New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-12-12
THE TREASURY BUDGET.

To spare the humble but humble the proud, was a
fayorite maxim Of Rome in the days of her power Dir
Guthrie reverses this principle II an interest Is
strong and prosperous, he fsvors it, if it ID weak AMI
struggling for ife be brushes it. Can that be the pol
icy of the American People
Wooden Fabrics are on the whole doing fairly az
present Il oueh the present Tariff absolutely discrmi
mates against several important descriptions of themin
favor of their British rivals. The American Wooden
Manufacture has seen hard times under this Tariff, as
formerly: but the enhanced value of Wool AMI of La
Dor in Europe, with the enlarged and active demsud
for Goods in this country Las brought it to state o.
moderate prosperity Mr. Guthrie proposes to reduce
tie duty on Wooens five per cent and take of entirely
tie duty (liry per cent? now levied on cheap, coarse
Wool, which is tie only Wool we now import to any
extent This change will he decidedly favorable to he
American Manufacture and we do not object to it.
But be proposes a. the time to take OF altogether
the duty on Flax and Linen Fabrics thereby crushing,
so far as any action Of Goyernmentean crush branch
Of American Manufacture in its feeble infancy, but
bidding fair to become of vast importance and be-
nefcence.
BE it clearly understood that there difference Of
principle at stake Mr.. Guthrie would have duty OF
twenty-five per cent on WOODEN Fabrics yet abolish
all duty on coarse Wool We think this is right but
on what ground Not that Of Free Trade, certainly
ror Of Revenue Duties for if Duties were imposed
viii single eye TO Revenue, all Wool should be taxed
or non 1t must largely increase labOr at the Custom
HoufCs to have some Wool free ofduy and other Wool
sui ect TO twenty-five per cent Only as measure of
Protection can Ills discrimination be justified. And if
Gay thing be protected why not an ialantle yet im-
portant aud hopeful manufacture like that Of Amer
can Linensl
The Ht5ald Ieckes.y classes Linens among list of
articles proposed for exemption from Datics, whereof
it says /" The revenue they now produce is not ~orlt
",es1ing." Now the fact is, as shown by Mr. Guh-
ries Report that Linens alone have contributed
Sl760,Ce0 20 our National Revenue during tho last
fiscal year though the duty is but twenty per cent.
imposed with thought OF Protection but for Revenue
purely, while Tow has paid $4,000 under five per
cent and Flaxseed s65000 under ten per cent.
Cuty Under the wing Of low duties, imposed for Rev
onue alone, our Linen Manufacture has timidly aud
burubly started into life and the Secretary pro-
poses to crush by abolishiug those Revenue Duties
We cannot believe Congress willassent
There are four possible systems of Finance, viz.
l. To abolish the Tariff and resort to Direct Tax
alton;
2. To levy uniform rate Of impost-say % to .
per cent;
3. To levy duties, Discriminating for the encourage
ment Of inantile or mperiled branches Of Home In
dusiry or
4. To sustain the Government BY Tariff, but dis
crimrate not for but mainly GgGiHs the branches of
Industry aforesaid
The third is the course we believe wise and benef-
cent the fourth is that apparently preferred by Mr.
Guthrie. We trust Congress will base its action
on some clearly defined principle on which it feels
willing to appeal to TIE Country. Happily whateger
is now done will be subject to the Peoples revision