The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-11-30

The TARFP.-At this session Of Congress it
may be hoped that some practical effort will be
made to relieve the people and industry from
some of the burthens Of our protective tariff
AS a general thing, the country win be well
satisfied with an amendment framed in accord
ance with the views of the Secretary of the
Treasury. Independent efforts have been made
by the advocates Of reductions in the duty on
certain particular articles. Persons have called
loudly for the repeal of the duty on wool ; and
the propriety Of such an alteration in the law
has been now rendered SO obvious that it is to be
hoped that no opposition viii be made A de-
mand has also been put forth for a remission of
the duty on railroad iron in order to facilitate
the construction of Western roads and especially
the Pacific Railroad; but this is not likely to be
entertained The retention Of any duty at all
on iron, otherwise than for purposes Of revenue,
is Of more than questionable policy; no doubt
the country and the iron makers would gain by
the reduction Of the duty to revenue standard.
But certainly there is no reason for making an
exception in favor of one kind Of iron-and
that railroad iron. Our railroads are being built
fast enough, with the help Of speculation and the
public lands they have no claim whatever to
refuse to bear their share Of the public burthens
The demand in all probability originates with
schemers who would instantly realize in the
shape of stock the amount of which they wish
the general government to make them present.
The case Of sugar stands on different grounds
Sugar is one Of the most essential necessaries of
life; and peculiar circumstances have lately en-
BANGED its cost prodigiously. Chief among these
circumstances has been the increased and extend
ed prosperity Of the world, leading to an in
creased consumption of sugar; and second to
this. stands the notorious falling off in the pro-
duction of sugar which has followed the disas-
trous policy Of negro emancipation in the British
West Indies Through these causes, sugars have
risen perhaps fifty per cent in price in the last
twelve months or SO; and there is no reason to
hope that the advance has ceased. The conse-
quence Of this lis that the poor are finding it daily
more difficult to provide SO expensive luxury
for their families.
One remedy that has been suggested is the cul-
tivation Of sorghum, Chinese sugar cane, which
will grow as far north as this latitude. This
promises well; but hitherto nothing has been
done toward producing from it an article that
will compete with the sugar Of commerce. Beet
cultivation has been recommended, and we know
not why the recommendation should not be fol-
lowed by satisfactory results. All that is
wanted, it seems, is adequate machinery such
as the French have. An extension Of the
growth of maple orchards has also been
spoken of; this no doubt might be beneficial
but it must be remembered that the pro-
duction of maple sugar is already very
large indeed. New York, Ohio, and Vermont
are now very nearly as great sugar producing
States as Louisiana; and the cost of refining the
maple sugar is very great.
Under these circumstances Congress- is called
upon 10 remove the duties on foreign sugars.
We do not conceive how the appeal can be resist
ed, unless it be the design Of Congress to legis-
ate for LOUISIANA at the cost Of the whole
Union.
1t is question whether the sugar consumers
will ever be relieved until Cuba, in other and
more active hands, produces her proper compile
ment of sugar; and until the congenial lands Of
Central America, turned to account with slave
labor, shall be covered with the cane. How far
distant this contingency may be, none can tell:
in the meantime, the propriety of taxing all the
tea drinkers, and consumers of sugar throughout
the country for the benefit Of a few planters in
Louisiana, cannot be seriously defended