The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-01-31
The New Republican Tariff Scheme.
Although the notifications to the tariff

by Mr.. Morrill, OF Vermont, are not yet oom-
pleted, sufficient has already transpired to
make it evident that more absurdly prepos-
ferrous mode Embarrassing the national revenue,
never was laid before our representatives at
Washington. In the present aspect of political
affairs, it is direct insult to the South; 1t
would be ruinous to the interests of large
portion of our merchants in New York; aud it
is, in itself such compound of contradictions
and anomalies, as TO deserve the contempt of
all thinking men. Under the cloak of affected
zeal for the welfare Of the country at large,
it caters to the c0yetousness of certain jobbers,
spectators, manufacturers and capitalists;
and, If it passes into law, its effects will be
in the extreme disastrous. 1t appears incre-
dible that, at moment when every effort
at Cancellation should be exhausted to avert
the storm with which the confederation is
threatened, there should DO mischiefmakers
base enough to accelerate its progress, and
augment the bitterness created by past ag-
gressions. Under the present system of col
lecting the revenue, there are features of
sufficiently odious descriptions; but Morrill's
BILL which the Senate committee, ruled by
Simmons, q manufacturer of Rhode Island,
Bigler, identified with the iron interests of
Pennsylvania, and Collamer, wool growing
representative from Vermont, are pushing
through the Senate, is conglOmeration of in
congruities of the worst description that can
be imagined. 1t is sincerely to be hoped that
ii may DO defeated, or that, IL successful in
Congress, it may receive the veto of the Pre-
sident.
The bill is tiresomely long, and crowded with
unnecessary verbiage. Ii abolishes, at a blow,
the warehousing system, which has proved,
hitherto, so convenient to all importers, and
instead Of permitting goods to be retained in
store for three years, compels merchants to
withdraw them, by payment of duty, on the
lst day of July next. Subsequently to that
time, it provides that merchandise shall not
remain in store over thirty days. This is di-
rect blow at the interests Of small capitalists
for the benefit of those who can command large
sums of money. Its practical operation will be
to annihilate the business Of traders of mode
rate means and to give premium to the rich
II aims blow at energy and enterprise, and
tends to give monopoly of mercantile power
TO those who least Of all deserve or require it,
1t is not only wanton triaing with the welfare
Of the industrial classes; but it perpetuates in
justice in the most glazing manner, by the ig-
norance and stupidity with which its details
have been framed. In order to increase the
patronage Of the incoming administration, 1t so
complexities the administration of the revenue
laws, rs to demand great increase of the
force to be employed in collecting the customs.
1t is understood that both Messrs, Hunter and
Gwin, who are in the minority upon the Senate
Committee, are prevented, on some futile pre-
text, from offering any amendments to the
Morrill, bill. They now absent themselves from
rs sessions, and leave the responsibility where
it belongs with the Senator's from Vermont.
Rhode Island and Pennsylvania. They, of
own CONSTITUENCIES but even in this they have
been hlr from sI1lfll in their proceedings. The
manner IN which iron ia hereafter to be
taxed, IL 20 Intricate, that we deub. whether
any future appraiser or collector will be able
to understand 1t. The seventh section of the
bin Is devoted to this article. VIII it be be-
lieved that there are nearly fifty different items
Of duty upon iron and iron manufactures
alone? Fifteen dollars per ton on bar iron,
rounds and squares; twelve dollars per ton on
railroad iron, and "slabs, Blooms, loops or
other forms less finished than iron in bars, and
more advanced than pig from" twenty dollars
per ton on boiler plate iron; on nails, tacks,
hammers, &c. the duty has every conceivable
from twenty five per cent ad valorem,
up to three and half cents per pound. The
manner of taxing woollen fabrics is equally
nonsensical On Wilton, Saxony, Aubusson
velvet and Tourney velvet carpetings, the duty
is fity cents per square yard; on Brussels and
tapestry Brussels, thirty-fve cents; on ingrains
and the like twenty FIVE cents; and, on all
other kinds OF carpets thirty per cent ad valo-
rem Cassimeres worth twenty-five cents o
yard, are to pay sixteen cents per pound, and
twenty per cent ad valorem, while on those of
higher value there is the same tax per pound
and twenty-five per cent ad valorem. AS the
coarser goods weigh more, the object of the
difference is defeated by our sapient legislator
from Vermont, having forgotten that the finer
article will necessarily come in cheapest.
Sugars and wines are subjected to discrimina-
tons that set common sense completely at
naught Details respecting them win be found
in another column
IL is seriously proposed to make this mass Of
absurditics q part Of the legislation of the
country. A very distinguished Senator re-
Gently declared that Mr.. Morrill's tariff would
become law ere the lapse Of another week.
1t clearly can neither be made to work, nor
could business operations be carried on under
1t for single week. a republican majority
may manage TO ioist IL upon the country, but
it will be an outrage TO decency, and the effect
Of the irattcntion to II Of those who are bound
to bestow upon il the gravcst consideration.
GHEEIEY's CHANCES FOR THE UNITED STATES
SENATy.--As the day approaches for the cleo