The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-12-07

reduction and It is not just that the price should be una
turaily sustained by legislation.
This Is especially true when the have pro-
duccd Ike decline in almost every important prodact Of
our country.
regcr rARrY on OTHER INTERESTS
table is appended, complied from the most re,a-
bic sources accessible in the absence OF any official
record showing the average price for the thr last
fiscal years and for each month OF each year tho
ket Of New York, Of number Of leading articles. From
this table !. will appear that from the year ending June
So 1867 to that ending June 80, 1885, there decline
.eacng articles as follows, viz. =
Wheat -four, per cent "a Hay, per cent. ....... 20
Kemp. 90 sugar ~
Moasscs. ~ Ps IRON .............. 10
M %s Hon...' ~ t ws.,e q, ''.'... ~
Rcc................ l3K Tobacco .............. 10
nors .......'....' % Copper. ............. !.
No class loses heavily sustans greater priva-
tons period Of general revuson than the agrcutu
liss and Il & asking too much OF them 10 submit to add
aa burdcns in order 90 exempt favored portion OF
their fellow citizens from the common calamity.
The above is, aso shows how little the decline in prices
be ascribed 20 the change IN the tariff made in 1857
u occurred iud:erenty in articles imported 10 the most
trivial quantities. and in those most largely imported, in
.ij,cS the duty which unchanged aud IN those
., which was diminished; proving tina, The was
outside q al tarn regulations and beyond the control Of
legislation.
But il be alleged that although The changes nadc in
1851 did 10. inTo the amercan manufacturer, yet that
such has been the result Of the tariff OF 1916 which
based the principles the that il docs
appear that the manufacturing interest has suffered
from that tarin Willie some particular branches pro
maIe'y Or improvidenty entered into may have failed,
yet the tact i vel kIown that all the great manliactu
ring interests have largely increased since 1916,
raridy than tho population and general production Of the
country.
An examination Of TIE statistics published under the
authority Ct various States among which nay be specified
Massachusetts, New York and Ono, vii, a.rndansy prove
the proposition. One mode OF asccrtaipog the conipa
ravc prosperity Of the several Industrial interests Of tho
country al different times is by comparing the amounts
of products exported foreign countries 1t being obvious
tha. these who compete in the market with
IL. Aas products Of ether countries can certainly maintain
themselves at home.
Applying this test to the Facts nnc the following
The cxpor, Of American manufactures for the
year Is47 was ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. sio,47G 3s5
For the year 1858 $685. $50
In tie same years the exports Of cotton were,
SSaIssss
Tobacco, lSs7 ................... 7242 0se
-inerease, So i6i ISL, equal 10 i35 per cent
The exports Of agricultural production. except cotton
and tobacco, during the period, show acua de-
crease which however, is no, fair comparison 1s41
year Of famine ia Europe but the increase OF those
exports by far comparison OF the two periods about
OF the exports n manufacturer those OF iron aud the
manufactures At iron found 10 bcSi1, 81 ,1CT ss4
1858, ,72e,si increase, 3562, 5eocqual to sos per
cent
am aware that large exports an article may some
times result from adversely Instead Of perty when
the holder, unable 10 make sales at home, ships goods
abroad hast resort But is taxing crcdulty TO
be told that exports Of large class of articles will go on
from year year. while the manufacturers unable to
compete az bone with the importer though protected by
twenty four even nineteen per cent. And be said
that The year 1863 In which the state 81 things
ferrcd especially existed, comparison of the exports
the preceding year conceded to be one Of remarkable
prosperity, viii show the same result.
1t will not suffice 10 say that this prosperity owing to
the influx OF gold from California That has been
industrial departments but reason is perceived why the
agriculture OF the country should not be much
stimulated by that as the manufactures Yet while
10th have increased the manufactures have increased
faster; whereas they had been seriously injured by
the tariff q lsiG, they would ct most, have improved
more slowly than ether interests not so affected.
rARnr.
proceed TO consider the question Of The best mode Of
revs Nc the prcscnt tariff With view 10 raising sun
meet the demands Of tho public service Il
has been proposed 10 repeal the act OF 1857 and
the act Of 1916 To this suggestion there serious OBJ
satisfied that the wants Of the 10 require
increase Of the taxes TO the extent of reviyng
per cent imposed by that art are in the presen, condon
Of trade and commerce, wholly indefensbe. The Pablo
mud of tic country w scarcely be brought again to
aueFec IN any higher schedule than thirty per cent the
maximum 81 the present law would certainly require
some more urrert neccssty than exists at this time
II has also been proposed TO ADOPT the principle az
home valuation with a view, fret ofSncreasiny the rates
q duty and, secondly of guarding against under ,aua
ton and Other Frauds, which alleged 10 exist under
prsscEt systm.
Az measure for increasing the revenue, this PROPOSE
ton Tc~sesses merit Mseeks 10 do Indirectly what
BE- better effected directly. the sole object TO increase
the taxrs, u better 20 do 40 Ia bold and manly
~ prescott the duty imposed the market value
The merchandise IN tho principal markets os the country
hom which the importation ~ made, Including all costs
and charges Of shipment
To substitute Tor this rule The principle ~ home vaa
lon would be 10 add 10 ouch value Of the merchandise the
issuance cost Of ioria,ions duty cvicd and pro0s
~ the importer.
II ought to be Sufficient reply 70 the PROPOSE
ton that some ni thtSe elements entering INTO
The home Value arc not legitimate subjects Of iaxa
Other md more serious objections VIII be cons
aCfcd In another connection The ia o home
valuation which has been pressed with tho most earnest
10 hat % tna
uadsr valuation. The advocates Of the change acgs
tat rldcr present system, tho government " de
flalGcd by means, ~ It's legitimate duties upon
large portion ot tue miortS IN proof Of this charge
comparison has becn Instituted between The value ot
tSYois and imports Cor the last urcc years showing
hat The IMPORTS were lcss by large amount than the
'NIo5n;; r.
~ proposed ls cdhcT home valuation specific duties.
y true that The exports for the asi few years have
co lied the imports but the inrrtncc wheh has been
drawn il ! not necessarily correct uthcr causes
have contributed 10 irng ahou, this result Is should be
tnruo N mnd that ctr exports valued ~ the port ~
sNIurialion. When bese exports reach falling
market abroad, tie return cargo VIII exhibit ~
tie dimiuithed value Of tho importation the loss
SUSTAINED by The persons on whose account the
exports hhvo be- shipped. This often constitutes i'm
~ mcht ~ accounting Toe that excess Of exports
ub, las been attributed 10 fraud The pay men by
~ ,ber debts ~ fnropr which Ter two years past
tof been largely done, the transactions Of bankers ap
trtkcts ~ txcAargc, aud Smuggling species of fraud
ccnmon o. every system all affect the comparative
hnigabsr 81 txtotts aud imports
IL were true that The difference favor OF exports
imports chsrgcahc 10 tbe al rocrc system and
tie present mode o valuation then the fact should bc
f.nd 20 exist rot opy during the last few years. but
duurg the Whole Icsiod Of the existence Of the pro.
etpt system. An examination &c exports and
imports for scries of years, will show that such
bot the The eSia " isse Ia opera.
ton over ten years During that period the whole
nmOun, ~ exports SABLE, cSi S2T aud car ia
during the period amounted 10 ~ Soc 10 32s
Tho advocates Of home valuation have fallen into error
w confnng their comparison 10 limited number OF years
INC general rcsult when have STATED indicates that Il
frauds have been practised upon the revenue Il Is not
owing 70 our present ad valorem systcm Tha viii an
pear from comparison ot the exports and imports during
tic operation Of the tariff act OF t82 That act, dis
tnguishinc FEATURES OF which specific duties and
minimum valua,ions was In operation nearly four years
Inring that time our exports amounted ~ fiIB 6si CAS-
ond our imports 70 f4l2, l3b,Io5 the argument drawn
from the excess II exports imports BIO correct this
statement would Indicate thai greater frauds have been
eommAed undcr arid OF specific duties than under the
al yaort m &C, Of 1876. n, however, be true that
frauds are committed under present system 10 tho
fs>L-h 1890 .snx-a~ - ,...t--