New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-01-28
PAPER.

The Lower House OF Congress passed on
Monday resolution to reduce the duty on pa
per from 90 per cent ad valorem to 3 per cent.
The measure is still to be acted on by the
Senate, where, it is to be hoped, more consid-
Grafton will be given to the subject than it
seems to have received in the House. To us it
seems that the time chosen to reduce the duty
on anything is most inopportuno one. The
imposition of duties on any foreign product may
be expedient for two reasons: 1t may be to pro-
tect the domestic growth or manufacture, or Tor
an increase of the revenue alone, while it shall
not interfere with the domestic production.
If the aim is to protect domestic production,
and thereby increase it, certainly the duty on
paper should not, because that very end is
gained, be taken off. But if the object is simply
to increase the revenue, without interfering with
the home product, it is clearly unwise to reduce
the duty when gold is at 2lO and upward, with
a corresponding rate of exchange, for it is this,
and not the duty, which prevents importation.
If paper can be imported at profit with gold
at 2lO and the duty at three per cent, then the
foreign article will drive the domestic ont OF
the market when gold is at par 1t will give us
cheap paper, but at The cost of the ruin OF the
manufacturing interest in this country. Is a
Republican Congress ready to adopt the policy
of Free Trader If SO, why stop at paper
Why not revise the Tariff altogether, reduce 1t
to mere revenue basis, and abandon the prinei-
ple of protection to American industry Paper
is not the only article the importation Of which
is interfered with by the high rate of exchange.
Why make an exception in its favor' Other
interests have an equal claim to legislative Ill.
diligence, and will not be slow to ask it when
precedent is once established. The common
and most forcible argument that high price oil
paper nterfercs with popular education may be
carried beyond reason. Books and newspapers
are still within the reach of even the poorest.
1t would be well enough to have them cheaper
| if thereby we do not make too great sacrifice
of other interests. Mere cheapness is not the
first object. Shirtings and calicoes, shoes and
hats broadcloths and blankets, and many other
daily neoessares of life il is desirable to have
cheap and abundant. But none except the adj.
voca,es of the, in our circumstances, clearly
suicidal policy of Free Trade, will seriously
propose that we should reduce tho duties on
such articles 10 admit Of their importation, at
the present rate Of exchange, SO that they can
compete with the American manufacture. "
would be quite "a reasonable, nevertheless TO
adopt suon policy as il is in the case OF paper
| Mr. Carey has shown, however, in his admit
raJle letter on this subject, which We published
some days ago, that cheap paper, in the long
run, is not to be attained by admitting it free,
or only at a nominal duty. Nobody yet has
attempted ~ refute his statement. We shall
have cheap paper when a competition in Its
manufacture is established among ourselves,
and We are entirely relieved from foreign de-
pendence and foreign combinations TO keep up
the price. Let American capitalists be assured
that We have a settled policy, and that they can
safely invest their money in the manufacture Of
paper, without the fear Of any other than Amer
lean competition. and the article will very soon
DO brought down to a price at which 1t can be
made with reasonable profit. We may safely
trust TO their sef-interest and to the restless in
genuity Of our people, which is ever seeking new
fields of enterprise. The latteC especially, is
crippled by the uncertainty which must now
attend all experiments to find cheaper raw
material in the manufacture Of paper. Unoer-
tanty is the bane of all commerce, and so long
as it is impossible to make any reasonable call
culation as TO what manufacturer or inventor
may have to contend with, just so long will
they be exceedingly wary OF putting money into
new experiments. Remove this uncertainty by
having it understood that the duties are not to
be meddled with, and capital will seek an invest
ment in the manufacture Of an article which has
been more profitable than almost any other for
the last three years, and consequently reduce
the price to q reasonable limit; and American
ingenuity viii soon discover raw material
cheap and abundant. We undoubtedly have
such material, but it is beyond our reach so long
as the abundant rags and cheaper labor of Eu.
rope prohibit us from the costly experiment OF
bringing it into use.
We know that many Of tho newspaper pub
fishers of the country do not agree with us.
Compelled temporarily to pay high price for
an article on which their profits are so depend
ent, they are, we think, blinded by a seeming
sei.intercst. For that very reason their views
and wishes are the less to be relied upon. If,
however, Congress permits itself TO be infu-
enced by them, we beg leave to remind it that
the Associated Press Of this city, embracing the
most influential journals, and Of the largest cir
nnlntinn In Tho cnnnirrr do nnf nj or wieh for