The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-12-17


served In the with Mexico, and Al the last session to
such as had served in former wars, In addition TO grants
TO States for internal improvements. will undoubtedly
supply the market with the greater portion OF the lands
that will be required for occupation Tor many years TO
come This source OF revenue, therefore-smai indeed
comparatively but still in the ten Years preceung ie4S
available for annual average OF $2.s936lo 49, Estate
ment V)-shoud not hereafter be relied upon with any
certainty or 10 any considerable amount in estimating the
Statement X, appended to this report shows tue number
OF warrants located by the acts to which reference has
been made and the number yet to be located as esii
mated from the pay rolls and other evidences on e, win
The quantity OF lands sold, and taken from market by
virtue 81 those warrants. for the years ls47 s4o and
acres per annum, valued at $1s.9l34 76. averaging
". .303,7il So per annum. !,
The warrans yet be presented under these acts will
require 7s,s22ol3 acres valued al 9s,653l4O Al the
above average OF 49oe PAT 40 per annum, over
sixteen years will be required to absorb and satisfy the
warrants yet 10 be issued as estimated under the several
There will then be diverted from the treasury. from
the sale of lands, the OF not anticipated
at the date when the revenue law OF ls4o was enacted
This state Of things imposes upon Congress the duty
OF determining whether the laws now existing with the
rates OF duties imposed BY them on foreign merchandise
will produce the amount necessary to defay the annual
ordinary expenditures Of the government and meet pune
tualy the interest the public debt The ability Of the
country 10 discharge every obligation upon ~ aided by
wise and timely legisation is unquestionabe. Ii am
pie provision shall be made for the prompt discharge o
annually accrung liabilities the public faith, as i has
been hitherto. will be maintained and the public credit
continued on such basis as to insure an advantageous
and speedy exingushment Of the public debt
The system OF ad valoem dutes however well adapted
to many articles Of trade, when applied 70 ALL without
DISCRIMINATORY restrcon safeguard has been proved
by the experience OF this department to be subject to
many and strong objections Its tendency i TO cherish
o s It's
results, fatal TO the revenue. Considering this system
only in its operation upon revenues is believed that the
OF Europe has proved to be impoc and unsafe Under
the operation of the British tariff revised in lS46, the
whole revenue derived from articles paying ad valorem
duties has been only an average OF about t5s,oo
(Sls2 0o0 per annum agross receipt from customs OF
f22 900 900 ($l05 900 000)being less than one mn o
per cent OF this immense income from lnposs and
the evident design OF Parliament was to make specific
duties the OF revenue from imposts, SO TAR as
possibly could be effected like policy has also always
been pursued by the other commercial nations OF Eu-
The primary object to be kept in view in levyng duties
upon imports admitted be reveHue 1t is equally
well established as the policy and duty OF the govern
ment discriminate in the levying OF duties as, with
out falling below the necessary amount OF revenue, to
give the greatest encouragement possible TO all the indus
trial pursuits OF our own people One feature OF the law
of 1915, in the opinion OF this department. is opposed 10
both the controlling principles just stated have refer
ence TO an equal higher rate OF duty on the raw ma
eria than upon the manufactured article OF which II IS
composed Such provisions certainly take from the man
uacurer and artisan that which the pres
ent law doubtless. to extent. was intended to al
ford and also check the importation OF the raw material
to degree detrimental 10 the revenue. The constant
fluctuations in prices, and consequently IN the duties,
under any unrestricted ad vaoem anh give to the act
od is46 that most objectionable feature, instability
and low duties when prices are ruinous tend TO an ex
OF importaons, and subject all the products OF
labor IN our own country to the frequent ana enormous
turbed condition ofsthose nations with whom our oreign
commerce is chiefly carried on.
Under The present system duties are highest when the
INN In and hen
consumer can least afford TO pay the dny and lowest
when the price of the article wanted would allow heavy
additional duty be levied it, Thus, article costs
slO duty Of thirty per cent would compel addition Of
20; if that article falls in value to 70, then Is Inc duty
reduced one half.
follows the consumer in his purchases increasing his bur-
den when prices high and taking u on as prices fall
and his ability bear increases II applied to articles
of subsistence IL would operate as heavy tax upon
bread 10 year OF amne increasing with the intensity Of
the evil and gradually disappearing with the return of
The objection TO the present system, from commercial
fluctuations in prices constantly forced upon the atten-
ton OF the department by instances OF extreme inequality
and pejudicsl operation. The European price OF iron
was in IS46 greatly above that which has prevailed for
the last two years II the duties upon bar iron have been
levied in strict accord with foreign cost, they would now
be but little more than one-half oil what they were IN
1896 BY this process, besides the immense injury in
fcted upon domestic industry our revenue is made TO
luctuate with the accidents and revulsons in foreign
commerce, and these accidents and fluctuations, which
originate aofoao, are imPoteu Win tueh acnuaht 's-
chiefs.
Our revenue as already stated must be mainly depen
dant duties imports Those imports from abroad
only be paid for by exports made OF the products
OF labor all its varieties, in the precious metals
II our imports shall exceed the value of our exports
abroad in any given year, the extent OF such do
create foreign debt II this operation be repeated
for only few years. is obvious that will effect the
withdrawal from Of quantity OF the precious metals
equal nearly SO, 10 the amount OF the accumulated
debt, bringing with bankruptcy in all departments OF
business consequent inability TO purchase foreign goods
and thus for the tme causing runous depression In the
receipts into the treasury. 1t then becomes equally the
sble) TO regulate imports as to conne the mportaons
into this countr oan amount about equal to such ex-
ports, of our own can find market al remuHeatiye
prices abroad The bare statement OF the foregoing we'll
established laws OF trade would TO furnish safe
guide jn all legislation on the subject
Whilst mportations should be secured in amount sui.
6cien at practical rate OF duties to supply the wants OF
the treasury such duties should be adjusted In
TO affect favoraby all industrial pursuits at home II du-
ties the necessary uportaons should have the effect
impair the ability OF the OF the people to purchase
and pay for foreign goods then mportaons to that ex-
tent must and consequence the revenue to an
equivalent amount would be diminished.
II s believed that our experience has shown that
exports cannot be greatly extended, some have
II s fact within the observation OF all that merchants
and shpowners vgilant and alert, with all the
knowledge which interest can impart, and all the skill
which experience supply to send abroad any and ev
every product OF this country which can anywhere hnd
profitable market These agents, which are always ac-
limit Of advantage to the producer or carrier II at any
time given article Of export should be carried beyond
the foreign demand reduced prices, the nvarable result
OF supply brings loss upon all concerned. II for