Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1856-04-11
From the Boston Post.

proposition now before tue Country
Senator James. in his speech introducing the bill,
after remarking that it had been drawn with great
care, thus characteriZes 1t
''Ths bill does not propose arm embracing du'
ties imposed for the purpose OF protection. II Isl
framed on the principle OF reducing the duties on
foreign imports TO the proper revenue standard; or,
in other words to raise revenue adequate only, as
near as may be, TO the actual wants of the govern
ment an amount to which only, it is now | believe
generally conceded, the government has the legiti
mate right to tax the eople. The articles embraced
in this bill, it will be perceived, are separated into
four classes Glass consists only of spirituous IL
quors, which are to pay duty OF eighty per cent
ad ualorem. Class embraces all articles that now
pay duty of thirty per cent and over, except spirit
uous liquors together with one or two others which
now pay duty of twenty-five per cent In this list
are comprised most of the articles of foreign manu-
features, and which enter into the general consump-
ton. is free list, including raw materials for
manufacturers, mechanics, &c, which are produced
either not at all in this country, to great ex-
tent And the class marked D is composed of arti-
cles not enumerated in either of the other lists and
taxed with duty of twenty per cent. 1t will be
seen that this classification very properly discrmi
mates between the rich and the poor; by SO arrang
ing the tariff of Duties that the heaviest tax will fall
the Iuxuries and elegancies OF fe and the light
er one on the cheaper comforts and necessares OF
life which enter into the general consumption OF the
poorer and laboring classes"
In the present tariff there rates OF 5, 10. l5 20,
25, 3d. 40 and loo per cent; the new tariff bill has
only three rates, 90 80 and 80 per cent. 1t will be
that this bill will greatly simplify the tar
if 1t is not purpose now, however, to comment
on special articles in the scale of duties the
scale itself but to look at feature in the bill which
is decidedly Objectionable The first section has the
following provso:
But in all cases where the vessels of the United
States are not placed, by treaty or law, upon the
footing, in all respects, the vessels from the
country from which the imports are made to the Uni
ted States there shall be levied, collected and paid,
duty of five per cent I'D valorem the goods, wares
and merchandise in schedule G, and an additional du
ty 10 those hereby imposed on all other imports of
five per cent. ad Ualorem. In all where any
foreign country has, or shall impose, an export duty
upon any goods, wares and merchandise, gold and
silver excepted, which may be imported into the Uni
ted States, directly or indirectly, an additional duty
on all free articles equal to, and duty all articles
not free equal to such export duty, shall be, and is
hereby imposed on all such merchandise lis i'm
portation into the United States'
We suppose the object of the first clause of this
proviso to be the protection Of our tonnage in plain
words 10 retaliate in cases where the foreigner i'm
poses discriminating duty against us. The law, how
ever, reads, I" in oil cases" of mportations, which
would certainly include imports in our vessels, as
well the vessels of foreigners. If it be intended
that the additional duty shall on be levied on ati
cles when imported in the ships belonging to the
country that makes discriminating duty against our
ships, the clause, if it is allowed to stand at all,
should read So
The last clause of the proviso is of far more
sweeping character Here 1t is provided that in
every case where foreign country imposes
port duty merchandise imported directly or indi.
rectly into this country duty equivalent to 1t shall
be added to the established rates in this country; and
this applied to schedule c, that if article comes
in free by this list, it will, in such case of export
duty abroad, pay equivalent duty at home
Thus Turkey, China, the West Indies, Spain and
other countries impose an export duty on every
thing, Hence large list of articles schedule &,
on the free list, will come under a duty; while an
additional duty to the rates named will be levied on
articles in the schedules A, and d.
To make this clear and show the working of this
feature, let select few items, and compare the |
present rates with the proposed rates.
Manila Hemp pays 25 per cent 1t not in either sched
Add export duty to Manila. ..............
Add for extra tonnage clause. So
Sugar from Cuba pays 80 per cent.
Ada to export duty 81 p per box, say. ........
Add extra tonnage clause ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. o-o2
Coffee now is free.
Brought from Java under the new bill will pay
for equivalent export duty there. ~
Add for extra tonnage. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 5-l7
If brought from Brazil the export duty there
Extra import duties .......................3 -l4
If from st. Domingo, the duty would be from 9 to
% per cent, depending upon the construction put
upon the laws of that government as 10 whether the
one-tth OF the coffee retained by the imperial crown
is to form part of the export duty or not.
Hides now pay per cent This article is named
the free list. But in nearly all Of the principal
ports of the shipment of this article there export
duties and from all Spanish ports there would be
the addition of or cent. for extra tonnage dues.
Hence hides, in lieu of being free under the new
bill, would probably pay about 10 per cent duy-an
advance of 100 per cent. on the present rates
We have before us the export duties levied by
era countries Take the case of Hayti, from which
we take 81, 100000 annually of imports. Hele is
heavy export duty on coffee, mahogany, gum, and
many other articles and on all of them, according
to this bill, equivalent duty is 10 be levied here.
Now this feature of the bill is bad, because it must
necessarily serve increase existing inequalities and
complicate the tariff, and because it is radically
wrong in principle.
Secretary Guthrie's admirrb!e remark that tariffs
should be SO plain to make it impossible for boath
official and importer 10 mlsapprehend what the law
requires 10 be paid would TO be fatal blow at
this intricate equivalent duy. Under it the importer
would never be sure as to what the duty would be
from month to another; for the foreign export du
ty is liable 10 be altered any moment The case of
coffee shows how variale the duty might be- In
word, these provisions, far from simplifying the
tariff, would make it more complicated than it is |
now.
And there s a strange inconsistency between the |
provisions of the bill and the by which it is
supported. We cordially agree with Secretary Guth-
mes remark as to the wisdom Of the legislation, by
all manufacturing countres-save only this country
in admitting the materials used by manufac-
turers free of duty. But what becomes of the free
list under such provisions this bill contains? Do
not those we are commenting upon go far to defeat
primary object of the bill by making manv of them /
duilable articles? And another practical question
arises involving calculation we have not gone into
will such schedules, with such provisos as are here
cited, after all really reduce the revenue? When