New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-03-03
rARIFF REVISION.

or routine business, is about, we understand TO
take up the subject of the Tariff and act decisiyey
thereon. We venture, therefore, few suggestions
to the able and practical majority Of that Commit
tee. which we trust will at least be candidy con-
sidered.
II can hardly be necessary at this day to say that
we favor the Protection of Home Industry-de-
cided, ample Protection. We feel as certain that,
bad the Tariff of 1923 been permitted to stand I'M
changed and unthrt atened to this day our country
would have been immensely richer, stronger, more
pOpulOus than il now in, az we do that farm
located just beside great city is worth more than
ust such q farm located in central Siberia, Ne
braska, or Paraguay. Nay, more: we feel certain
that had the Tariff of 1923 been allowed to stand
till this day, we should have made more Iron in the
year 1859, and supplied our needs of that article at
lower prices, than any other ration on the globe.
SO with Hardware, Glass, Pottery WoOlens, and
scores more of necessares of life, which we are
now buying of Europe, by the millions worth, and
paying atleast two bushels Of grain whereO one would
suffice had We our workshops in the New rather
than the Old World. If it were in our power to
impose duties, specific 80 far as may be, on every
peces of manufacture imported, fully equal to
one hundred per cent. the value of the goods we
would do it with the greatest alacrity, confident
that we should thereby increase the wealth of our
country to the extent of at least One Hundred
Millions per annum.
But wise smen consider not merely what they
would but also what they can do. And it is on this
point that we ask the attention of the Committee
of Ways and Means.
We utterly scout the idea Of getting up Tariff Bill
TO be defeated in the Senate and thus make up an
issue wherein to 60 to the country. 1t may be i'm
possible to avoid such defeat and such an issue;
but LET them be avoided if possible. 1t is our
plain duty to submit bill which the Senate will
not, dare not reject if we can do 30 consistently
with the great ends of providing adequate revenue
and afordipg some relief to the depressed and suf-
fering branches of our National Industry. Suppose
for instance, that it were possible to carry Tariff
that would impose duties of $40 per tun on Bar and
S. on Pig Iron would it be wise polite to reject
that installment Of justice in order to go to the
country on demand for more We are sure it
would not be.
We hear, moreover that an effort is to be made
to impose specific duty of 81 per tun or over on
Mineral Coal For what Is there miner 80
ignorant as not to know that Coal is not and can
not be imported to any material extent-that Coal
is day cheaper in our own country than In almost
any other2 Would duty of even s. per tun on
imported Coal increase the aggregate demand for
American Coal by even three per cent? Not, in
our Judgment, by one per cent. Nor would it add
one per cent. to the average price of the Coal
mined in this country.
Then what is the harm of such duty
We answer just here: The poor and the ignorant
consumers of Coal-vhO are at least one hundred
to every one engaged in producing or selling it,
would be told by knayish or stupidity malignant
demagogues that the. Black Republicans" had
imposed heavy tax on their fuel to enrich few
coal-miniDg Nabobs; and they would make party
capital out of such assertions even though Coal
were to be lower under that tariff than ever before.
But let violent EqunOctial Storm next September
interrupt our communications with the great coal
fields and thus raise the price of Coal 81 to So
per tun, just as next Winter and the Presidential
election were coming on, and hundreds of thousands
would actually believe that the new enhancement of
duty on this necessary of life was wholly or mainly
he cause of this adyance-that " Black Repub-
lican" House had thus aided certain Pennsylvania
monopolists of cOalmines to grind the faces of the
poor. As there is no necessity for, so there would
be no safety no wisdom in, wantonly Drawing this
serious peril.
What the Coal-producng interest really needs,
as intelligent men surely do KNOWS an expanded
and eager market, such as the reinyigOratiOn of
our now depressed Manufactures alone can secure
them. Specific Duties of even s. per tun on Pig
aud $40 on Bar Iron, with corresponding imposts
on Wares and Fabrics, with Coal absolutely Free,
per tun on Coal with no improvement as to the
Metals and Fabrics. Let US make our Iron and
Steel, Cloths and Wares, mainly at home, and the
market for our Coal will immensely and rapidly
pand, even though the foreign be admitted Free.
But we will not multiply examples nor arguments.
Let the foregoing suffice Let US have all possible
improvement in the Tariff, but do not attempt to
DIVE the wedge butt-end foremost, lose all in
attempting to grasp too much. Bear in mind that
an improved Tariff must be carried, if at all by the
aid OF Members who are theoretical Free Traders
ard who will only vote with US because something
must evidently be done. To make the bill OdiOus
to this class is to insure its destruction.
THE NEWS FROM CONGO.
As the American people are supposed to have
AL 10 10 xp;fh a;r end