Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-01-24
BURLINGTON HAWK-EYE.
THE TARIFF.

Extract from the Report Of the Secretary of the
I Treasury.
In proposing some alterations in the existing tar
i'll, with view as well to the necessary augmenta-
ton Of the revenue the encouragement OF indus
try, think it right to present distinctly the views
entertained the latter subject, in the hope that
course may be adopted by the wisdom and patriot
| ism of Congress which may tend to harmonlze dis
cordant feelings and promote the prosperity.
1. / entertain no doubt of the rightinl power Of
| Congress to regulate commerce and levy imports
| and duties, with the purpose OF encouraging our
own industry In selecting for adoption one OF two
proposed regulations of commerce, 1t would appear
to be clearly the right of Congress to choose that
one which would, in its opinion, be most salutary
70 the country and, in like manner, In laying inn
posts and duties, it would seem that the endeavor
ought to he to gard the interests of the whole peo
pie, not as little, but as much as possible.
II is not question Of assuming power not cx-
pressly granted by the constitution, Oh the ground
that may tend to the attainment of general end
therein expressed. Here the power to regaaIe
commerce and the power 70 levy aud collect duties
are expressly given and the only question IS wheh-
er they ought or ought Eot to be exercised with .
! view to the general good.
1t seems to me that to exercise these or any 9TH
! er powers with any other view. would be misuse
! Of power, and subyersiye Of the legitimate end OF
i Government.
find no obligation written in the constitution TO
lay taxes, duties imosts at the lowest rate that
| will yield the iai gcst revenue.
| Hit we're true that duty laid on given article
| with view to encourage our Own productions is
unlawful, because it may operate, by discouraging
importation. as partial prohibition. the PROPOSE
| ton would be equally true Of every duty laid with
that intent wke ther it were above below the
| imum revenue rate. But as, under the power to
regulate commerce, IL is competent for Congress 10
exact direct and total prohibition II thc n,porta
ton Of article, il can Ire objection 10 any act
ievyins duties that may operate in partially pre-
| venting Importation. Whether il be wise or Just
so to levy duties, is another question. What e
TO say now is. that there is no prohibition Of il in
the constitution. The proposition is maintlinea,
as universally true, that the EXPIRE grant Of row.
10 Congress gives to that body the right Of exer
cising that power in such in its opinion
may. be most conducive to the dyantsse Of the
! country?
As instances Of the exercise Of the power Of reg
ulatas commerce. may be mentioned the proh,hi-
ton Of posations, except at designated ports; the
prohibition of the coasting trade to all foreign
sells, and to all American vessels not licensed and
enrolled; the prohibition Of certain trade to foreign
vessels under the navigation act of ia7 the prohi-
btion OF certain trade to American vessels by the
non-ntercourse act, and Of all trade by the ehar-
so act; the drawback on the re-eSportaon Of for
eign goods finally the prohibition of the introduc-
ton of aduteraed drugs into the country by the
OF 26th June, IsaS.
Under the power to levy taxes duties and imposts,
refer to the discriminating tonnage duties for
elSn vessels, the discriminating duties their
goes, the preamble 20 the first law imposing duties
passed under the constitutions and the enaCtn,e nts
Of most of the subsequent ones.
These enactmen,s show that at most or all peri
obs OF our history the views which have express.
ed appear to have been sustained and acted on.
ii. All legislation desisnassd TO favor a paiticu-
lar class to the prejudice OF others, to injure
particular class for the henet! Of others. is mani
testify nnwisc and unjust. Nothing can be mere de-
structve Of the true interests Of the country than
such legislation, except the refusal of really salu
tary Legislation, under errone imprc that
1t might favor class to the prejudice Of others,
while IN fact the denial Of Injuries all classes, and
benefits nobody.
III. As Every producer in one branch Of useful
industry is also consumer OF the products OF 9th
crs and as hi. ability to consume depends upon the
profits OF his production, il follows that to give
prosperity TO one branch of industry is 10 increase
that OF the rest. Within each branch Of industry
there will be irdiTal rivalry, hut among the sew
eral brsnche. Of useful industry there must almost
exist an unbroken harmony Of interest.
No country can attain a due strength or rrosrer-
iy that does not by It's labor Gerry its own FRO
ductions as nearly possible to the point nsees-
sary TO 1T them fer ultimate consumption. To OK.
port its raw mat. rial snt re import the article mar
ufactured from ii. or To neglect its raw mate
rails and import the articles from tina.
Of another country. is topreternt the means h,ch
nature has provided for its advancement.
For instance, We exported, during the fiscal year
cnd,sg 3oth June 1919, raw Gotten to the value of
about SIXTY six millions Of doiiars. If that cotton
had been spun and woven al home. (sapposing its
value 10 be increased fonrfod by rranrfasf,re.l il
red
and nine.y-sisni unII;ons in addition. What would
have been the effect of this increased production
on the prosperity of the country
THIS question would not be completely ses
sy merely rronoancing the added aiue Of one hum
urea and ninsty-eight millions OF dollars to be =,
large profit to the manufacturer any more than the
question of the effect Of the production of ,y,est
"oula ne answered BY deductins the cost of seed
wheat rom the value OF the crop, and pronouncinv
the remainder TO be large profit to the farmer
iae manufacture OF cotton cloth is begun with
the panting OF the cotton; it is carried to certain
point by the planter. aad then taken up and perfect
ed by the spinner and weaver. The planter ana
manufacturer are not engaged in different brapche,
or industry, bat in the same: the one Commences
the process which the other completes. Cotton
seed OF insignificant value being by regular stages
OF labor developed and brought to the form of cot
ton cloth, has acquired a value of about two hind
red and sixty-four millions.
Inc planting States have added many millions n
the annual production of the country BY the culture
quadfnpie that addition.
Inc planter would then have market 1T his door
ior ell his produce, and the farmer would. in like
manner, have home market for ha. The power
OF consumption of not only bread stu, hut of eve
ny article useful or necessary in the feeding, cloth
is anu housing of man, would be vastly increased:
the consumer and producer would be brought near.
er TO each other; and in fact stimulus would be
applied to every branch Of productive industry.
II as gratifying 10 know that the manufacture of |
c1s:on has already been introduced into several of
the ,arang States, tsee documcu ut marked W here.
to annexe and it ought not to be doubted will ra-
pidiy be EXTENDED.
The manufacture o. iron, wool and our other sta
pies would Lead to similar re, ,lts. Ihe effect would
be vast augmentation Of our wear. anu power.
upon commerce the effects might be c>.ec'ea 10 |
DC, II possible, still more marked. 1t is not eno,>h
TO say that no country ever diminished its COM
nesce by increasing its productions, and that no
injury would therefore result to that aterest-
iaefe would probably be, not only great increase
In tue amount, but an improvement not less i'm
Portant IN the nature Of cur commerce.
vi the immense addition that would accrue to our
inlefha: ana coast;ug trade, (Which in every coun-
Try form the great and most valuable BODY Of COM
mefceo is unnecessary to do more than merely
speak IN lasslng-but it may be well TO offer few
remarks on foreign commerce.
. commerce is the machinery of exchange. Ills
'he hahdmald of agriculture and manufacturers II
VIII NOT DC athrmed that il is positively nuri-
os' put IL VIII be more less useful as it cc-ope
rates more or less with the productive industry of
inc country. The mere carriage accommodates nv
sea UT lana Is necessarily profitable only to the car
Ter, VINO Is paid for it, may be useful or not to
o'hers according TO circumstances. The farmer | ,
mas railroad great convenience, but he under ,
'tahas that II Is better employed in carving his
crop than In carrying away his seed-wheat and ma
aure. ~ ~
TAe commerce which should consist in carrving ,
roltoE SEED abroad, to be there grown, would not
DC SO usetnl as that which is accuuied in OK
'ofuhs the raw cotton grown at home. We should l
'asny understand, also, that the commerce thus
'mhioyeu would be much more limited in amount