New-York daily tribune., 1858-12-24

that something must be done, and Is IN favor oil
having il done now. We do not see how the re-
COMMUNICATIONS Of his Message on this head could
Vel have been more pertinent. frank and udciou''
in view Of his antecedents and entangement'.
/. does seem TO Us, therefore, that something
may b. done d. this Session, If the friends OF Tarih
Revision shall prove at once wise, moderate ana
enersetc-wise 10 counsel moderate IN their re-
Quiremen.s, and energetic in action when once
their basis OF effort has been agreed upon. IL nr-
inp that basis. every one must consider, not oaly
what be would have, but what &c can reason
ably expect to secure-not what would be best ior
his especial District, but what will be best FOX all.
We trust, for example, that such transparent noa-
sense as Mr. Dewsrt's proposition that higaer
duty BE- imposed on Coal viii receive DO couaten-
ance. The importation Of foreign Coal is AID must
remain bsgatelle, whatever may BE- the duty upon
it. Az pretty heavy consumers of Coal, with no
interest whatever in the article but that OF con-
sumei We would justas soon have thed duty or foreign
Coal Sl00 per tun as nothing at ali, for We know
the average price In ,hs City or throughout the
Country is not affected by the qusntity imported,
and would net be raised five cents per tun bya
duty of one dollar per pound. No person who has
wit enough to get out of q hole 10 the earth can
fail to understand this Yet there are persons who
sean to have gumption enough to buld coal hre
who can be made to believe that duty of one
dollar per tun on foreign Coal would raise the
price Of home-dug Coal to near that amount;
and as there is no motive for encounterlng their
stupidity, we trust i. will not be done. Were We
owners of every coalfeld in Pennsylyanis, We
would say to Congress, Fix the Tariff so as TO
"set the Furnaces in full blast and the SpIndles
ain rapid motion so as to create an active
land increasing demand for fuel, but take of all
duty on Coal whatever letting it come in as free
"ss water. II We cannot dig Coal chesp enough
"to Withstand competition, so long ss the cost OF
its TRANSPORTATION across the ocean is double that
"of mining it, we will close our mines and go into
some other business
In the same spirit, but with proposition modi-
fed BY respect to the varying facts, would We
have the Iron interest enter upon the discussion ot
the great question. That the production and
manufacture of Iron is most important and essen
tial branch Of the National Industrythst it is now
deplorably depressed-and that its reanlmstion aud
advancement are vital to the geners well-being-
We have always believed and argued, as we now do
But, duty Of $50 per tun on Iron only would not
secure prosperity to American iron-mahing, while
much smaller duty, coupled with 4 corresponding
revision of the Tariff generally, so as 90 restore
activity ard secure stability and progress to the
American production of WOolens Silks. Cottons
Hardware. &C., causing new mills to be built,
steam. engines to be constructed, water-p0wers to
be improved, &C., would revive aud extend the
demand for iron, which would secure the desired
end. Iron, no more than Fabrics, can stand alone;
all must flourish or fall together.
In the same spirit we would deal with the prop
osition. to abolish all duties on imported Salt and
and Sugar As to Salt we hold it demonstrabe
that our consumers are now supplied with this
necessary Of life considerably cheaper than they
would or could be if 10 duty had ever been levied
upon it by our Goyernment-that the stimulus
given by the impost to the establishment of salt
works in this State in Western Virginia and else
where throughout the country, has reduced the ay
erage price to our consumers below what it would
have been under unbroken Free Trade, to say
nothing Of the fact that We could not Afford in case
of war with great Naval Power to be wholly
without salt nor even to begin then to dig and bore
for it. We doubt whether another country or re-
giOn on ssrth so extensive ours is supplied with
salt SO cbeaply as the United States.
Sugar is probably higher here than it would be in
the absence Of any American impost thereon;
though its price in Cuba and other producing coun-
tries would doubtless be enhanced by the abolition
of our daty. But the impost on Sugar is one OF
our Governments principal sources OF revenue-a
source which II cannot afford to spare or mate
lialls diminish. And it is a serious though common
mistake 10 presume Louisiana and Texas alone in
terested in the American production OF sugar;
milons OF pounds are annually made from the Ma
pie and sold by class of farmers and pioneers
who are far from rch, aud whom moderate depres-
sion Of the price would often dissuade from further
sugar.msking. Then, the production of sirupf from
Sorghum though still in its infancy, is thrifty, Wig
orous, and rapidly increasing. This production
pertains naturally TO the middle region of our
try as the manufacture from the Cane does to the
South and that from the Maple TO the North. Give
US specific duty of two cents per pound on all lm.
sugar, Win oiA Nv ''h WINS P'A eA4."H N''
Molasses, aud We believe the country would more
than half supply itself with sweetening" BY 1902
and produce three. fouIils Of It's Own consumption
BY 1850.
We make these suggestions only to indicate the
spirit in which Revision Of the Tariff should De
approached if any good is 10 be effected. And in
this spirit We trust the subject rIH be considered
and decisiyely acted upon. Let US have Tariff
Of moderate Duties, Specific so far as possible
wisely discriminating in favor of those branches of