The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1861-04-18

n hLlAAo goAAHAHHAa
To judge by the hue and cry raised
in various quarters about the Tariff just
enacted, il might be thought that there
is some gross injustice pcrpetrated in it
What is the "retrograde commercial pol
icy" what measure Of departure from
the tariffs of former years, or the tariff
of England itself2 The truth is that
the whole outcry is based on mere pro
tence, and intended only for effect It
is thought that we are 10 a condition
now to be ooerced and with character
istio energy the British and American
free traders are bent on making a bust
ness matter Of Secession The utter
basclessuess Of the crusade 80 vigorous
ly opened will appear by comparing tho
duties levied under the last three tariffs
we have had The present duties arc
very nearly those levied by the tariff Of
1916, and much below those of18i2.
They are also much below the average
of British duties, for though the public
have been made to believe that free
trade is the established policy of the
British Government, there are heavier
taxes at this moment laid on imports in
to England than those we have put in
the new tariff act.
The leading articles of trade wero tax
ed os follows by the several tariff acts:
Beer, bonnets, boxes. brass manufac-
lures, brooms, brushes, buttons, caps Of
all kinds, clothing, carriages, China
ware, cotton goods generally, cutlery Of
all kinds, extracts, firearms, fine glass
ware, hats saddlcry and harness, soaps,
silk goods, tin manufactures, tobacco
manufactured, woolens in part, &C., &C.,
all are 30 per cent, alike in the tariffs
Of 1916 and 1861, and "a per cent,
with few exceptions, in that of 1857
And there are at least as many instan-
ces of reduction from the rates Of 1916
as there are of increase on those rates
in the present tariff. For instance, the
following items pay % per cent. now,
which paid 30 per cent in the tariff Of
l846 Coke, earthenware and crock
cry, plain glassware, hair cloth, iewelry,
wove delaines, &C. The difference be-
tween the rates Of the tariff of 1916 and
that of 1861 is really much less than
we had supposed before examination,
and it lies more in the fact that on a
large class of goods the duty is more
certain by being made specific than in
any increase Of per centage. 1t is this
very certainty, however, and the neces-
sity to be honest which it creates, that
causes the futtering.
The British tariff on brandy is, unless
altered by special treaty so far as
France is concerned, not less than $500
per gallon, while we now impose duty
Of 81 per gallon only; in 1916 it was 100
, per cent. On iron their duty is 60 cts.
I per hundred weight, or Sl2 per ton; and
! this on all descriptions, manufactures
. Of iron included The tariff Just enact
+ ed will average about the same, ranging
Z from Sc to $50 per ton. Manufactures
v Of brass, copper, and tin are S24O per
I cwt, in England, and here 80 per cent,
a our own rate averaging the lowest. To,
bacco we tax % to 80 per cent, and in
England it pays three times as much
D.. Wines we now put at 40 per cent, OF
4 the same as in 1916, while the British
o duty is far heavier, except so far as the
r special French duty may provide.
Dub NpdCC ltllS W GUlu pdIC uGLdllS lU
l. exposure Of the loud and untrdthfu
pretence that the enactment of the pres
=. ent tariff is extreme and unreasonable
J. justifyiug rebellion in England, SoutF
!. Carolina and New York alike. Tn,
r tariff Of 1916 averaged between "a OnC
:. % per cent. on the aggregate Of dutia
Bile goods, and Judging by whatever W,
have now before US, the tariff JUS
e. enacted will average very nearly tn
same, while the free list will be mucl
larger than before. Of course our man
7- ufacturors will feel the advantages OF
\ this tariff more decidedly, because they
,r are in better position to economize il
le production; but the British have no
s. the least reason to complain that W,
is have restored the rates which, from
,e 1916 to 1857, gave us adequate reve
+ nues, while afording moderate protee
,e ton.