The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1868-12-24

publican journal which supported Mr..
lincoln, and also Gens Grant, and has
long opposed the Democratic party, has
nevertheless always maintained sound
views upon the tariff question. We
have nothing to say of the consistency
of such course, but leave that to be
settled by the Post itself. In late
number of that paper, it undertook to
give some good advice to the present
Congress on that subject, advice which
will no. doubt be thrown away, for Con-
gress seems only too willing to legislate
| in the interests of the overgrown mo-
nopolies Of the country, which are riot
ing in the profusion which comes OF
protection ''--of laying the burthen OF
upholdipg the government upon labor,
while capital and bloated wealth are
comparatively exempt The National
Mtel;gencer afirms that it saw state
mcnt, recently, that seemed to have the
sign of verify, showing that leading
manufacturing companies had, within
two or three decades, under the opera
ration of protective system, augmented
by profits their original investment eight
times over This would not seem
strange, it adds, since during the war
many manufacturers were making an
approx imation to one hundred per cent.
upon their productions! And yet, the
cry Of protection !" is still heard
Protection to those who are already
rolling in wealth; protection" to make
the rich richer, and the poor poorer.
This is the effect Of our present tariff
system-buildlng up monopolies, wh::yyi,r
by the aid of wealth and by combina-
ton, will control the Legislation Of the
country, control the elections, and set
up or pull down whomsoever they please.
But, here is the extract from the Post,
referred to in the opening of this article:
at seems to be now generally admitted that
it is the business and duty of Congress to so ar
range the tax system as to raise the largest rev.
enue with the least burden to the people. The
people will no longer bear trifling and tinker
ing in this matter. They demand that the tax
es shall be so laid as not needlessly to Cypress
them; and they will not tolerate any longer
that "protection" and revenue shalt be mixed
up What is for revenue should so stand
what is for "protection" should SO stand.
I" Now, the example of Great Britain shows
us that it is not wise, and not all necessary for
the purpose of raising large revenue, to lay
duties, either external or internal, on a great
number of articles. In 1912 the British Coy
ernment raised, with much difficulty, and by
constant war against smugglers, and ruinons
interference with trade, twenty-one millions of
pounds sterling from duties on ], l62 different
articles. In 1862 it raised, easily, without OPP
pressing the people, or injuriousy interfering
with trade, twenty-four millions, from duties
on only forty-fOur articles. -
ado we need more proof than this, or better,
to show us that our present system, wasteful
and corrupting as everybody owns it to be, is
not even the best to raise large revenue? II
we may raise the amount of revenue we need
rom duties, external on internal, on fifty or a
hundred articles, is not that better than to lay
iuties on several thousand, as is now done?
. "Butit is equally true, and equally well-es-
ablished, that very high duties yield far less
evenue than moderate and reasonable rates.
On this head we have before us an Instructive
Example In the returns of the business Of the
atlantic Telegraph Company. Everybody re-
members that this company when it began bus
uess charged very high prices for messages,
nd that it has gradually lowered its rates - |
from July to November, 1865, it charged one |
undred dollars, gold, for a message of ten |
cords from November, 1866, to November, |
S67, it charged only half that amount-fifty |
ollars, gold in December, 1867, it lowered |
Is rates to five guneas-about twenty-six dol
ars, gold and on the LIST of September Of the |
resent year there was a still further decrease |
0 little less than seventeen dollars per mes
age. -
I" Now, according to the theory of the people
tho think high duties necessary to secure a
lrge revenue, the Atlantic Telegraph Compa-
v should have gone into bankruptcy some
lonths ago. But what are the facts? Under
ne highest tariff of prices the company re-
eived f505 per day for messages, and at that
me the return before us mentions that owing |
the novelty of the line, many persons sent
lessages not in the regular order of business
nd one newspaper, the Herald, paid the com
any an average of fl00 per day for a whole
lonth. -
" During the period in which the tariff was
'wered from fl00 to ESQ, gold, the company's
,ceipts rose from an average of f5O5 to an av-
age of ESQ per day.
"Then the price was reduced to S26, and the /
,ceipts rose to f635 per day. In this period,
owever, they were increased somewhat by an
nusual speculation in cotton. But when the
tie was still furthersreduced to ST. the daily
,ceipts, so far from falling below those from
LOO or $50 messages, still rose beyond-tbey
ave been, at this lowest rate, and in the alb
nee of exciting commercial events, e596 per
n.y., 80 &. -: ....- .t.5if5 L
+" Will not members Of Congress, bordering
e revenue question, take hint from this bit
the history of a shrewd and money making
'mpany. which has found-what the Govern
emit will find also-that the way to raise
rye revenue is to lay low rates of taxation p
DEATH OF A VETERAN-On the
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