The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1861-04-11
Tariffs Compared.
From the Philadelphia Nerth American

From the Philadelphia Nerth American.
To Judge by the hue aud cry raised in
different quarters about the Tariff Just en-.
acted, it might be thought that there is
some gross injustice perpetrated in it
What is the "retrograde commercial poll
cy," what measures of departure from the
tariffs of former years, or the tariff Of
England itself? The truth is that the
whole outcry is based on mere pretence,
aud intended only for effect 1t is thought
that we are in condition now to be cas-
lily coerced, and with characteristic ca.
gerness the British and American free
traders are bent on making business
matter of secession. The utter baseless
ness of the crusade SO vigorously opened
will appear by comparing the duties lev
led under the last three tariffs We have
had. The present duties are very nearly
those levied BY the tariff of ls46, and
much below those of 1912 They are al.
so much below the average of British
duties, for, though the public have been
made to believe that free trade is the es-
tablished policy of the British Govern
ment, there are heavier taxes at this mo-
mcnt laid on imports into England than
those we have put in the new tariff act
The leading articles of trade were tax.
ed as follows by the several tariff acts -
Beer, bonnets, boxes, brass manufactures,
brooms, brushes, buttons caps of all kinds,
clothing, carriages, China ware, cotton
goods generally, cutlery of all kinds, ex.
tracts, firearms, fine glassware, hats, sad
dlery and harness, soaps, silk goods: tin
manufactures, tobacco manufactured
woolens in part, &c, &c, all are 30 PEI
cent. alike in the tariffs of 1916 and
1861, and "a per cent, with few excep
tions, 10 that of 1857. And there are
at least as many instances 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 25 per cent now, which paid 30 per
cent in the tariff of 1916 Coke, earth
ern ware and crockery, plain glassware,
hair cloth, jewelry, wove delaines, &C.
The difference between the rates of tn e
tariff of 1916 and 1861 is really much
less than We had supposed before exam
nation, and it lies more in the fact that
on large class Of goods the duty is more
certain by being made specific than in
any increase Of percentage 1t is this
very certainty, however, aud the necessi.
ty to be honest which it creates, tha,
causes the futtering.
The British tariff on brandy is, unless
altered by special treaty SO far as France
is concerned, no less than So per gallon
while we now impose a duty of 81 pei
gallon only in 1916 it was 100 per cent
On iron their duty is 60 cents per hun
dred weight, or Sl2 per ton; and this on
all desert ptions, manufactures Of iron in
cluded. The tariff just enacted will av
erage about the same, ranging from So to
$50 per ton Manufactures of brass,
copper and tin are 81 80 per cwt. in
England, and here 80 per cent, our own
rate averaging the lowest Tobacco We
tax % to 30 per cent and in England it
pays three times as much. Wines We
now put at 40 per cent, Or the same as
in 1916, while the British duty is far
heavier, except SO Tar as the speclal
French treaty may provide.
But space fails to compare details in
exposure Of the loud and untruthful pre-
tense that the enactment of the present
tariff is extreme and unreasonable, justi-
flying rebellion in England, South Caro-
lima and New York alike. The tariff of
1856 averaged between 2l and 20 per
cent Oh the aggregate of dutiable goods,
aud Judging by whatever We have now
before us, the tariff just enacted will av-
erage very nearly the same, while the
free list will be much larger than before.
OF course our manufacturers will feel the
advantages of this tariff more decidedly,
because they are in better position to &C.
onomise in production but the British
have not the least reason to complain that
we have restored the rates which, from
1916 to 1857, gave US adequate revenues,
while afording moderate protection.