The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-06-19
COM ERCIAL.
New YoRK, June ia, p.

New YoRK. June IA p. m
In my letter Of Tuesday last drew attention to the cir
federal revenue, and the great prosperity
they evnce In with general industry, through the
combined action of the federal treasury system win the
modified tariff of 1886 On the following Saturday tho
New York Herald usual with IL, seized on the facts so
presented, making great flourish Of trumpels over Its
sagaoious discovery This would not be worth men
uonng than the plumber II daily commits OF the
same naue-almos all the tables llaborously prepare Tor
the Union being subsequently paraded in It's columns as
its own; but its ncapacity TO understand general
question always leads il into that njure the side
which it processes to support Thus, after making a
bunglng display Of figures under its commercial head, the
editor makes editorial flourish in this wise
The progress which this republic has made prosper
y during the last twenty years has been wonderfully
Twenty the revenue OF the government from all
sources did tosiUs millions of dollars,
while the revenue Tor this year VIII exceed MY niHtons
ating revenue, with the view of affecting the tariff
question: for the whole subject oil protective tar has been
er ~ h no
tariffs or special legislation.
The italics its The comments in paper
which, under its commercial head is almost daily advo-
eating protection to manufacturers will have doubtless
certain degree of weight The material point however is
the absurd statement about the twenty years ago.
If by twenty years ago. meant the year 1881, refer
tho documents shows the for that year
have BEEN instead of itoeps mi0as 1856 596 10 from
customs alone of which $30,3l2, s5I net reve-
nue.. The revenue from land in that year was nearly
81 900 900 in addition The Herald, with its fippant
quackery, assumed that had shown in my letter
that the low tariff has increased the revenue, therefore
the have been very small in 1884, under the
" black tariff" of 1928 That is however, not the
justly because the mere question OF revenue for the
federal government is very small matter OF consideration
in connexon with the general interests of the whole
try. In country like OF great natural wealth, gem
orally distributed among an enterprisng people, great
deal OF money may be extracted from them by high
of taxation but those rates OF taxation will depress the
gene trade and make the products OF industry less
ductive, while they enhance the proportion OF wealth
which the protected capital draws from the producing
many. In extracting revenue from consumers through
the agency indirect the object should be to raise
from as large amount of trade possible Thus
NAV compare the year 1881, twenty years ago." with
tho official return for 1850 and the estimates for 1851
Domestic Dutabe Duties. Duties
1881, ssi,ST'o57 sss,7s .4ss sss,5ss,lls 4oi
1850, 1856 ,9l2 l55,427,936 3966S6S6 25a
1851, I7O,OOO,OOO ls2OOOOOO 4s0Go0OO %
The export value is that of the invoices cleared
here the import value is that of the foreign
cost Now So millions of dollars extracted in 1881 from
IL millions of souls who sold only 81 millions of produce
was heavier burden thea 80 millions extracted from
% millions of SOULS who sold 1877 millions in 1850
say in 1880 the exports OF the country So per head
and the tax So per head-dference, 81 In 1850 the
ports were Sc per head, and the 81 75dierence in
favor of producer, 81 Is But this is small part of the
matter If the duty imposed for the protection Of
acurers has the effect they desire, and compes the
smers to pay much more for the home articles the
amount of the duty imposed upon the competing foreign
ONE and the proportion of these latter is admitted
onetbrd of the whole consumption, although the
1910 shond be only fifth then the tribute paid by pro-
ductiye industry manufacturing capital amounted in
that wear to S73 236 The stands then, thus
1881 ....