The Washington union., 1857-10-02
PROGRESS or COMMERCIAL FREEDOM THROUGH
OIPP TIE WORLD

OUT THE WORLD.
In the report from the Treasury Department on the
subject of transmitted to Congress in l79l
the basis of a commercial system was suggested, in
which the Secretary argued with his characteristic
ability and cearness that duties imposed upon inn
ports would be disadvantageous in building up for
eign trade. 'Instead, " he urges, "of embarrassing
commerce under piles of regulating laws, duties and
prohibitions, it should be relieved from all it's
shackles in all parts of the world. Would even
single nation begin with the United States this sys
tenn of free commerce, it would be advisable to be-
gin it with that nation" The spirit of this sugges-
ton has directed the commercial legislation of the
United States from that period to the present and
entire reciprocity with all nations willing to accept
it was proclaimed to the world as the permanent
commercial law of the United States by the act of
May "a, 1928. Generally, the commercial policy of
Great Britain tends to the same point. AS regards
the navigation laws of our great commercial neigh
Dor, the freedom from restrictive regulations and
unnecessary burdens of any kind is absolute. Her
tariff system undergoes yearly ameliorations, and
when it gets rid of few grievous exactions which
bear heavily upon articles Of necessary and extensive
use dlnOHS BItat mdSstb VI tie DTlllbu peOplt-
such tobacco, sugar, and one or two others will
be model of tariff simplicity for all nations
to follow. The progress of other countries Is
not so marked or liberal but there is much to hope
for from the general spirit of investigation and in
terest awakened throughout the world in reference
to better commercial policy. An interesting and
very valuable document, showing tariff changes
throughout the world during the past year. has just
been published officially in Great Britain. No Off
cial copy of this document has yet reached our gov
ernment, but we enabled to present to our read
the most interesting points which it embraces
from resume which we find in the London Times.
The countries by which alterations have been
made in their tariffs down to September, 1857 are
Russia France, SPAIN the Roman States New
Granada, Venezuela Salvador, Montevidco, Buenos
Ayres and Peru.
The Russian changes involve some very large re-
ductons from previous rates, but the new ones are
still apparently so heavy to be Inconsistent in
most with the growth of any extensive trade.
The most important alteration is the removal of the
prohibition against iron, which is admitted at
duty of II per 36 lbs for pig and ofom 80 cts to
72 cents on various descriptions of manufactured.
The duties cottons, sks, linens, and woollens have
also been subjected to average reduction of about
so per cent? but whether these will henceorth yield
any profit on importation is a point that be de-
termined only by practical experience. The minor
alterations include sugar, coffee, eoehiaeai pepper,
porter, herrings, lead TIM copper, quicksilver, zinc, rum,
pinegdr, earthenapare, and china.
The French reductions apply only to articles:
Fish, soda, rool ginger, gara'ice oil, and sulphur.
Spain has adopted several notifications, including
reduction on some minor kinds of iron manufac-
ture, and descriptions of silk and cotton CLOTH
But the tendency has been rather to impose new du-
ties than to remove old ones.
AUSTRIA has made only single alteration namely,
the removal of duty from looms for weaving or
spinning.
The Roman States have lowered the duties on sew
eral kinds of woollen, cotton, and linen manufac-
lures, muslins, embroderies, articles of hair, wear
ing apparel furs soap, and books.
New Granada and Venezuela have made great va
riety of changes, and almost entirely in All adverse
direction.
MonteUideo, on the other hand, has effected con-
siderable progress, reduction of about 25 per cent
having Dcch uauo III tilo oH dpout C'bhy
ticles some of them of much Importance. The du-
ties on wheat and on linen and silk lace, however,
have been increased.
Buenos Awes has removed the duties from coal
and lime, which are now free. On raw wool and
frs she has increased it so per cent; while on silk
and its manufactures she has lowered it 33 per
cent.
Peru has declared sugar, rice, butter cheese lard
and tallow Free also wheat if consigned to the ports
of Arica Iquique, or Payta while on flour she has
made reduction of so per cent.
Salvador Central America) has reduced her duties
all foreign goods from "a to 2Oper cent dd paorem,
establishing decrease of more than l6 per cent.
On the whole, the results of the year may be con-
sidered to show that the cause of commercial free
dom throughout the world is advancing rresistibly
although slowly. .
The Boston Evening News bears the following test-
mony to the long-settled policy of the democratic
party in regard to banks and banking:
"a word in all candor If the policy of the demo-
cratic party in regard to banks and banking enunciated
twenty years ago, had been resouely adhered to, we
should not at this day be in danger of bank suspensions
or bank panics. With millions Of the precious metals
coming in from the mines of California for years past
swell the aggregate wealth Of the nation, the ratio of
specie to the circulation of bank bills has not been in