Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1853-02-15

duty. All agree that we must raise the
money to support the Federal Govern
ment by tax, or tariff on imported
goods. Tariff simply means tax, tariff
law, and tax law are about the same
in meaning. The whig says, duties or
taxes should be specidc, that is, We
should tax by the ton, the pound. the
yard ond the gallon. The democrat on
the other hand says--no, that is not q
fair way oflaying the tax, because coarse
and fine articles pay the same duty
without regard to their value; in other
words yurd Of broad cloth that costs
one dollar, pays the same amount OF tax,
or duty at the custom house, as the yard
that costs three dollals, and so on; coarse
cheap silk. under the specific SYSTEM
pays Jus. as much duty Oh the yard, as
tue finest figured article.
The ad valorem system is merely a
system Of taxing according to the true
value. The democrat assumes that capl'
,al is the only true basis of taxation,
and that it should pay according to its
worth. The wings Of this State in lram'
ing the tax law, recognized the at raior'
en- system; for example, the old tax law
valued and taxed all horses at $40 each,
but when the wings were in power, they
altered that law, and provided that hor'
ses should be taxed according to their
value; but when the democrats apply
the same principle to the Federal Go
vernment, the wings object to it.
Again the protectionis's argue that the
higher the duty is, the more prosperous
will be the country, provided the duty is
specifc,-that indeed tariff that is abb
solutely protective, is essential to the
welfare Of the people.
The argument is singular one, to
say the least of it; how the people will
be more prosperous by the operation of
high taxes, is something that we cannot
fo,hom. We look upon what the wings
call a proteetire tariff, in no other light
than that Of an oppressive poll ltdr, that
has for its basis heads and rants. rather
:han capital.
But the protectionist will say that the
foreigners pay the duties; let US see how
it will stand with the man who goes out
from New Orleans to Rio Janeiro with
80 900 dollars worth offour, and returns
in the same vessel with 10000 dollars
worth Of Spanish hides, and Of indigo;
who pays the duty on the hides and the
in ligo? Most unques,ionably, domestic
labor pays it, we see no avoidance of
such aconclusion.
Again, take as an example the whal.
ing vessel that goes out on three years
c.uise, her outfit costs $4,000, and al
the .end Of three years she returns. laden
with 800, 900 worth Of oil and bone; in
this case who pays the duty on the oil
and bone? Iftho foreigners pay the du.
ty, why did the colonists throw the tea
into Boston harbor? Why did they call
the effort Of the English to collect duties
in American Ports taxation, without re.
presentation?
1.-THE duty comes out Of the foreigners
why are the railroad companies trying
TO get the duties taken off from railroad
iron! Why arc nol tea ana coffee tax
ell?
The wings say that protective tariff
is measure intended for the good, ant
for the common benefit Of laborers; i
they are sincere in that, as we have NJ
doubt but tina. very many are, We woul,
suggest as the laborers number NOR
than five hundred to every manufacturer
the propriety Of invoking the laws max
ing power to increase the wages Of tn
workingmen at once; as democrats W
would advocate no such proposition, 70
reasons to be stated presently. Labo
being the creator Of the entire wealth G
| the world, why should the men who per
form it, be cajoleI into the remote hop
c ofa contingent meager, and trifing pit
). tance to be stinted out by protected cap
i tai! If the laboring men Of the Unite
States, under the influence OF the argr
n ments which the wings have used whe
trying to get their votes, should make a
! issue on the question of raising the
Il wages by law, and Of lessening ii
!, hours Of work, the very men who la,
e so long advocated "pretcctivc tariff
10 for their special benefit, would be shocl
,e cd with horror.
le The lower the taxes, and the poor
it the government, the better, was one
ty JeIrorsons axioms. All that is not TAX,
ly for the support Of government renal
Of in the hands Of the people; it makes
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