Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1853-12-21
Report ofthe Secretary of the Treasu-

We have received copy of the report of the
Secretary of the Treasury, but not all the tables
accompanying it. It is an able, comprehensive
and satisfactory review of the finances, and con-
tains many suggestions which must materially aid
Congress in it's legislation. We are not able,
until we shall obtain all the tables accompanying
the report, to give the Secretary's entire plan of
reduction of the tariff but the following extracts
show the principle upon which modification is
proposed: '.' ..fi q -a.s1 &.a tsl
The table |, accompanying this report, exhibits
separate list of the foreign articles, which it is
hereby proposed shall be added to the free list for
the purpose of reducing the revenue. The reve-
nue. collected from the articles in table I, for the
last year, is aout $4,000, 900, in which amount,
it may be computed, the revenue will be reduced
by the adoption of the proposed additional free
list - afa 1"i;&s. #s.i .a= a5<sst aoaE.:.as
q This will leave the revenue larger than prop
er and economical administration of the govern
ment will require: and for the purpose of further
reduction, it is now proposed to arrange the arti-
cles paying duty in two classes-the one class
contained the table K, accompanying this report,
to pay what may be considered the high duty of
100 per cent, and the other class to pay the mod
crate duty of 25 per cent, and to include all i'm
ported articles not in the free list nor in the table
K of high duties. This equalization will reduce
the revenue about $4,5oO,OOO.. This still leaves
the revenue computed upon the imports of 1853
at about $45,oo0,00O from customs; below which
point it is not proposed to reduce the duties until
the public debt is paid, The change now propos-
cd ;p-f he of doSirpod fo 10
from and after the lst January, 1861 ty'sa.as
The effect of making the duties 25per cent. on
all articles i'm ported, not included in the free and
higher lists, will be to give greatly less trouble in
the collection of the revenue, and to raise the du
ties on some articles, and reduce them on others
When the duties raised, the change may act
in restraint of importation, and when reduced in,
their favor; and the one result, to some extent,
will counteract the other. The proposed reduc-
ton, had it been applied during the last year,
would leave an abundant revenue for all the rea-
sonabie wants ofthe government in time of peace,
and allow the proper addition to the army and
navy to meet the exgencies of an augmenting
population and an increasing commerce, and leave
the receipts from the sale public debt, to which
these proceeds are pledged by law. laa.. ...ea.
= 1t is not proposed to enter into any extended
argument to prove that the articles in table I
should be added to the free list, to prove the
propriety of the proposed reduction ofduies to the
uniform standard TWENTY-FIVE per cent. When
revenue is not needed articles of general use for
manufacturing and other purposes, not the growth
or production of the United States, or but partial
-ly SO, should not be taxed; and no higher taxes
should be levied on other importations than may
be necessary for the economical wants of the gov
ernment, thus leaving commerce as free and un-
restricted as possible. + Let the tariff be reduced
as Congress-, in view of the present wants of the
government, shall deem best, the increasing pop
ulation production, industry, and enterprise ofthe
nation will still necessarily add TO the importa-
tions, and consequently to the revenue, what
shall be needed for increased expenses.
The tables accompanying this report exhibit
the free lists of England, France, Belgium, Por-
tugal, Brazil, Austria, Spain, Russia, Cuba, the
Zoll Verein, Chill, Netherlands, Hanse Towns,
Norway, Mexico, and Sweden, and mark the
progress of free trade among commercial nations.
Unrestricted commerce, binding the nations of the
earth in stronger bonds of peace by mutual bene
fits, has numerous and increasing advocates in this
and other Commercial countries. The principles
of free trade may not yet be sufficiently, verified
from experience, in this and other nations, to
Justify its full adoption, but the progress towards
free trade new proposed will bejustifed, it is be-
lieved by both public opinion and public interest
It is consider ed that the taking off the duty on the
raw material used in our manufactures will coun-
teract the reduction of duties on foreign manu-
factures, and, when compared with the operations
of the present tariff will not materially affect the
interests of domestic industry commerce. sssz
It is not proposed to change the principle, of ad
vaoreas duties, but it is for the consde ration OF
Congress whether a specific duty on iron, made
from the average of the la st three or four years
ad valoren duties, will not give greater stability
to the iron business, and more satisfactionto con-
sumers, and, at the same time, prove equally ben
efcial to the revenue. @ .4. -..ss5. s E.- H.. .
It is proposed to make salt free of duty. The
average annual revenue from that article, from the
five years to 30th June. 1852, is only $232,284
while the annual fishing bounties, exclusive of the
drawback on picked fish, for which the salt duties
is pretext, amounting to $2S9, 9,5l3, besides other
heavy annual expense to prevent frauds A re-
port upon the subject of the fishing bounties from
J. Ross Browne, with its references, is herewith
submitted. For the reasons stated in that report
1t is recommended that the fishing bounty be re-
pealed and that branch of industry be left to the
fair competition which causes other maritime en-.
terprises to flourish. as s4aa -.,. Il t5
I "Ah, doctaw, does the yellow fevaw awfect the
b;cor oudau1o asked an exnnisite of a ceIehra