The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1861-03-08


is from the New York Herald:
There is nothing remarkable in the his
tory of the times or in the circumstance con-
nected with the passage of the earliest laws
regulating the customs, and hence it may
be well to pass without dwelling upon the
Tariff act Of 1890. We proceed, therefore,
to the
TARIFF OF 1916.
In 1916 it became evident that n change
in the tariff was needed, inasmuch as the
state of the country entirely different
from what it had been for some years past.
The war was ended, and with its close the
necessity of eVacting the duties which had
been demanded during its continuance ceas-
ed. On the lst of July, 1912, an act of
Congress had been passed doubling the per-
manent duties previously imposed on goods
imported into the United States and an ad-
dition of ten per cent. lad beeen made to
the double duties on goods imported in yes
sells not of the United States. Vessels be-
longing wholly or in part to the subjects of
foreign powers, entering the United States,
had been charged with an additional ton
mage duty of 81 so per ton. The enforce
ment of this act had been limited to period
of one year after the conclusion of peace
with Great Britain. 1t will be seen from
these facts that a revision of the existing
tariff had become necessary.
Mr.. Dallas, at this time Secretary of the
Treasury, in his report to Congress, in which
he proposed the new tariff, thus spe - of
the act of 1890 =" Notwithstanding .he
various alterations to which it has beer b.
ected during the period of American ~ /
trality, it has not been left in a state adapted
to the present epoch. The peace of Europe
rriva 0auy oOrJrSa and oh fO ba
commerce of the world, and the condition of
the United States is changed in population,
wealth, employment of labor and capital,
in demand for luxuries and necessares, and
in native resources to supply. These con-
siderations forcibly recommend the revision
and reform now contemplated" The OBJ
iects he had in view in drawing up this bill
of 1916 were =
l. The object Of raising by duties on i'm
ports and tonnage the proportion of public
revenues which must be drawn from that
source.
q The object of reconciling the various
national interests which arise from the pur-
suits of agriculture, manufactures, trade and
navigation.
g. The object of rendering the collection
of the duties convenient, equal and GER
tain.
His attention was drawn to the necessity
of protection as well as an increase of reve-
nue. believing that there exist few govern
ments which do not regard the establish
ment of domestic manufactures a chief OBJ
ject of public policy. The United States so
thought, and in the earlier acts relating TO
the collection of revenues we find that pro-
lection to home manufactures had been con-
sidered, if not the substantive, the incl
dent.
rhe more general principles of the sys-
tenn which Mr.. Dallas recommended we're
l. Articles intended as a source of reve-
nue. should never be so heavily charged with
duties as to prevent importation or to much
diminish it.
2. Articles should never he so heavily
charged with duties as to create a tempta-
ton to smuggle.
3. Articles Of great size and weight Of
comparatively small value and difficult to
be smuggled, and other things being equal
they may be charged with higher duties.
L. Articles of small size and great value
are easily smuggled, and must be charged
with low duties to destroy the otherwise fa-
tai temptation to evade the law.
5. Articles imported to a great amount
should rather be charged with specific duties
upon weights and measures in order to
guard against evasion and fraud, than with
ad valorem duties on their value.
1t may be here stated that great difficulty y
has always been experienced in carrying
this last rule into practice.
/ The result of the Tariff bill of 1916 was
| as follows -
| /. The rate of duties ad vaIorem were
| changed in numbers from three to eight
! The amount Of rates Of duty ad vaorem
was changed from f24 5 and 90 per cent.
to u, IS, 20, %, 28, 30 339 and 35.
2. The rates of specific duties were gen.
orally increased in amount of the perma-
/ nent single rates, averaging, with the in
crease of the rates of duty ad valorem, an
aggregate of about AZ per cent on aggre-
gate products of the customs
The subject of the tariff fror1 this time
/ forward seemed to be brought before the
people periodically every four years, anC
now began to take its rank as one of tn,
great political questions of the times.
will be seen, further on, what influence il
exerted on party politics in after years.
In accordance with this rule of agitatin,
the subject, it was brought up in 1920
when n revision was proposed. This, how
ever, only passed the House, receiving it
quietus in the Senate.
TARIFF OF 1924.
The Congress of 1923 and 1924 consum
ed much of its time in discussing the ques
ton OF a new tariff, this being the most i'm
portunt one before it. The act which we
before Congress this session derived muc
= of its importance from the fact that tn
whole theory of the preceding tariff bill
was changed by it. With them the objeC
was merely to raise revenue; with thi
there was double Object-namely, to rails
revenue and to afford protection to dome;
= tic products. 1t also derived importanC
from the fact that the two great statesme
: of our country were at that time in activ
. political life, and arrayed on opposite sid
: of the question.
$ Mr. Clay was the leader of the propose
bill, and Mr.. Webster its strongest opp
nent. Mr.. Clay gave as his reasons
Il supporting the measure the fact that t
o country was then in a deplorable state; t
= people were out of employment; there W
& no market for the products of the land, a
: property of all kinds was tearfully depl
ciated The following is an extract from
II speech delivered by him in the House