Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1858-12-30

This question, next to that of slavery,
has been the great source Of discord and
agitation. Beset BY conflicting interests
and prejudices, it calls into existence q
thousand difficulties whenever made the
subject Of legislation. Important ss are
oil ito bearings upon the peace and pros
perity Of the country, and often IS it has
been shone upon BY the most brilliant in /.
tsllecss in our national councils, il still
remains TO many one Of the enigmas Of
our policy. All who have had any consid.
cradle experiences in public life. have al
One period been forced to try conclusions
upon this question. From the memora-
bic contests growing out of this the fame
Of our most laEented statesmen borrows
its lustre. While it is received by the pub.
lie mind - something necessary to our
welfare, yet 1t is regarded as full of ab-
0rsctions, and proper only for the con.
temptation Of theorists and those of am
pie experience and research. Like the
light Of the sun, all enjoy and appreciate
It, but leave the investigation Of its nature
40 properties to You've and NEWTON.
A revision Of our revenue laws is again
rendered necessary by the facts contained
in the Presidents Message. The policy
Of the Democratic party, acted upon by
the government, is to make the duties on
Imports as low as will secure therefrom
revenue sufficient to meet the public ex-
psnditures. In 1876, in conformity to this
doctrine, the tariff system was modi-
fed, and under its operations the most
sanguine expectations Of its projectors
we're realized. All branches Of industry
were stimulated and prosperous, and our
revenue more than equaled our expenses.
To benefit the consumer still more with
out depriviug the government Of ample
resources, further modification was made
in 1857. All the industrial interests seem
ed unusually active ard secure. Credit was
sreet-the treasury had enough and to
spare, and nowhere were there indications
Of . paralyzing shock from an impending
storm. The general prosperity, national
and individual, appeared like the substan-
tisl growth of healthy system, and not
the hectic flush Of radical disease. The
friends Of free trade were jubilant, and
reckoning on continual activity Of supply
and demand, made such reduction in du-
ties rs the state of affairs then warranted.
Hardly had the new tariff gone into ef-
feet when the panic came, and universal
bankruptcy was arprehended. Importa,
ton was At once reduced to the necessa
ries Of human life and comfort. Vessels
that before ploughed heavily through the
waves, now swung from their moorings
scantily laden. Of course the revenue
".s ,-,a.,y a,.itnisneu. The new rar,n
could not prove itself equal to an emer-
gencywhich would have absorbed the high.
Or and more comprehensive rates of the
old. As no eye could foresee, SO no ac-
tion could avert the catastrophe. Conse-
quantly large deficits have occurred and
will occur until our former prosperity
shall have been restored. This will be a
work of time, and hence The necessity for
another revision of the tariff.
There may fairly be said to exist three
parties on this question. The iron and
manufacturing interests of PENNSYLVANIA,
Missouri and the New England States.
which favor high duties the South, " hose
interests incline them to free trade, and the
Middle and Western States, which be-
friend such duties as will meet the expen
ses Of tue government. The email price
and demand for labor, and the mec hanical
skill and facilities in Europe, enable her
TO offer her fabrics not only in foreign bu,
in our own markets at less price than
our own manufacturers can produce them.
This competition, it is claimed, is runous
to our interests, because people will buy
where and Of whom they can buy cheap
est, and if foreign undersell home produ
GERS, why our citizens will buy of foreign,
ers. Hence our manufacturers ask such
duties As will prevent foreign from under
selling home products. Such a policy
would benefit but one portion Of the coun
try, while it would operate unfavorably
upon others. The cotton growing inter
est. which forms so large an item Of our
exports, would be greatly prejudieed. This
can have no competition, and all Europe
looks to this for supply Of the raw ma
terial. But if we impose such duties on
foreign products Is viii partially exclude
them from our markets, then Europe has
20 much less whefewith to buy our cotton
1.-The demand for it falls off and its value
depreciates. The interests of the West
arc chiefly agricultural, and are less affect
ed, 20 that this and the Middle States
steer clear Of that protection which would
impose enormous taxes upon the consu-
mer. ~ we'll % from those low duties
which would compel resort to direct tax
alton for the support Of the government.
In our present condit,on-with high
rates Of interest, high price Of labor, and
little concentration Of capital, . revenue
tariff il unquestionably the true policy
A wise and timely change in the manner
Of collecting this, is recommended by the
President. The present tariff levies ad
valoren duties ON the foreign valuation OF