The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-11-29

4
We are now given TO understand. by letters from Wash
ingion, that The Secretary OF tho Treasury in his annual
report VIII not recommend the Substitution Of ssae ior ad
paiersm duties We regret this, because we think this
change necessary TO prevent the pracsed
rers aud OF our merchants He viii recommend an In
crease OF the list OF articles TO be admitted free duty and
he reduction OF The ad paioyeu other articles. We
dcrstand he will recommend reduction OF the duty on all
iron imported, rcfp rad Precisely what he proposes
We do not earn but hope something be done reduce
the lar below wta, is with discriminating
duties 10 pfotecl American manufacturers and American
nefchants--Gfxek
Is il possible that our whig coemporay supposed thai
the democratic Secretary of the Treasury would advise
The substitution OF specific for ad uaorem duties in the
collection OF our tariff revenue in his annual report to
Congress IL surely must be of the fact that there
was no feature OF The whig tariff of 1912 odous
the democracy OF the country than the system OF specific
duiles which Is The very personitcaon OF unequal and
II is democratic idea that the expenses of the govern
ment should fall equally possible upon all classes
and that especially there should be discrimination
against those who are in poor and humble circumstances
IN life. Now let us look at the working OF the specific
system OF tariff axstion which has always been favor
ed BY the whig parry, and which they incorporated in
nue. duties shall be collected according 10 the Wegh
measure OF the article imported o,tou regard to lis
uaue-making cheap goods pay Just as much into the
treasury Tor the support OF the government dear
which are bought by the wealthy portion OF the commu-
nifty
For instance, take The article Of silk which would be
taxed under the specific system by the yard the pound
halt dollar fabric being assessed heavily cost
ing three times that The result of this would be
that the poor man whose circumstances would only al
low him 10 buy the former would be taxed Just heavily
as the rich one who would purchase the deaer article
Discrimination naaesily against those who are The
least able to sustain H. There can be justice in
king The purchaser OF iowpnccd silk pay large duty
as the one who buys cosicr arlicle is bat fair that
the tariff should be graduated according to the value
which is effected by the ad paLOrtm plan.
Our whole system OF indirect taxation operates 10 the
disadvantage OF the poor who pay than their due
share into The national treasury. even at present. bui
with specific iarlf duties as The rule the grevous lne-
quality would be greatly enhanced, cunnngly
devised mode OF iavorlng The rich in governmental taxa
lion devised Than specific tariff duties, and
democrat possibly favor it, The ad vaiorem system
OF raising according to the value OF the article
which is entered at the custom house is much farer
and the country will never consen; that il should be
changed to the Old wing specific plan, the operation oil
which we have described
We agree with the Gazette in believing that there is
considerable fraud pracsed under the present arrangement
in importers undertaking their articles of shipment
many OF them seeming 10 attach but little sanciy TO
custon-house Oath--but not near much many OF
the whig papers have asserted The government un.
doubedly loses by that kind of dishonesty
bu, STILL better that il should do than to have the
gross inequalities OF taxation which necessarily result
from The method of COLLECTION which the Gazette regrets
that the Secretary OF the Treasury will not recommend
As we said before great share of the odium which
attached in the public mind 10 the black tariff OF 1912
had It's origin in It's specific features, or discrimination
against the poorer masses in favor OF wealthy, prvi-
legged class, and il led 10 its early repeal In order to
prevent the frauds to which The Gazette audes under the
present SYSTEM might perhaps be well for Congress TO
have home ualtatioa OF imported articles instead OF
foregn. which would undoubtedly remedy the evil 10
great extent We observe the latter paragraph of the
extract from whg coemporary, that il still cngs
with fondness 10 the old obsolete doctrine Of protection
TO American manufactures at the expense o everybody
else
The country long since decided that 1t would have no
"prolected' and "iavored" class o men in our mlds,
that such legislation is unjust nexpedient; that il does
not enhance rational prosperity The tendency OF The
world towards free trade, intelligent Eeghbor
doubtless long ago perceived and il is not likely that the
present Congress will realize its hope" BY taking such
reirograde step as 10 again revive the exploded dogma
OF "proection" Our manufacturers aud merchant
need no aid from the government in order 10 be
tanned.
They making quite as large dividends in their busi
avocations the rest OF their fellow citizens who
would be required to "proiect" them. and, 40 far we
have been able TO learn very well satisfied with their
profits II is true the country has beea runed" several
times since the tariff OF 1916 went into operation, if the
whig papers TO be believed but il does not TO
say so for the fact indspuable that has made,
the whole, the most rapid advances in everything which
indicates national prosperity under the present leglsa
ton, and whole multitude OF facts under this head
could be cited TO show the falacy OF the whg predictions
that the would be the case.