Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-01-06
NM RICHMOND ENQUIRER.
TARIFF REFORM.

- In announcer CDluuiu " o ihSois Wv P''y''' ~
Reform which Mr.. Campbell, Of Ohio, aud MI
Ls,che., Of Virginia have ssveraly introduced the
former as Chairman and the latter as minority men,
Der OF The Finance Committee in the House OF KEEP
resea;atves. The details Of these bills are reserved
for future examination, our present purpose being
merely 10 offer few suggestions as to the necessity
OF reduction in tho rates Of import and the prlnci
pies upor which government should effect the modl-
soaton. We propose hereafter to discuss the respec
tive characteristics and the comparative merits OF the
majority aud minority reports.
Not long since the ruler Of one Of the petiest and
poorest prlucipaes o: Europe asked citizen Of this
cour.ry 70 ssy which were the most difficult prob
lens in American craftsmanship. In no very era.
cious spiri. the American gentleman replied with a
sarcastic allusion TO the empty exchequsr and dminu-
tive empire of the royal qusrist, that tho government
of the United States most puzzled to dispose OF
is excessive treasure and its redundant terr'tory-
In this answer there 10 much OF sober truth az OF
episrammatic point. Nobody denies that the revenue
of government is out Of all proportion 10 its neeessa-
~ expenditures In his last report the Secretary OF
the Treasury estimates the legitimate exPenses OF
government to be forty millions of dollars; and the
same authority informs that its income is not lees
than seventy millions. Here ia annual surplus OF
Thirty millions accommodating In the treasury More
s meant than meets the ear IN this simple announce.
ment.
surplus revenue of thirty millions year, implies
that the people annually despoiled Of this amount
and for what To answer any of tbs proper ends Of
government To promote the great interest of the
country To develop its resources or to consolidate
its mean, Of defence For satisfaction upon these
points. We have only to turn our eyes to Washing.
ron, and contemplate the countless schemes Of plum
der which redundant exchequer has stimulated in
the brain Of ravenous politicians. Where the carca.
is there flock the birds Of prey. The thirty millions
of money in the treasury, is the prolific pa
rem. Of all the corruption In fedora! sfalrs which
ta,nts the gale and ofends the senas OF the
honest people. II /, the smell of that reek
ing morssl which attracts the carrion crew
from every quarter of the country, aud stimulates
them to the invention of Pacific Railroads, Collins
Lines, and the thousand other schemes Of public
plumber. All history teaches that an OVERLOOKING
treasury is fatal to the purity Of governments: aud
we are illustrating the principle in our own expert
enes Cnless some check is interposed to the spread
OF The poison 1t will soon corrupt the entire system
Obviously the only way to arrest the Infection Is to
drain tho sea, Of pesence only way to disperse
the herd of spoilsmsn and cleanse the capitol, is to
romove the csrcsse which is the object of their re.
pacIous pursuit. Relieve the treasury of its surplus
burden and reduce the to the necessities OF
an economical administration OF the government,
then may we hope for a return Of those primitive
times of which men speak when they talk about the
"ourer and better days of the Republic" revival
of the heroic virtues Of the era Of the earlier Pres
aea,s" that mythical and an historical age Of which
we hardly have conception in these degenerate
days.
\ surplus revenue 10 q manifold wrong-it is a
wrong to the msss Of the people TO exoEt uuueces
sssy tribute from their hard.esrned substance, ard
thu. TO Impose burden uFon the e1ertons of their
labor 1t ia wrong to the interests OF commerce 10
en- barrass it by heavy mposts, aud to obs,ruct ts
operations by diminishing the facilities Of trade it is
nwropg to the government to create and perpetuate
fand of corruption which shall make it the prey OF
prudsrers, and the sbomina,ion of deceut people.
Everybody cries out for the abatement Of the nut
.ancs .. redundant exohequer, but the question is,
whether the thing shall BIZ done by raising the er.
2suditures Of government: to level with the reve-
que, or by reducing the revenue to level with the
smoun: o: necessary expenditure. Upon this point
there can be but one opinion among right-thinking
mon. The last is indisputably the true policy of
government, because the other would OILY aggrayate
the evils Of which we now complain would embar.
.sss the operations Of commerce, burden the indus
FRY Of the country and breed corruption in the ad
ministraou Of public affairs, besides perver,ng all
iust views Of the object OF federal legislation aud the
limits Of federal power. 1t would be more in
harmony with the essential simplicity of Repuo'
;lcer institutions more conducive to the prosper-
~ of the people, and more in accordance with
the peoulis. nature Of our government, to establish
40 equitable and essy policy Of taxation on the basis
o; the utmost frugaty in expenditure. The Federal
government has right to draw upon the country tor
40 amount adequate 10 its support under an economi
cal administration and for not farthing more. Nor
sil! the people taDely submit to be robbed. on the
Pics OF protection any other pretence, OF thirty
millions of dollars year. OF which every cent goes
to swell the evil Of potca! corruption and personal
rapsciiy. They are not to be deceived by the sophis
.sl suyyeson that their money returns to them in the
end. They may not be conversant with The p1inci
pie. Of political economy, but they have sufficient
" enlightened conception Of their own interest, to
prefer ,hst the thirty millions year should remain
10 their pockets, aud be expended according TO
,bsir individual idsas of convenience and policy.
modification OF ths tariff We take TO be fore.
gone conclusion but very important point is still to
be determined and thai s upon what principle she'll
government reduce the present rates Of imposll-
Upon the principle of an equitable and impartial sys'
tenn Of taxation, upon the principle Of incidental
protection to the manufacturing INTEREST," Shall the
rates Of mpcs be reducedso as to diminish the bur-
dens CT e masses of the people-so us 10 benefit the
entire South and the great Weston shall they be 30
reduced as to bestow special bounty the capital
o: New England These inquiries are Of the last
moment, aud should determine our judgment In re-
spect TO any prce: Of tariff reform We have not
amired tie plans Of Messrs. Campbell and Letcher
with su oent to pronounce upon their relative
Or absolute merit in this view. We presume, how
ever. that neither comes up to our radical principles
OF upost and taxation.
The Tariff of 1886 was compromise. and like all
other compromises, contains mixture OF good and
evil Of right aud wrong, 10 it's constitution In mti
eating the severity of the inposts of AZ, and in i'm
plying a sort of dun aud uncertain recognition of
the principle of free trade, il deserves some pos
thu,noas consideration. In its day and geue-
ration it wa. of great service in leading ths
eouutry from the house Of bondage; but it fell far
sbor, OF conducting US 10 the land Of promise The
unceau spirit Of protection Was not entirely cast out
OF lite body. 1t betrayed great an incinstion to
offer Incense to the idol of New England capital, at
the expense of the labor of the South and West. 1t
vas step the right direction but rather feeble and
unsteady step. The time come to resume the task
OF tariff reform-to Complete the unfinished work;
and at the outset VIZ must decide whether we shall
undertake 10 perfect composite system of truth aud
erro; OF good and evil-or whether We shall reject
tbs unssund pillar aud cree; The edi6oe on a oonsis.