The Portland daily press., 1866-12-10
Revision of the Tariff.
PORTLAND

Revision of the Tariff.
1t is noteworthy fact that the Repubil-
can party, as at present constituted, tolerales
the widest difference of opinion touching
question of policy on either side OF when not
very long since two great parties ralleu' rlee
traders and protectionists are enroneu alhe
in the Republican ranks. The Leading adNo-
cates of both theories continue TO repeat the
well worn arguments, but the great mass of
the party listens with an entirely unaffected
Indifference The occasional attempts on one
side or the other, to read the opposing section
out of the party, are merely variations of the
otherwise monotonous discussion. If one
writer denies the fitness Of George William
Curtis TO represent the Republican State OF
New York in the United States Senate, be-
cause he believes in free trade, another WIN
equal force demonstrates the untitness oil HOT
ace Greeley, because he believes in pro'ec-
tive tariff, and both candidates continue W NC
recognized as in good and regular StahullS'
1t becomes an interesting inquiry, whether
anv oood cause can be assigned for the 2ener-
al Indifference to question OF such magni-
tude and importance. Is there merely truce
between The warning factions? Is there mere
~ tact understanding that this element of
discord shall be kept out of sight, until the
weiohtier matter of Reconstruction is settled?
IS this question, like all other questions of
mere policy, SO insi! niiicant compared with
the restoration of the national power and pres
tige, that it has passed out of mems minds
and is well nigh forgotten? The last solution
is probably nearer the truth than either ofthe
others, but there is something more to oe con
sidered. The policy OF the country in this
respect has been shaped for us not IN accord
ance with any theory but by the unalterable
dictation offacts. Practical and busy men, see
ing our policy so settled. have no relish left for
theories which under other circumstances
might be extremely interesting and useful.
These facts are, l. That the country needs
and must have revenue proportloned to its
debt. ,. That to secure such a revenue
heavy tax must be imposed upon our annual
earnings. B. That not to defeat its own
purp )se, the imposition of the tax must not
be allowed to diminish the gross amount of
our annual earnings. 4. That the effect of
taxation, if not counterbalanced by an in
creased tariff, will be to drive large amounts
OF capital out of bust ness i'll which it is al
ready invested, 20 disturb the industries and
thereby check the production Of the country,
and that accordingly heavy tariff is and is
likely to be, for some time to come, asindispen-
sable as heavy tax. This Is no time for
building up pet industries On the one hand or
trying free trade experiments on the other
With our present occupations we know what
We can expect from years end to years end,
and the problem fol practical statesmen, is to
make the weight of taxation, direct and indi-
rect, bear as equally as possible upon all our
varied pursuits So bearing, we can carry it,
with tolerable ease and steadiness, After we
have paid our debts it will be time to consid-
er theories again; just now they are out of
Sc ason.
The duties collected under the present tar
III amounted to more than 5,l7OOO0,000 dur
ing the last fiscal year. 1t provides therefore
an abundant revenue. These duties however
are collected under eight different acts of Con
gress. passed at different times, to meet the in
creasing eXigencies of internal taxation. Tie
b Il passed by the House of Representatives
at the last session would have been a ninth
The co infusion arising from this intricate mass
of legislation is extreme. Importers find it
difficult to ascertain with any certainty what
duties they will he compelled to pay; the dtl-
les assessed in one port differ from those at
another In many cases also, it happens,
through the accidental duplication OF taxes,
that the duty ON raw material and the tax on
the finished article together exceed the duty
on the finished article imported from abroad.
fhe removal of such inequalities and the sub
stitution of single act for the eight which
now cucumber the statute book, constitute
the substance OF the revision which the tariff
now needs. If the burden of indirect as well
as direct taxation can be safely lightened, as
Secretary McCulloch believes, it will probably
be thought best to reduce the duties first on
raw materials, which are produced mainly by
semi-barbarous countries and fer which we
can adyantageously exchange our manufae-
tured products.