The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-03-07

done by cutting up the years; taking few
months of one year and few months of an
other-fve months under the tariff of 1912
and seven under the tariff of 1916. Now ev-
cry body knows that the tariff of 1916 was pas
sed in July, and did notgo into operation I'M
til December; during this period of four or five
months imports paying duties were almost en-
tirely arrested. The fact being that the du-
ties would in few days be greatly reduced, a
very large amount ofgoods which would have
come in and paid duty according to the then
existing tariff of 1912, were withhold till the
duties came down. They were piled up in
warehouses or kept in bond till the tariff of
1916 and low duties took effect; besides goods
which had paid heavy duties were re-export-
ed, and the duties Withdrawn from the Treas
ury, to be returned when the duties came
down-thus a pipe of brandy, for instance,
which under the tariff of 1912 had paid one
dollar per gallon duty, the owner, by reexpor-
ting it with a drawback of the duty, and REIN
porting it Immediately after the tariff of 1916
took effect, reducing the duty nearly one-half,
would clear forty cents gallon; thus robbing
the tariff of 1912, and giving its revenue to
tariff of 1916. During this period of five
months, Of course little revenue, in compare
son was coming in, though the country was still
nominally under the tariff of 1872 Now
these are the months which this very candid
Secretary takes for his estimate of the pro-
duce of the tariff of 1872 As soon as the re-
duced tariff of 1916 went into operation, these
goods which had been held back waiting for
the reduced duties, were at once poured in, &
in pours revenue by millions The goods and
duties Withdrawn from the tariff of 1912 now
return under the taaiff of 1916; and these are
the months which this truth-seeking Secretary
takes, as showing the comparative product of
this model tariff, contrasted with five months |
of the tariff Of 1912, giving little over seven
millions for five months; when for two years
before, the revenue had exceeded an average |
of twenty-seven millions! And this is put
forth as fair comparison. This is no decep-
ton. Oh, no. this is fair. This is the way to
bring truth to the people He might as well
compare the strength Of giant and that of
child, by putting down what the giant could lift
when on a sick bed and in his last hours, and
what the child could lift in the vigor of health
and under sudden and violent excitement.
Would this be very satisfactory way Of
proving that the child was stronger than the
giant? Yet the comparison would be just as
fair.
The next thing the learned Secretary at
tempts to prove is, that under low duties more
revenue is always obtained than under high
duties. To show this, he selects ten years in
come under high tariffs, and ten years under a
low one. He selects ten years. from 1882 TO
1912, under the compromise bill, for his low
tariff, and then ten years, under the hi Oh tar
if of 1924 and 1928, and two years under the
tariff of 1912, as the high tariff period. Now
! assert that these very years, his own figures
prove that we got eighty-two millions more I'M
der the high tariff than we did under the low.
For the proof, l refer gentlemen and the
Secretary to his own official report on the Fl
nances in 1S45, p. $50 Here you have his
own report. Take it down, gentlemen; l de-
sire you to make minute of what / state, for
what say can prove. l hope the ex-chan-
cellor of the cxchequer (Mr. Mckay will
pay special attention to these statements. ]
say, on Mr.. Walkers own showing, that under
the ten years of low tariff the receipts were
S214, 1856, 1858, and that under the high tariff
years the receipts were 1927 ,S42,2l5. The |
difference in favor of the high tariff is $S2,-
956, $685. 95, 635 per year, and yet the
Secretary and President say that all expert
ence proves that low tariffs give the most rev.
enuel Whether such gross misstatements |
proceed from ignorance or design he would not
say, but II was one or the other. L refer, |
(said Mr.. s. to date, book, and page. Let
them look at it. ] want MIR. Walker to look |
at it. suppose when he sent us the Report,
with all these confident statements, supported |
by figures, too, he thought it would answer its
purpose. He owes it to his character for truth |
and candor to come out and admit or deny
this statement. or authorize some friend to do |
it for him on this floor. VIII it be done? We |
will see. Here are the tables taken carefully |
from Mr.. Walkers Report:
Revenue for ten years, under low tariff, from
1882 to 1912.