Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1850-01-21
DEFERRED ARTICLES.
GEN. TAYLOR VS.. HENRY CLAY.

e. In that portion ofhs Message relating to
the Tariff, Gen. Taylor says, ''beeving that to
the attainment of these ends Gas well as the aug
mentation of the revenue and the presentation of
trauds) system of specific duties is best adapted
strongly recommend to Congress the adoption of
that system"
Mr.. Clay says (Greey's life of Clay, vol. Cd
page 537 compare the difference between spe-
eific and the I'D uGlorens system of duties, and
ercnce, The one principle declares the duty paid
shall be upon the real Uatus Of the article taned,
the specific principle (Which Taylor favors) impo-
ses an equal duty on articles greatly unequal IN
raiae Coffee for example, is one Of the articles
on which specific duty has been levied. Now,
it is perfectly well known that the Mocha coffee
Of ST. Domingo or Cuba, differ in value, yet both
pay the same duty. The tax hasno respect to tie ral
ne, but is arbitrarily leuted upon il articles ola spe-
cie kind alike, however various & unequal may be
their value. say, that in theory. and according
to every sound principle ofjustce, the ad ualorenl
mode of taxation is entitled to the Preference"
This extract is taken from speech of Mr..
Clay, delivered in the United States Senate,
March 4, 1912, and of course prior to the Tariff
act Of 1916, which is upon the ad valorem system,
and which Gen. Taylor seeks to overthrow. To
make this subject something palmer we premise
here as MIR. Clay has stated, that the specific
system OF duties imposes an equal tao on all artl-
cles regardless Of valase, that's, surprising our
Commissioners should adopt the specific system
in laying our county taxes (and how do we know
but that they willy they would say that each and
every farm in Washington County, without any
regard to size, condition, Improvements or value
Of the same, should pay tax fone hundred dol
lars, little and big, bad and good, each to pay
one hundred dollars How would you like it?
The tax would be equal, but oh the valuation
ana justice! And you may carry this further.
Each horse, regardless of value, to be taxed ten
dollars, or any other article you might men.ion,-
This is the specific duty system. Now, the ad
valorem system Of duties, values, assesses each
article separately and then lays the tax, as for in
stance, farm valued at twelve thousand dollars
would pay tax of. say twenty dollars, a farm at
nine thousand would pay fifteen dollars, farm at
six thousand dollars. would pay ten dollars, and
SO on, according to value, and SO in regard to eve
ry article to be taxed according to value. This is
the system upon which the Democratic Tariff of
1916 is based, and yet just and fair and equal as it
is, Gen. Taylor seeks to overthrow it and to es-
tabish in its place the odious, unjust, unequal
fair specifcsystem of dutes.-Idagerstoavn Mail.
In refererce to specific duties, the Portsmouth
Wa) Pilot, says
But another, and perhaps the greatest objection
to this system, is the inequality of its operation up
on the different classes Of the community. This
inequality presses most hardly upon the poorer
classes, who are least able to bear it. If any dis
elimination must Of necessity be made, it should
surely be in favor of the poor and not against them
There can be sort Of propriety In requiring the
poor man to pay the same amount Of duty on a
yard OF cloth costing three dollars that is required
of the rich upon that which costs six dollars, and
vet this is the mode in which the system Of mini
mums and specific duties operates, not qejy on
woollen cloths, but on various other articles.