Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1857-02-19
SPEECH OF II
HON. S. COLFAX.
OF INDIANA,

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,,
February 5, 1851.
The House having under consideration
the bill Oh. R. No. 500, to reduce the duty
on imports, and for other purposes
5 Mr.. COLFAX said: Il 81
Mr.. CHAIRMAN: Two different methods
for raising the sum necessary for the sup
port of the Government are open to its ma
tional legislator one by direct taxa
ton, and the other by q tariff on importa-
tions. No one here, amid all the revenue
propositions whicl1have been made or sug-
gested, proposes the first. The fact, SO
plainly apparent, that, besides the swarm
of Federal office-holders it would require
and create, the amount required to be afna-
oliy raised would approximate quarter OF
million of dollars for each Representative
in Congress, thus requiring eight millions
yearly from New lork, nearly four mil
lions yearly from Virginia, nearly three mil
lions yearly from the State OF Indiana, and
in the same proportion from her sister
States, renders it apparently out of the
question. And following, therefore, in the
footsteps of our fathers, all parties seem to
concede that the expenses of the Govern
ment shall be paid by that system OF indi-
rect taxation known as tariff. -;
More than ever before, however, do the
members upon this floor differ as to details
of this tariff. shall.not attempt to con-
trast or to condemn the views of others; but
i take it for granted that all agree that the
duties which it levies shall be either for
purposes of revenue OF protection, and that
such as are not needed for either should be
abandoned.
/ INQUIRE, therefore, in the first place, as
! NV remarks will be confined to the single
item of sugar, whether the continuance OF
the present duty on it is required .tor reo-
enue. With Treasury impoverished and
embarrassed, or tariff productive of mea-
gre revenue, as in 1916 and 1912, there
might be two sides to this question. With
, Treasury full to repletion, as now, and .
| tariff pouring far more money into our COT
fers than we naed or desire, it appears real
5 ly to need no argument. The fact that on
eighth of the total receipts from customs
+. last year were on importations OF sugar ant
ri molasses alone-that eight millions of dol
| lars were thus collected from the consum
1 ers. and are now locked up in a Treasury
E that does not need such aid, and which
v would be in a far better and healthier stat
without it-that the homo production OF su
!. gar had not the slightest effect in controll
t ing or modifying prices, as is evident b.
o the fact that the New York price has beeI
k exactly the rate for which it sold in Ha
vana, with the thirty per cent. duty and tn
1 shipping charges added-and that countin:
the importer and retailer's usual profit OF
the increased cost thus occasioned by tn
e tariff, and the enhanced price at which tn
o home production consequently sold, full,
g sixteen millions of dollars were paid by tn
people of the Union in consequence of thi
$ single item Of the tarihf-these points,
n appears to myjudgement, answer the ques
+ ton whether this duty should, or shoul
not be, continued for revenue purposes.
IS oh If not needed, therefore for revenue pul
.e poses. has the import duty on foreign 81
n gars proved beneficial as a protective meas
,f ure? Let the experience of the past fe'
1t years answer They teach us with thei
a, unerring as well as expensive lesson, tha
q, as. 1,rofe ton has Increased by the ascendin
is price of this commodity, production he
le decreased: that as the duty has risen Il
he home crop has fallen off, until at present
n has virtually run out, or at least nearly b
r come extinct. Nay, further: by the virtu
concessions oft representatives and adv,
acates, it cannot, even with the aid OF Il
tn present high prices, and consequent his
e, protection, be revived, except by the Go
at ernment seeking for and furnishing to t
= planters new cuttings of an undeteriorat'
he crop, grown in more congenial chime
We which are to be tested as q last and forlo
lhope. The fitting ont of a Government We
ite lsel for this purpose is a.confession of thsp
OBJ sition have taken, almost as striking ast
n brief but telling admission of the plapte
BE of Baton Rouge, who, in their widcly-pu
lished resolutions opposing free sugar.
at, stead of claiming that the tariff has stun
lated production, concede. on the confrar
by the following truthful declaration, th
,e- it cannot, in all probability, continue to
lid successfully or pro6tably, cultivated the
~. even with protection; ssssog