The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-09-29

1912, went constantly diminishing Nay was il not
the very object of that tariff, protective tariff to cut
off such Importation, aud substitute in its place core
spending articles of home ma hfacture which paid no
revenue at ALL And what the consequence of ths9
Why, the people paid tax under the law OF ls4a Of
some eighty millions of dollars in the shape Of advanced
prices OF these protected domestic articles not one dollar
of which tax found its way into the treasury
II was the avowed purpose OF the tariff of 1872 asa
orotetire tariff to control the current of Importation with
reference to protection and with primary reference to
revenue. This was the fundamental rule upon which il
was framed Hence though its average Of taxation
upon imports was about onethird higher than the ave.
rage rate of the present tariff it by follows that
on any given amount of imporations-say one hundred
mions--the revenue collected by the tariff of 1912
would be greater than that collected by the ex
listing law and for this plain reasonbecause the high
minimum and specific duties of 1912, acted Gas fact
being imposed for protection, they intended to acJ
in great as prohibition OF the importation of
the articles upon which they levied Consumers
felt this result in the enhanced price of the domestic ar
ticle which was thus made to take the place OF the a
Gle which would under lower duty, have been import
ed and offered in market at lower price The treas
ury felt this result in the loss Of the revenues which the
natural current of Importation, if left to itself, would
have brought in Mr. Stewards assertion, that the
rage 80 per cent rate OF the tariff of 1912 must bring
as much revenue from one hundred millions ofimpors
as the average 20 per cent duty OF the tariff of 1876
bring in from one hundred and fifty millions of imports
might be true or at least possible if both those tariffs
were horizontal and imposed their respective average
rates of duty upon every article alike but his assertion
is nothing less than gross absurday when it is affirmed
of two tariffs of which Chat OF ls46) cares In its
duties from per cent to 100 per cent Tor purposes OF
revenue and the other of which chat OF 1922 varies
from less than per cent to nearly 300 per cent pur
poses of protection Yet it by putting forth such nom
this, that OF the most renowned advocates
the restrictive policy endeavors in the teeth of the
nconesable wel-working of the present law, to asten
that antiquaed and exploded policy upon the prosperous
and teeming commerce of our country
But Mr. Stewards second position in the above para.
graph is, if possible, yet more erroneous Assuming
that to raise present increased revenue, have
ported to the amount of $50 Millions he asserts that if we
had kept the old tariff and raised the same revenue
"a thing impossible by the way) upon diminished i'm.
poration Of 100 millions should thereby have savd
so millions of dollars" Saved that amount? How
saved it, and to whom' Would it have been saved to
the farmer who. under the old law would have paid his
share of the immense of so millions in the shape of
enhanced prices of the most necessary articles of his
daily consumption-his salt and his sugar, his cotton
cloth and wooen cloth, his coal and glass; his shoes
and his hat Would so millions have been saved to the
grain growers, who, by the old law shutting out these
so millions Of imports, must have lost the foreign market
for all the grain which these and other similar imported
articles have paid for, and been thus confined
| II
grain which England, with her mporations to us vastly
reduced, could buy and pay for in specie alone' We
have imported large amount of foreign fabrics We
have exported still larger amounts of our breadsuAs
England and Europe have RENTED to us large balances
of specie by almost every during the past
The state of the English money market for the last three
months shows clearly that quite as much specie as
could be spared has been sent to us, in addition to
the large amount of goods which have imported And
does Mr. Stewart turn round and tell that in all
this proceeding fifty millions of additional imports have
been lost TO american industry Have the prices current
for the past year shown any such loss The "American
industry" agricultural and commercial that raised the
grain and shipped it, has profed by the foreign market
to get good price for it, and has received that price
partly in specie and partly in such foreign fabrics
has chosen to buy-and that is the whole loss OF the
whole transaction We venture to say that American in.
dustry will bear just such loss this every year with
out complaining, and without resortng for remedy to
| the wing tariff of 1912, which, on Mr.. Stewards
showing, would diminish foreign commerce to the
amount of fifty millions of imports and fifty millions Of
exports, and thus summarly cut off foreign market OF
fifty millions for great agricultural staples, together
with all the fair profits which the commercial and ship
ping interests have made upon it.
The above paragraph from Mr. Stewards letter
tains the whole brunt Of its general argument Our
readers judge for themselves what it is worth.
The cause which rests for support upon sophsry SO
plain and palpable appears to us to be lame indeed.
There are, however, some collateral points in Mr..
Stewards paper upon which we wish to offer some
comment; but remarks to-day have already extended
to too great length We may resume the subject.
1t is with deep regret that discharge the office Of
stating the death of Captain L. ~ Carter late of Virginia,
of the United States marine corps, who breahed his last
at Norfolk the 26th instant at one o'clock D. M He
arrived at Norfolk the 10Th from the Virginia springs
in very feeble condition; and at his own request
admitted into the hospital that he might have the
and professional experience of his old and attached friend
DIR. Williamson. Captain Carter gentleman Of ac
complished manners, of fine education, amabe ten.
per, and highly respected by extensive acquaintance
The FAsHIoN.-The United States steamship Fashion,
Capt Ivy, which up the river to Baton Rouge some
days since went down past the city early honryes
| .x1,,. FAM