Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-03-02
ConRress-The Tariff.

coming quite common in Congress, OF lacking
to the appropriation bill, other bills affecting
entirely different objects. There. is sin enough
usually in the appropriation bill when taken
by itself; but it had better spend itselfthere,
and not be allowed to infect objects of an en-
tirely different character. We have an in
stance in point, in the attempt to make extern
sive notifications of the Tariff in the very
last days of the session. In this way a bill
which ought to be fullyand carefullydiscus-cd,
is like to be made n law, almost unexamined
at all. 1t may confer benefit on some inter-
ests, but is quite likely to harm others. 1t
may get alterations in the Senate which
will make it better-though we do not expect
any good from that quarter. The following
remarks from the New York Courier 4
Enquirer express our views very well
The Tariff Bill which was adopted on
Saturday by the House of Representatives
may be taken as a sort Of Compromis Use be-
tween the friends Of protection on the one
side and the friends of free trade on the
other. If we were to have any action upon
the subject by the present Democratic Con-
gress, perhaps this was on the whole as little
Injurious as could have been expected.
1t is not an American Tariff. COMPARED
with what it might do and ought to do, it
does little to build up or sustain American
labor. By the reduced rates of duty to be
levied upon our foreign manufactures, the
new Bill in general comedies with the views
urged by Secretary Guthrie, although in some
respects it stops short Of what the Secretary
recommends. But even in its present shape
it is decidedly an improvement upon the Sc.
cretary Walkers Tariff Bill of 1916, now in
operation. BY the latter, the interests Of
both the wool grower and the wool manufac-
turer were sacrificed and a discriminate
was made in favor of, rather than against the
r.eisu manufacturer. BY the new bill, al
| kinds of raw wool may be imported ut cirht
per cent. upon the invoice, instead OF thirty
: Ibis will materially affect the wool growing
$ interests of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Vermont
= and some few States that have invested cari
tai largely in this branch Of home industry
and yet contribute decidedly to the interest.
Of the Wool manufacturer.
n The new bill reduces the duty on Iron q
c per cent. We have said before, and w, re
d peat it now, that the Iron interest of thil
country is of far greater Importance to i
= than the gold of California. If Congress
would raise the country to its rightful pitcl
of independence and inherent greatness, i
would adopt the same policy which CAV
Great Britain its pre-eminent position as tn
manufacturer of the whole world. If tn
Iron interest were properly sustained, that O
n the coal miners would be greatly benefited
The coal Of Western Pennsylvania, Virgin,
and Ohio would come into five hundred pc
cent. greater demand than the present. Henc
we protest against the extended credit pro
G posed on railroad iron imported. The undu,
s credit would favor the foreign manufacturer
r and damage the interests OF our own. Tn,
Pennsylvania delegation, almost unanimous
! ly, sustained the new bill, as the less Of tw,
D evils, pre!erring a twenty per cent. reduction
on their great staple rather than the tota
s repeal of all duty for three years as woul
virtually result from the Bill now before tn
the Senate. Indeed it may be said that tn
y fact, that the votes of Pennsylvania'and Mas
sachusetts were given to the bill and enable
it to pass, when otherwise it could not,
II evidence that the measure was the best tina
could be secured under the circumstance
y But if the true interests Of the country are t
De be consulted, and a reasonable support give
to our home market, including Of course tn
N interests of every State in the Union withor
" exception, the Senate will propose to abolis
ie entirely the duties on raw wool and dye stuff
re and sustain the former duties on wooden an
cotton goods.
"a Will u reduced dutyon foreign goods eau.
=, a reduced price in our market We say NJ
:. Tho difference will 60 into the pocket Of tt
~ English and Continental manufacturer an
if the consumer will realize no benefit.
1t As a revenue of finance this Bill will prc
badly fail. The Treasury will lose from te
to twelve millions of dollars per annum frol
\, its customs revenues. We have no idea ths
our New York importers will for some yea
re-embark upon the suicidal policy of lS5
-, whereby the market was overstocked. the
u own On pital sunk, and the domestic man,
rs f%acturer for the time forgotten. The Treasl
if ry will in n single twelve month show tt
results of the present change, and, We n
false prophets. if the Bill is not then aga
r remodelled, 1t is this instability of the r.
re riff that is most of all to be deprecated.