Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1866-07-18
The Tariff and the MOnOpOIistS.

Should the proposed tariff bill be-
come a law, the groans Of the people
will speedily be turned into impreca-
tions. They have endured taxation
for the purpose of sustaining the cred
it Of the government without a mur-
mur, and will endure whatever burden
the national faith and the national
honor may require. From being the
most lightly taxed people upon the
earth, we are fast becoming the most
heavily taxed. The revenue of the
United States is not exceeded by the
revenue Of any other people, and is
already larger than the burdens of the
public debt and the necessary demands
upon the public treasury require. The
income from the internal revenue for
the year ending 30th June was $685.
| 100000, and that from customs s170,-
100000 in gold. Reducing this last
to paper, at the premium of only 80
per cent, we have a gross income for
the fiscal yea- of s536,000,000 But
there are other receipts from lands
and miscellaneous sources which carry
the gross amount to over five hundred
and fifty millions. Now, in the face
of these enormous returns, the Amer
lean people are called upon by the
advocates of the proposed tariff to
increase the present scale of duties
upon every article which comes in
competition with American manufac-
lures. For what purpose? Not to
pay the debt. The present revenue
provides amply for that, but to swell
the profits of the manufacturing inter-
ests. There is great clamor among
the Immediately interested for the
protection of domestic industry, and
TO prevent our manufactures from be-
ing destroyed by the competition of
foreign productions. But the simple
minded farmer of Maryland or of the
West will not comprehend the neces.
sity for further protection at his ex-
pense of manufacturing enterprise and
capital, much OF which within the past
year have declared dividends of fifty
and one hundred per cent. Let us
take one item, which will serve as n
sample of the Unsuitable appetite for
protection which has prepared the
dish of oppression of which we are
to eat.
As stated by Mr.. Raymond, of New
York, the duty on railroad iron was
raised last year from sl2 40 to SIS IS
per ton in gold. There was last year
an internal revenue duty thathas been
taken off for the benefit of the manu-
facturer, and yet the pending tariff
bill proposes to raise the duty on i'm
ported railroad iron to S22 80, which,
added to the freight and insurance,
all of which are to be paid in gold,
makes the proposed tax on railroad
iron s4S ton in currency over and
above its cost abroad. There are two
railroads mentioned by Mr.. Raymond
the New York Central and the Erie
railroads-each Of which consume
about 10000 tons of railroad iron an
nually. AT the proposed rate of duty,
these roads togcher, will pay nearly
two millions cf dollars for the sake Of
protecting this one manufacturer
These roads, with tho Baltimore and
Ohio and the other roads of the coun-
try, are to transport the produce of
the farmer, and thus the effect comes
home directly in increased charges to
the producer. Other articles of hard
ware, cutlery, clothing, carpets, from
the ladies needles TO the blacksmith's
slodge, from the coarsest blankets TO
the finest Wilton carpet, must pay
the same tribute not merely for pro-
lection but for the overwhelming ag-
grandizement of manufacturers, who
are already enjoying privileges and
advantages for wealth beyond any