The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-06-18

The President. at the opening Of the pres
ent session. recommended an amendment to
the tariff Of '4G. with view to extend adc-
quqie protection to all branches Of American
industry
The great difficulty with that tariff c on
>i,is in the fact that all the duties are ar-
ranged on nj raiorcm principles
In this respect HAT bill is unprecedented
in the history of the country. In every in
stance. from the fonnlaion of the Republic
tn hi. dav, the duties have been msde more
or less specific,
The general rule has been that the duty.
on any given article. should be specific. and
the al ralorem principle has hcon admitted
only where from the nature Of the article,
the former was inapplicaLle or unaitainable.
The modern practice, throughout the
void, with the exception of our own coun-
try, is specific in reference to impos's All
enlightened European nations practise nc
cordnely.
|, may be asked, what are specific duties
what al ralorem
4 specific duty is some precise sum which
any measure of quantity or value is bound
to pay.
An al ralorem duty is a certain per cents
age on the cost of the article in the country
from which it is imported. The importing
party produces his own invoice and, on ma
king oath thereto, the amount he has 10 ray
is asceriained by his own testimony and by
calculation, in conformity with the iule laid
down by the act of Congress
Here---as it must appear to any discern
ing mans not only great chance, but
great temptation for fraud.
But we will try to argue bis question as
it ought to be argued aways-that is, by it.
self.
There are great and national objections
to the al ralorem system. What are they ?
In the first place, the amount Of duty 10 be
paid is always uncertain and indefinite. II
auciuatcs from month to month-from year
to wear. dependent upon the cyer-varying
state of trade II, home and abroad,
Moreover, an al ralorem duty never is
and never can be collected in full. This
IS proved by all experience. The tcmpta-
ton to understaie the value or COS. Of goods
imported, in invoices. is too ofIen irresistible
Unier this system the dishonest and fraud
ulent importer has a great pecuniary adyan
iage cver the scrupu'ous upright and just
Ii operates MS a premium and reproach-
the former, to others 10 come and prey upon
us. and the latter TO ourselves. More than
thar, II gives undue advantage to foreigners
engaged in importing, for these reasons. In
the first rlace, they are more inscriptions !;
and in the next, they have greater facilities
for perpetrating fraud than the American
merchant. The foreign houses in this coun-
try are usnallv connected with mahufactur.
ers in Europe, and more or less intimately
are interested or identified with them.
Generally. manufacturer and importer
are part AID parcel together. The import,
ers make no purchases, but merely have their
own property consigned to themselves, and
invoice them as they please-swear to their
invoices, and many Of thea dodge the reve-
nue. in every way they can, and usually get
their goods through at much lower rate
than any American merchant, who bad
bought the same goods in any market in the
world, possibly could.
This ad raiorem system also makes dis
tinction between different ports and different
parts OF our Union. II, for instance, at one
cusiom.housc, The officers be rigid and sc-
we're a higher rate oi duty will be paid; if
at another they be lax or nattentive, a low.
er rate.
The temptation to liberal indulgence, on