New-York daily tribune., 1856-03-13
FROM FLASHING TON.
THE TARIFF BILL IN THE SENATE.

Editorial Cor7esJ ondence Of The N. Y Tribune
WASHINGTON, Tuesday, March II, 1So6.
Mr. JAMES, from Select Committee appointed
BY the last Senate, will soon report bill to pre-
vent frauds in the invoicing and valuation of duto-
Bile Imports. which will at the same time be an
attempt to remodel the Tariff and adapt it to the
views of Secretary Guthrie, who is part author OF
the bill. will not attempt to speak dehnitivey
Of this measure, which is liable yet to be materially
modified, so far as the rates of duties are con-
cerned 1t is understood, however, that under 1t
Liquors are to pay 50 per cent instead OF 100;
that the 40 per cent list is to be merged in the 80
per cent; that Iron is to be left untouched; that
Sugar is to be reduced from 80 per cent to 20; that
the lower rates are TO be mainly or wholly merged
in the Free List, and the ascertainment and col
lection of duties payable will thus il would seem,
be materially simplfed. But that the cost of col
lecting the mposts, or the number of persons en-
ployed and paid for that service, will be materially
diminished, deponent saith not
The passage of this bill, though it reduces the
rates of inpost, would prove beneficial to Ameri-
can Manufactures, as it discrmiLates more care
fully and wisely than the present act. 1t corrects
many anomalies and ia in the average not bad
measure. Yet DO not think it will pass, and DO
not feel sure that it ought to- For its ostensible
obiect-the prevention of frauds in lnvoiciDg-dOes
not seem to me attainable by The expedents de-
yised or embodied in this bill The greatest safe
guard of honesty in invoices is the imposition Of
SPECIFIC DUTIES to the greatest practicable extent.
So much per tun on Iron, Steel Wool, Sugar, and
tb;no nf liz natura--this ia thp only to
obyate uDdervaluations. Fairbanks Cor any otaer
goOd) Scales are great check on the Imagination,
and bring TO judgment all that can be weighed
with unerring exactness. Make the duty so
much per tuD, and one mans goods will pay
az much duty as anOiher's but wherever and
so log as duties are assessed on the asserted
or estimated value of imports, so long will
there be undervaluatOn, Custom House oaths, and
sn advantage to foreign over American importers.
The merchant whose property is in Europe whose
reputation there is precious to him, while he
little or nothing for what may be said of him in
America, can always underyalue and underwear in
our cities an American importer. The latter risks
everything when he enters upon a course of Gus
tom-HOuse frauds the former risks nothing but the
goods be may AT any time nave Wltnln reacn Ol
cur revenue officers l will not critlcise Mr..
James's provisions until they shall be published,
but see nothing in their reported substance that
seems calculated to afferd any safeguard whatever
against those frauds. There are to be certified in
voices, and particulars of first cost, and additions
of expenses, &C., but all this will amount in prac
tce to just nothing, aud the hardest swearer will
pay the least dutes till some one else contryes to
swear harder than he-jjust as at present-for such
is the inevitable result Of the Ad Valorem system.
II. q.
CeryectiorIn an Article The Newest Democratic Plat
form Gov. AkeIs The TRIBUNE lately said hat Humphrey
Msrsha have been of the Communications which
had passed between Gov A end Dr. A X Marshall when he
umhey declared that he h.d had correspondence with
Gov A. sn assured that this inference In.aken-he
bal asceTned for hin f wis. Gov. AS views bui
entirely unconscious Of what had passed between the and
Or. A. X. Marshall