New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-01-16
THE SENATE TARIFF BILL.

In the House Of Representatives., ut the lasI
session, the Tariff bill as originally reported
raised the rates of duty about 20 per centum.
This was a great gain for our industry, but the
sober calculations of the Committee on Ways
and Means were swept away In the confusion
of debate, and the bill as passed and sent to
the Senate was materially changed. Still it was
an improvement upon the existing Tariff, ana
VIC should have been satisfied had the Senate
odopted it, But the history of Protection i'll the
last session is one of dispute and disappoih-
mept. The Senate postponed its consideration,
and this year the Finance Committee have
offered a substitute for the House bill, elaDo-
rate and thorough, which still further lowers
the average duty upon our imports. Ot the points
Of difference, the following are the more I'M
portant:
The House bill imposed duty of so cents
on wooden cloths, which the Senate bill would
reduce TO As, though it properly retains the
duty upon the staple of 10 cents per pound,
and 10 cents ad valOrem. Cloth importers VIII
demand still further reduction, and, we lear,
may get il. On carpets, the Senate bill strikes
ont the ad vaorem rate, and reenacts the spe-
cific duty of the present Tariff decided
reduction from the House bin. On cigars,
which the House would rate at So 90 per
pound, the Senate bill places a duty of but
%. retaining however, so per cent nd valorem.
The duty on f1ax in the House bill is $50 per
tun in the Senate bill it is but SIS. duty
of but cents per square yard and 10 per cent
ad valOrem is proposed on linens, while the
House bill fixed the rate a. cents. The du-
ties on teas and coffee are doubled by the
Senate bill, one of the few instances OF an in
creased rate. The 90 per cent adj valorem up
on books is reduced to 10.
The Senate bill, however, is much better than
| the present Tariff, and than that proposed by
| Commissioner Wells Cotton manufactures are
well protected the rates of the House bill on
steel. iron. dress goods, and wOrsteds are re-
tanned, and, we regret to add, those on coal.
We should not complain if the BILL as it stands,
were adopted by the Senate; for ii is not likely
10 be improved by amendments. Yet the fact
that the present Tariff does not prevent our
people from expanding about S3OO,OO0,OOO per
annum for imports ought to convince Congress
that an increase of at least 25 per cent on the
existing rates is demanded by our industrial
interests.
| We must protect our manufactures thoroughly
| III we WOuIu ClcNate our htihu'iih vi i''"'i'
Unskilled labor, employed in the rnder toas,
! does not obtain half the wages paid to manu-
featuring workmen, and the real labor-power
of the country cannot be utilized without n
tariff that shall neccsstate its development.
To reap the value Of our strength, We must
use it, and not depend upon the manu-
features OF other nations. IL here ia our
granary, our market here must be our
workshop. So long as foreign nations, by the
help of free trade are able to keep down the
price of American manufactures, the wages of
! the laborer are kept down, and it is time that
every workman in the land should know that
the enemies of protection are the instruments
of European monopolies and that it is they
who would give England, France, and Belgium
mrcstraincd permission TO undcrscll us in our
own markets