New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-06-26
FINANCE.

A correspondent writes US Directing to duties
on Tea and Coffee and to an increase OF the
duty on Sugar, for the reason (arheng others)
that these duties will be unpopular. No doubt
of it, Ii would be pleasant to eat our cake and
save ito prosecute a great and necessary war
at no cost--to borrow money in untold amounts
and make no provision for paving even the in-
terest But, unlike the Coniederates, we expect
to pay what We borrow, principal and interest;
and to do this involves heavier taxation Tea
and Coffee can be made to yield Ten Millions per
annum much more easily than much could be
obtained in any other way, aud its collection
need not cost us dollar. No question OF Pro-
lection or Free Trade is involved, as we produce
neither Tea nor Coffee, and hardly substitute
for either. There is no other way 10 which 50
large sum can be so easily and cheaply raised
as BY an impost on Tea and Coffee, which we
now obtain mainly from countries which tax our
.. products cent to them, while we impose no tax
ON theirs. The stock Of these articles now in
the country must be small, and there is no pre-
tense that either can be rushed in upon us before
the impost can take effect.
A. 70 Sugar we condemned the present duty as
cents per 100 pounds) when fixed as too low, even
for state of peace; IT ought to be largely in-
creased to meet the exigencIes of war. We judge
that II would yield an average of Five Millions per
annum; aud that an npost of Two Cents per
pound would yield Ten Millions. We know no
other way in which Five Millions can more easily
and with less hardship be added to the Revenue
than by this change. And it, as n correspondent
blindy urges, this change would tend to win Louis-
ana back TO loyalty. much the better. Let her
make her choice between good market at fair
prices for her great staple and none at all.
All the incidental effects of 81 enhanced duty
on Sugar would be salutary. II would (when
Louisiana comes back) give Spain a Rowland for
her Oliver in taxing our Flour $40 per barrel in
Cuba. We are utterly opposed to entangng
commercial treaties, insisting that each nation
should make its own laws but quiet bit Of
this sort would do Spain good. Then the en-
HANGED duty would encourage and extend the pro-
duction Of Sugar from Sorghum, which We be-
lieye can now be made with profit wherever
Indian corn can be grown for less than fifty
cents per bushe Still, its production is yet very
crude; the product ia often half spoiled by sour
ing or burning in the manufacture; and duty
of two cents per pound on imported Sugars
would tend TO give assurance to the producers Of
homemade Free-Labor Sugar, and prompt them
70 enlarge aud perfect their machinery. Give US
the duty
We are told that our relners will grumble;
if 80, lot them. They have not on the whole,
been unkindly treated and as there will, of
course, be- corresponding increase on Refined
Sugars they may " still live"
As TO Direct Taxes, we do not fear them when
necessary; and il well-constltlted Finance
Committee of the House shall so pronounce
them We shall say Put them on The People
will stand them If there is no practicable alter
native Better any bearable tax than broken
Public Credit, or any shadow OF Reputation.
But let us survey the whole ground before we
decide that this is necessary.