New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-08-13
THE TARIFF-FALsE STATISTICS.

Our nelghbOrs OF IHc journal Of Com
merce have denied that they had published
false tables with view to aid in carry
ing out the system which looks TO securing
their British friends a monopoly of the
manufactures and trade of the world-that
system commonly known as British fIee
trade. The denial is now fortnight
old, and that it has remained so long IN
examined is due TO pressure Of other an
gagements. We propose, however, now %
satisfy our readers that the charge was true,
and that The Journal has published L" fal,e
tables for the purpose of accomplishing
the one great object for which it lives, tie
subiugation of the farmers and planters If
this country to the tyranny of the men Of
Manchester and birmingham, Liverpool
and London.
Il is within the recollection Of many Of
Our readers. and should be within the
knowledge of all, that prior TO the frstreally
protective tariff, that of 1928, there ey-
isted a state Ofgreat depression which con
tributed largely to the adoption Of that
measure. Subsequently thereto there WIS
rapid improvement i'll the condition If
the country, and great increase in tie
power to pay for foreign merchandise. IS
is shown in the fact that while the in
ports of 1867 and 1925 averaged ony
S84.0O0,000, those Of 1930-31 and 1872
averaged SlO2 100000, and yet the county
not only did not at that time contract aN
foreign debt, but very considerable
amount of that due in foreign countries "
the General GOvernmentwasp paid. The told
debt discharged at home and abroad, in thos'
twoyears exceeded S34, 100000, leayingth
amount ofpublic debt only S8,00O,OO0, all o
which was soon after extinguished. The
customs revenue, which for ten years pre-.
viously to 1893, had fuctuated between
Sl3.OOO,OOO and S23, 100000, and had aver.
aged for 1896 and 1927 only 21.5OO,000
had risen to S23,465,0O0, with every pros.
pect of further and still more rapid in
crease; and the consequence of this was
that with a view to reduce the revenue,
tea. coffee and various other commodities,
including railroad iron, not produced at
home, were freed from duty. and many
others were slightly modified, preserving,
however, in its full force, the principle of
protection. Notwithstanding this large adj
diton to the free list. so prosperous was
the country that the customs revenue of
1928 exceeded S29,00O.OOO. and vet in
that year the last remnant of the Federal
debt was discharged by the payment of the
Three Per Gents. owned. we believe. alto
gether in Holland.
Within two months from the close of
that fiscal year the compromise act began
TO take effect, and where il left Us our
readers Well know Banks had every.
where become bankrupt, and some of the
oldest States in the Union had found them
seYe. compelled to suspend payment Of
the interest on their debts. while many Of
the new States were SO deeply involved
that eXtrication seemed scarcely to be
hoped for. The mills and furnaces of the
country had TO a great extent been closed,
and with their stoppage there had been 80
great a decline in the power to pay for for
eign merchandise that the receipts from
customs for the three years ending Sept.
1912, averaged but little over 100000,
and notwithstanding gre2t decrease
in the public expenditure. the President
was forced to send an agent to Europe to
endeayor to negotiate a loan for few mill
lions 10 enable him to carry or TIE gop-