Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1848-11-16

4 The TARIFF OF l9i0.-Mr. Greeley, Of the
Tribune. is publishing series Of able articles
on the Tariff question, addressed particularly
to the laLorers. From the last we extract the
following exhibition OF some Of the inequalities
aud unjus, features of the presen, tariff
\ Sp0Gc DUTIES, So far as 1t WAS practicable
TO impose them, were uniformly imposed by
the tariff of IL. So much per ton, per pound
per gallon, dc. there can bc no mistake about
the amount, and hardly chance for fraud
The foreign manufacturer pays just The same
as the American importer who purchases of
him, instead of being able to swear his goods
through the Custom House as having cost
hlm to 20 per cent. less, and pay on them
accordingly, under a system of Al l0lorem
duties. But the tariff of 1916 repeals all Spe-
cGc and imposes Ad Valorem duties cxclu-
siyely, IN opposition TO the judgment of nearly
every eminent statesman who has taken part
in our Government-in opposition to the gen
eral tendency 10 render duties exact and GER
tain throughout the world. For instance, lroa
paid under the tariff of '42, 50 per ton on Pig,
$l7 on Bar aud $25 on Rol'ed-rates unvary
ing and impossible To be evaded. The duty
by the tariff of AS is 80 per cent, which sui-
fees when Iron is high, but falls of as the
price is diminished. A few years since, Rail
road Bars were worth $50 in England max
ing the duty SIS per ton. Now they have
fallen to little over $50, carrying dOwp the
duty To $40 per ton and should they be
forced down to $25, the duty will be but 80.
Thus as the necessity for protection increases,
the protection actually given is diminished I;
while, should Iron ever againr rise SO high that
no protection would be needed, bOuntltul i'm
post would then proiier its aid to the Ameri-
can producer Can the madness of wrong
headed craftsmanship surpass This Yet the
principle runs the whole round of this tariff.
( But the act is not merely perverse--it IS de-
signedly delusive. The farmer reads in it that
wool of all kinds, and manufactures of wool
not otherwise specified, are subject to duty
of 80 per cent, aud he is told that this is
very fair protection. But the same tariff else
where stipulates that all wooen yarn, worsted,
fannels, bookings, & baizes shall pay but 25 per
cent, and that "blankets of all kinds Ga very
comprehensive designation) shall pay but 20
per cent. Here the farmer is stripped of the
protection which he supposes had been accord
ed him, BY the admission of important classes
or woolen fabrics at rates below those imposed
on raw WOO, ,-certainly as much TO his de-
triment as if the wool had been directly admit
ted at SO per cent For the manufacturer,
the case is still harder. lie must buy the
cheap, coarse wool of South America and
Northern Africa, grown without care or ex-
pense and sold at low prices, in competition
with his British rivals /; he must pay 80 per
cent. duty on importing them while they
take their wool to England duty free, make it
up into nannels, blankets, &c, and send j, to
our markets to compete with him, paying a
duty thereon of only 25 and 80 per cent
Here is a Discrimination of 80 TO 100 per cent.
against American labor and yet when we
demonstrate against this suicidal measure, we
are nsolen,ly, falsely told, "You have 30 per
cent. protection by this tariff, and that ought
to satisfy you. How much do you want -
/ Just SO hemp is charged with 20 per cent.
duty by this tariff, to gull the growers, while
7 il ia ., - mnufucturedas cables, cordagc, &c.
at a5 per cent. rapcc.r is charged 90 per cent
while books generally are admitted at To-
When thus our own Government offers boun-
ties on tie labor performed in Europe, instead
Of our own country what wonder tha: employ
mcnt fails, wages are diminished, Imports are
swelled, specie departs, factories and work
shops are closed by bankruptcy, and a general
paralysis is felt to be creeping over the indus
trial energies of the country.