Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-02-17
The efert Of he Tariff of 1916, and of High anc

The efed Of The TariFof 1916, and of High and
LOU duties, generally, upon Rertnut.
The hrst position OF the report Is, that iOp du
ties always Increase revenue, and that such has
been the effect the tariff of 1886 The tarf
cf lel6 has reduced The rate OF duties, on an
average about one third from 80 to % per cent
Under the tariff of 1912, one hundred millions
OF dutIable imports yielded about thirty two mil
lions OF gross revenue; of couse it will now
require one hundred and fifty millions one third
more-inports under the tariff Of ISa6. to Weld
the same amount OF revenue. TO get the same
revenue, you must expert fifty additional
millions of dollars, and destroy fifty millions OF
present Amercan supply, 10 nuke room for these
additional fifty millions Of foreign goods - thus
supporting and enrlching foreign labor, aid dc.
stroying our own
The President and Secretary both repeat, that
the tariff OF 1916 has not only greatly increased
the national prosperity, but that it his actually
Increased the revenue eight millions of dollars
Now, so fer from this being tue, il clearly up.
pears from the Secretary own showing, that the
revenue would have been 81 POP ,657 more, had
the tariff OF 1912 continued in operation So tia,
instead OF gaining eight millions, we have LOST
more than seven millions of revenue by the tariff
OF 1861 DIunder Of more than fifteen millions
IN single year.
Nov, Tor the facts, I refer gentlemen to the
first pages oil Mr.. Walkers three last annual re.
ports on the finances they will there see il sta.
ted that in the fiscal year 1915, the revenue from
customs was S27, Il2-thut IN 1876 the
revenue was S27.7l2,667- producing Oh aver.
age amount of revenue under the tariff of 1912
OF S2z ,l20,3S9. Whereas, IN IS47, under Mr.
Walkers great revenue tariff Of 1896 he him.
self statos that the revenue from customs is bul
S23,747, S64 nearly three millions less than in
1876, and nearly four millions less than in lS45
Yet we are tod in the face OF these official
facts, that the tariff OF 1876 has increased the
revenue eight millions Of dollars. But this is
not ALL by referring TO the Secrotarys late re-
port on commerce and navigation, mot vet print
ed,) it will be seen that the duliable imports in
l947 were $l0,36540f more than in 1915, IN.
der the tariff Of 1912; and had it been sui in
force, this excess, al 81 per cent lLe average of
the dates under the tariff Of 1912 would have
yielded $34 6,429 of revenue, which, added to
the excess of revenue received in loi5 over le47
(S3,7S6,22S) makes the SUN S7,202075 more
revenue under the tariff Of lS42, had it remained
in operation, than has been received under The
tariff of 1896 Now, what becomes of the Sec
retary's eight millions Of increased revenue p
Instead of light millions plus, his tariff Of As is
seven millions minus Or, 10 prove ii IN another
uni simpler form Mr.. Walker says the average
of duties under the tariff OF 1912, was 81 per
cent. and under the tariff OF GAG they are 90 per
cent.-consequcntly, the revenue upon the same
imports must be one-third less. So that instead
of S23747, S64, The amount received under the
existing law, we should have received, under
the tariff Of l642, one third MORE VIZ: $50 662. :.
Sl2. These are mathematical results, derived
from MIR. Walkers own reports and there is no
escape tor HIN or his defenders | call ON them
TO deny il il they can. But besides all this MIR.
Walker in his annual report last winter, page
one, estimates the receipts rom customs for the
year le47, at S27.S35 73i he has received, lie
h,.
his estimates. Yet The President and Secretary
both boast that the tariff Of 1916 mas more thai
realized their expectations. Now, If iuur mil.
lions less than their estimates equals their ex
peectatlons, then They must have, ior the burmese
OF deception, deliberately made their estimate
four millions more than they expected 10 receive
Can the Secretary explain this. | hope he'll try
butt predict he VIII not
But Mr.. " alker contends that the Tariff O
1S46, having greatly increased the export q
domestic products, has, as "a matter Of COURSE
brought IN corresponding increase of npoTt
and revenue. But has the tsrfi' OF is46 hcreas
ed the amount OF domestic exports. | say
has mol, and will prove it by Mr.. Walkers ow
figures. will slow cODclusVrly that the onl
increase OF xIorts has beeu IN breadstufls an
provisions, required TO prevent starvation, un
would have been taken 10 the same extent an
maid ne IN the same way, WITHOUT regard TO ol
tar,ff or an" thing Of the kind Now take III
export OF domes,'.ic products Tor ten years pas
from ls35 To le45, md deduct lheFeiom II
amount OF breadstuiis una tFoVislohs' ana II WI
be found that The annual export ~ domestic pr
ducts, exclusive OF provisions, was -. oio'ocs
then take the export OF domestic products u''rln
the last fiscal year, under the rarff of 1896 viz
$50 637 AGA, and deduct The breads,ufs an
provisions, S65, 906,272, atd II leaves everytbIn
else but SS4, 72U, Fillmore than seyen million
less of domestic exports last year, exclusive
provisions and breadsiutis, than the average
the preceding ten years. Yet, in the face
these facts, furnished by his official report
commerce and navigation, he gravely tells n
American people that flee tfede und the tar
OF le46, and not the famine IN Europe, has pr
duced the great increase of exports and import
The report moi beng printed, | cannot refer
the pages from which 1 derive these facts, b
they are accessible lo~gentenien who wish
inquire.
Next to the modus oporandi. the legerd
main, the sleisht oi-hand, by which faIsehoo
are made to appear true-lhe plan by which d
President and Secretary attempt To mike it o
that they have received more revenue under Il
ierif OF 1876 lhun was received under that
1912. How is this done 1t Is done by culli
up the years taking few months Of one ye
and a lew months of unother--tige months und
the tariff Of 1912, and seven under The tariff
IS46 Nov, every body KNOWS that the tariff
1916 was passed IN July, and did not 60 II