The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-07-03
The New Spanish Tariff.

tom house tariff, and which VIII be very soon dis
cussed in the Legislature, at present absoTbs the at
teniion Of the public.
OF the three systems which now divide the prac-
teal economists Of Spain, VIZ: that OF prohibition,
that of absolute freedom Of trade, and that of
reasonable protection, granted to the national manu-
features by means OF moderate duties imposed on
the produce and merchandise imported, such as
would favor the competition OF the native maui
features at the same time that they would deal
deathbow to the contraband trade, and paralyze
all illicit traffic the last the one which the 60
veInment has chosen
As there is no space TO discuss, in this place. the
pros and the coas OF the arguments which might par
TALLY or wholly oppose justify the policy OF the
plan proposed, and as, moreover, these different
apologies will naturally transplre in the OF
the Parliamentary debates on this interesting ques
ton, shall contine ourselves, for the moment, TO
transcribe the most important and material para
graphs Of the scheme, which, like al the leglsla-
tive acts Of the nations of the south, abounds in
| verbose phraseo!ogy, more elegant than logical,
| more eloquent than persuasive and conclusive
The following are the paragraphs chosen from the
most remarkable Of those included in the report OF
the commission
| In order TO obtain this important result Chat of
parayzing the contraband rade) there is no
sty to obstruct or prejudice any of the existing
trades or any Of the or less Important branches
of our agricultural wealth; for there may, and there
] ought to- be preserved in its favor, scrupuousy
and exactly, all the protection which the State and
| the government can possibly accord protection,
| moreover, which, from whatsoever point of view it
is regarded, cannot IN any case exceed the amount
of the saie-condact clandestlnely obtained for the
contraband trade. Seeing the truth and reality OF the
facts, it would be absolutely impossible eltherfor the
prohbuve system or that OF protective duties to do
anything else for the benefit OF the country Perse
cuton-the custom-house oilicers-all the strength
| and determination Of the most powerful govern
ments, by augmentng the difficulties OF Illicit trade,
may thus have the effect OF increasing the price OF
the safeconducts; but Gas the case has been hither
| toy they can never prevent that trade when con-
| sumption desires and demands the articles which
the prohlbitlve system would vainy withhold.
daily and constant experience, which has never
been falsifed in Spain, or in any other country,
proves this TRUTH and testes by irrefutable facts,
the natural and logical deductions which reason
and common sense cannot fail to draw just In
terences from the truths and the principles just es
tablished.
1t hence follows tina, whenever the protective
duties on national produce and manufactures
neither higher nor lower than the safe conducts
of The contraband trade, all that can be done will
nave been done in favor of labor and industry; and
that if any attempt be made to transgress these
Just and reasonable boundaries, 1t Will be to plunge
into decisions and extravagances, which most fire.
bic evils
No one can tax, as incorrect or erroneous, the
principle Just enunciated, VIZ: that without in any
way prejudicing the national industry or the ma
tional labor there may be conferred upon COM
merce, bona fde, that immense mass Of business
and profits, which are now the exclusive property
OF snugglers, and that, in this manner, the coun-
try may be moralized, the national resources be
increased, and the Golfers of the public treasury be
filled without effort or extortlon.
In approving, IN It's essence, the project present
ed by the government, the persons forming the
commission are not persuaded that they are real
izing their own idea: far from it they believe
that the part essentially relating to trade, which
and, IN general the whole question OF prohibitions,
remains absolutely intact. In fact, the govern
men. docs no,, ~ r,y e-nse, solve this ECONOMY.
| all measures now in force respecting cotons, IN
the same manner and on the same conditions ss
hitherto, and which are no other than those al
ready in force, and which date from the reign OF
Charles Ill.
The day whereon the projec, under discussion is
converted into a law, and when the government
will consequently draw w new tariffs, (includng
cottons,) the Spanish trade devoted TO that branch
Of manufacture will find itself in the and
subject TO the same conditions as now, and under
the same rigid and absolute system Of prohibition
which has served ii as q buckler and a security
against foreign competition.
This is so certain and so evident, that none OF
the stuils admitted by the annexed sril fabri-
Gated In Spain IN quantity commercially apprc-
cable. As regards cottons, every one Is aware
that the tissues that have been manufactured in
this coSntry have been very limited, and only by
way OF experiment., and that the quantity of yarn
here spun is very insignificant, ranging from No.
60 10 -; The commission is persuaded, in short,
II ~ this case applies to very few factories, and
that the number Is limited 10 few IN Catalonia
and elsewhere. All the stuff of this sort now
figured s,uiis-rtInairs secured (iccorGmg to this
plan,) vs. beforehand, by means OF the most COM
plee and absolute prohibition. Thus the question
affecting cottons in relation to the national minu.
iaciurr. remains intact. No innovation or altera-
ton iakcs place az regards this fabric, 10 which
are preserved al the duties acquired by the prohl-
bit'e 81 stem still in force: The commission may,
ihcreioIc. more strongly insist this point. II
has been scrupulous TINS quc st.on, that, al
ihoHgh convinced that raw SUITS or beacned
goilons Of more than Is threads Of warp are manu-
appTcclable, u has, nevertheless, absitincd from
introducing into this prcJect OF the government
the novelty OF admitting the said siuis, al least
The commission ouah, here to cnunciaie it, pri.
waite opinion on the important matter with which
u IL occupied. IL tpincs that, on this occasion,
!, ought to go further than the government has
done u believes that point has been reached
that Mii moi admit Ot the question OF cotton stul!s
beng left intact unless II ought to be solved in
decisive manner, on the protective pnnciple, by
HING Tor ever Tire legal terms To which that branch
OF trade orsli TO be- subject. IL has however alb
stained from proposing this to the Chamber, BE-.
cause II Is convinced that on such serious qu-s- |
ions this. the government slonc IL in possession
81 the necessary data for Judging 81 the Opporune-
ness al hc measures TO De- taken. Thus rca son has
determined the commission 10 resflct itself TO the
smAe expression OF IT, opinion, lis desires and
IT. conviction that ihc government VIII turn IL. at
tcnilon 10 the satisfaction OF ihis necessity.
seeing oil these considerations, the commission
proro.es the following project ~ law;-
!. The government wal reform the pre- sent i'm.
port duties on foreign and colonisl produce, Sc,
taking y rule the annexed bases
Manufactured cotton siuis specified ia the
tarh 30. will b. admitted On payment Of the
duties assigned.
The government will point oui the custom
homes through which alone The .sii goods or |
stwfIt may bc Introduced.
J. Machinery and inplemrs's of agricul- |
iufc. mining and manufacture, will pay duty Of
from ! To ! I per cent
Raw materials, DOT abuudanty produced ia
SPAIN, and necessary to the national ln,nufac-
lures Niu also pay from 20 u per cent. Timber
for the navy viii Jay the same duty.
Raw nlirrial.. similar 10 those sbundanily /
producedty spain, those employed for production,
and IN the same case, such as coal. coke, ard |
goods Oi fopri2n manufacture which may compete |
with those 81 spain, wal poy p 10 ~ per cea,
Foreign goods, De, required b. consumption. !