to
all the arguments of gentlemen urged against tax upon
tea and coffee, and must now assert that have never
heard sensible argument against it that does apply
with infinitely greater force against tax upon clothing,
iron. steel, salt cotton bagging, mechanics TOOLS leather
hats, and all OF the articles OF necessity consumed by
people, and yet no one objects to the enormous tax
levied and collected upon those articles.
What is the Argument against tax upon tea and cof
fee They are articles Of necessity say gentlemen, and
therefore ought not to be taxed That the argument
relied upon. deny that tea and coffee articles
of necessity They are not necessary TO the contin
and had those articles been introduced into
ciety, civilization, science, agriculture, and
would have advanced with the same steady progress
that il has done with them Such would not
have been the if the axe anvil, and hammer had
never been invented. Tea and coffee not therefore,
articles Of necessity They strictly speaking, articles
OF taste and luxury, consumed by all classes of society,"
and therefore legitimate objects OF taxation. But suppose
tea and coffee were articles OF necessity, not the
cles already enumerated by me as necessary to the com
fort nay, existence Of man in organized society. as tea
and coffee can be! No can deny this IT, then, the
argument founded upon the necessary consumption Of
tea and coffee should exempt those articles from taxa
ton, why should it not exempt the plough the hoe. the
axe the fore and jack plane the knife and the aw the
anvil and hammer, the blanket the coat the hat leather,
necessary to the existence and comfort of than
and coffee can be- Why, then, tax the former without
remorse, and positively refuse TO tax the laer There
justice in it and those continued appeals
the tea and coffee drnker but the appeals OF the
denagogue to the ignorance of his fellow to make
political capital at the expense OF principle There is the
justice in taxing article of necessity that there
is another; and If you exempt one from taxation exempt
all.
Does any one design attempting this No, sir. The
very men who are now camorng against tax upon tea
and coffee, measure, because, they allege it
article of necessary consumption would be the last
to relnQuish the advantages to the manufacturer (0f the
present tar Of thirty per cent? upon all the articles OF
necessity before enumerated In addition to the political
capital sought to be made out OF the tea and coffee tax
gentlemen who advocates of the protective policy,
and who devoted to the monopoies afforded by the
tariff bill of 1872 and have dollar and interest in
its resoraton resist the tax upon tea and coffee under the
hope that the necessities of the governmet may force up
the country the establishment of that niqutous and
odious measure.
But, sir, the voice of patriotism, announced by the
tongues of twenty millions of freemen, will, in due tme
proclaim the distinction between private and public inte
rest between principle and demagoguism and when
that is done, provision Tor paying the war debt will be
made, by imposing duty Of 80 per cent upon the free
list
may be told that ! some years ago, voted against
duty upon tea and coffee admit the fact The financial
measure then proposed for the country olous
onethe tax upon tea and coffee did not render it less
1t intended TO supersede the compromise act of 49,
and, moreover, the country at peace with all the
world. For these reasons voted against the tax tea
and coffee, did against the whole OF Mr. Clays nan-
sal scheme. Under similar circumstances, | would do
the same thing again. But under erStig circumstances
your country at and your national debt rapidly in
creasing would do almost anything else sooner than
vote against the measure.
Sir have said that my opinion there are but two
tain modes OF providing for the payment of the debt
viz: direct TAXATION upon the free list-the for
mer oppose, the latter approve, and have given my
reasons tor dong So 1t remains for to show II
can, that increase of duties upon articles taxed
under the existing revenue SYSTEM would not increase
the revenue and hence resort to that policy
deceptive failure. desire to do this, because many
in favor OF providing for the payment OF the debt by that
means.
maintain as proposition not to be doubted, that
there is in levying duties upon imports precise point,
above or below which you cannot 60 without diminish
ing revenues what that precise point may be- it is difficult,
nay, almost impossible, to ascertain but still it exists.
No will doubt, imagine, that the circle has its
square, and yet all the learning of mathematics. aided by
the ingenuity of man, has discovered the " square
Of circle" So it may be in levying duties upon i'm
ports, the exact revenue point may, possibly, be
discovered; still that point exists. and, If dscertaned,
pould the largest amount Of repenue If your rate
of duty is abOpe the revenue point, by diminishing
potaons you lessen the revenues if the rate of duty
belo,c the revenue point the increased mporatons
sutng from diminished duty, will not supply the def
c,ency OF reUenue
Now, sir the exact revenue point in levying duties
upon imports cannot be determined with precise accura
cy all that do is to approximate II nearly as
possible. How 10 do ths' 1t can be done only by
examining the history and progress of our legislation up
financial questions Tor years past and particularly OBJ
serving its effect upon the OF the country This
have DONE and have satisfied my mind beyond a doubt,
that the existing duty OF 80 per cent al valore is very
considerably above the true point; and, Judging
Of the future by the past prepared to prove that
increase of duty upon articles paying tax of 30 per
cent I'D uaorem will prevent an increase OF cor
responding with the augmented consumption OF our rap
idly INCREASING population.
now present TO the committee tabular statement
showing the amount of collected under the low
duties of 1900 embracing period of years, prepared
with great care, and replee with information upon this
subject The articles taxed by the tariff bill of 1909
cd ella
of per cent another Is per cent and few other art
ces 30 per cent 1t is also worthy of especial consde
ion that than wo-thrds of the entire from
customs collected upon those articles paying the
per cent. duty. Hear is the table:
Lou rate of duties from 1900 to 1907 inclusive.