Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-12-23
Tise Tariff Question.

which we Dnye seen no occasion Il
change, that every nation has the in.
herent right 0f ievying a tax upon the
of foreign merchandise,
whes-ler for the purposes OF revenue Vr
the protection of nome industry, or for
both of these objects combined. To
what extent and i'll respect TO what
articles this tariff right shall be eXer-
cised is purely matter of governmental
discretion. All nations must have an
adequate revenue, aud this they must
secure by some system oftaXation. The
simplest of all the admissible methods,
the one least Objectionable, and the least
likely to be fell as burden, is a tax on
imported merchandise. The addition of
protection to this object simply makes
the tax serve two purposes at the same
time-the one being that Of revenue,
and the other that of protection to
domestic industry against the cheaper
labor of other countries. A tariff for the
latter object, when circumstances re-
quire it, IS, in our Judgment, as legiti-
innate and proper as one that mainly
contemplates the former. We see no
distinction in the two cases, SO far as
the right or wisdom of imposing tariff
is concerned. They are both grounded
in the imperative necessities OF national
life.
Experience shows, as matter of fact,
that the American people are the pro-
ducers and manufacturers OF an extend
ed list of articles necessary for their own
use and consumption, which are also
the products of other countries; but
which, owing to the cheaper rate OF for
eign labor, cannot in this country at
lno "a
tariff. he produced at a price that will
enable us in our own market to compete
with the foreign production. This is
the undeniable fact with which We have
to deal. Shall American labor then be
undersoLd in tue home market, and thus
be thrown out of employment; or shall
il. for the present at least, be protected
against the pauper labor of Europe. We
have no objection to free list of articles
not produced or producible in this coun-
try; but when we come to those that we
can ourselves create, and will do so with
proper governmental encouragement,
then we believe in a protective tariff to
the full extent of its necessity, in oppo-
sition to the doctrine of free trade
The American people have, first and
last, tried not a few experiments upon
this subject-modifying and changing
the tariff according to the ascendancy of
this or that political party; and facts
abundantly show that home industry
and home manufactures in large and
important branches thereof have -four
ished when, they have been suitably
protected, and as uniformly languished
when this has not been the case. Such
a fact, as practical guide to legislation,
is worth more than thousand theories.
Even il the present price of certain arti-
cles be increased by protection, the peo-
pie can better afford to pay the price
than to be u5ldersotd in their own mar
ket by the starvation prices of pauper
labor In the end, as Alexander Ham
ilton clearly saw, and the history OF
beet-sugar production in France amply
proves, protection that encourages do
mestic production cheapens the price
rather than increases it. Manufactures
thus protected make market for agri-
culture, and agriculture feeds manufac-
lures, and to a large extent supplies the
raw material. We have our workshops
in our own country. Consume and
producers are brought into intimate re-
lations with each other; and to both
there is a great saving in the tax on
transportation. That diversity in the
81 to public thrift is hence secured.
fhe tariff question, as we presume, is
one of the subjects that will engage the
attention of Congress at its present ses-
sion. We do not object to any revision
of the existing tariff that will improve
it and make it more generally useful, or
relieve it from the charge Oh favoring
special interests: yet we should exceed
ingly regret any change that would
materially reduce the receipts of the
Government from this source. 1t served
a most admirable purpose during the
war; and. moreover, the Government
still needs, and for years to come must
have, large supply OF gold, and of this
supply the tariff must be the source.
The business of the country has adjusted
itself to its rates, and unless il can be
improved with high degree of practical
certainty its schedule of specific duties
had better be left to stand as they are.
Manifestly the country does not need
lower. .tariffwhen our imports are so much
in excess of of our exports. We have
large Cebt on hand, the interest of which
must be paid every year, and the princi-
pal of which ought to be reduced at the
annual rate of at least $50, 900 900; and to
meet these requirements the Govern
ment needs its present gold receipts.
The proper place, in our judgment, to
tighten the burden of taxation is in the
department of internal revenue. Here
it is most directly and severely felt, with
no benefits arising from protection; and
hence here we would afford the relief,
without disturbing the existing tariff in
its main features and principles. 1t is
wise to let well enough alone.
Mr. Chase--The Fifteenth Amendme nt--
The Democratic Presidential n Nomina-