New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-07-29
COMMON SENSE IN LRGIsLATION

COMMON sBNsE IN LEGIsLATiON.
Our three last Congresses wero chosen "l'n
no reference, pro or con, TO the economic theo'
rcs over which philosophers wrange; bu' e"ch
of them has 50 legisl8ted as to combine large
increase of our National Revenue from customs
with decided ard wholesome incidental fro'
lection TO those branches Of our National In
dustrv most exposed to embarrassment and
overthrow from Old-World competition. And
the late Trade Convention at Detroit, composed
of representatives of the Business Men OF most
of our cities, passed, with but one dissenting
voice, resolve distinctly affirming the wisdom
and necessity of combining, in eny future modi-
fcatons of our Tariff, the two objects afore-
said. Such, we cannot doubt, is the settled
Judgment of the American business world.
When Congress n 1916, '1s, 80, -, ~, and
-, attempted TO revise the Tariff in the interest
of Protection, the clamor of the seabOrd organs
Of mercantile opinion was incessant and dcafen-
ing that Protection ,oould min Commerce, thereby
drying up revenue from Imports, compelling a
resort to Direct Taxation to support the Govern
meut But, in emphatic defiance to these dole
full predictions, as the duties were made more
and more Protective, the revenue from Imports
steadily increased, until our large Public Debt
was entirely paid off from the proceeds OF i'm
posts which had been denounced as destructive
OF Revenue.
Directly thereupon, the Tariff, in Difference TO
South Cardinals threat of Modification, was so
modified as to fall gradually, to what had been
indicated by the Free Traders as the true Reye'
nue. standard-a nearly uniform impost OF
twenty per cent: when it was found that
Rersnue Tariff yielded but half the amount of
revenue required, and we were constrained to
retnrn to Protection in order to pay our way. In
a state of profound peace. without dollar Of
Public Debt, We were running behnd.hand at
the rate of several Millions per annum, when
Congress, in 1912, returned to Protection. and
thereby promptly and permanently augmented
the Revenue to the full extent required. The
"Black Tariff" which was stigmatized as
destructive Of our foreign Commerce, actually
and permanently increased it.
That Tariff was overthrown By fraud, as il
could not have been by fair means. We who
supported Mr.. Clay in ISii said frankly to the
People, ave are for the Tariff as 1t is. 1t
sufficeS alike for Revenue and Protection. If
you think so, vote with US and maintain it,"
Our adversaries eyaded the issue. Their can.
didate tricked the Pennsylvanian and other
Protectionists by his equivocating letter to
Kane. Francis W. Hughes held debate with
William b. Reed in the Dutch iron region of
Pennsylvania, wherein he essayed to prove that
Polk was better Protectionist than Clay. The
Democratic journals said, "See we have put
Pennsylvania Proteotonst George NJ. Dallas,
on the ticket with Polk, to render it certain
that the Tariff shall not be repealed" Thus
Polk was barely elected; and thereupon the
Tariff of AZ weS repealed by The casting rots q
Gesrge NJ Dallas.
That trick is good for once. and no more.
We have now once more Tariff incidentally
Protective. We mean to keep il So 1t will
yield fully One Hundred Millions per annum
of revenue after our country shall have re-
covered from the commissions and devasta-
tons of Civil War; while it will enable many
branches of Manufacture to prosper and ex.
pand which would inevitably 60 to the wall,
under the pressure Of foreign competition and
heavy direct taxation, if the Tariff were Ere
constructed" on o Free Trade basis. We give
fair notice, then, that our exposed interests and
those affiliated or in sympathy with them will
not surrender this Protection without struggle,
and do not mean to be juggled out Of it. For
the next Congress, we deem it perfectly safe;
and the friends of diversified and self-ccntered
National Industry will know who is who when
Members are chosen to its successor.