New-York tribune., 1869-01-05

referred to for phiosophc theory their sca Legislation
!, essentially framed In accordance with what seems TO
then tobe the dictates of selfnerest and in fact it may
we'll no Nubted whether in modern times any financial
ecsston under its most favorable conditions,
omoht 70 ze any other principle than that Of
TiSIiensG ts;ShIs. Such selfshness, however, does
not necessarily Imply onS snehty nroyes m tIa
pnruc ana private traIsao -. Axtelded and most
profitable when nutuality Of interest between
ties concerned is fairly regarded
Furthermore. while IL is undoubtedly true that the
leading commercial nations of Europe do foster certain
Of ndsy S na and tray S
from what We call protection In the United States. The
method OF Engana eSPesia is 70 remove DuIdeS en- s S
contrary 10 levy tax, thereby increasing cost ana re-
20 sun Sa one obr bdnny @ ~ 70 II
duce one the method OF abundance the other OF scarcity
Oh os d amd s Iu nces % we boTd - ~ We'll 70 con
slider this difference and study the lesson which teaches
tax paid Wholly OF in part by the consumer, aud shows
how much moie easily 100000 600 In tariffs are collected
from imports Of tea sugar, and coffee than they we're
under Internal Revenue law from the domestic manu-.
factures Of iron boots and shoes, clothing cotton ara
price is increased by the entire amount of the duty thus
showing that paid yo By hs Ss SRS & &SP anS Th Snd y
articles the divided between the importer and con-
Some forms of barron and OF liquors, cigars, oats.
butter potatoes cattle the hoof, and fine woods, are
examples Of articles on which duties are imposed uuder
the present tariff sufficient wholly or IN great degree to
The General concuson therefore, Of this investigation
is that while the imposition increase OF taxation under
the tariff always occasions an increase In the price oi
imported articles TO the consumer II cannot be affirmed
that such increase Is always commensurate With the
duties imposed or that the duty Is always ~oy pad Dy
That the imposition orncrease OF tariff doescontribue
specifically TO diminish or prohibit impertaons cannot
be doubted as 10 use but single illustration. the ex-
perence under the increased tariff wool passed March,
1867, sufficiently demonstrates Thus, the net import OF
foreign WOOL which amounted TO S96g9 pounds III 1904
and in 1866 declined to 295o9S III 1861 ana to
2l,6s2, ,l66 in 1868.
But whatever may be the force Of specific examples It
equally certain that consideratono o the whole sub
lect viii show that no material Iedaoh9n OF mpora
pIoyedcan bc effected through any practicable
Of the existing tariff This will appear evident when we
reflect that the articles which constitute very consider
able part Of the value OF mportatons are not articles OF
strict luxury, which be dispensed with at VIII, but
articles whose consumption the people VIII NOT Iehqsn
except upon the pressure OF extreme poverty or necessary
or others which absolutely essential 10 the contin-
ance great branches OF domestic industry Thus for
example, the four articles OF tea coffee sugar ana mo
theimports for the fiscal years exclusive OF buon
Tn teo the average rate of duties being 10 per cent
returned value Of the imports was sJleSii IN Loo
the average rate OF duties on tods .,1 gsg s
In short Il IL other and far different agencies than the
rates OF duty which may be imposed under tariff that
determines the extent and value Of importations
The rate Of duty imposed by the existing tariff on the
invoice value in gold Of the dutiable goods imported into
the United States has averaged for the last three fiscal
years about is per cent.
fto these rates freIghts insurance. and commissions.
which themselves constitute natural and unayoidable
tariff be added, the average OF duties VIII nc sim hrAeF
increased 90 the extent of FROM 10 to Is per cent
Again. the requirements for revenue growing out OF
the war having nccessItated the creation OF allper
vading system OF internal taxation subsequent TO
the increase Of the tariff In 1901 It became absolutely
necessary in order prevent such Increase from being
ueutTalzed by the taxes levied on the PRODUCES OF
domestic industry 70 neIehse % al ras, ~
products, which cId WAS steadily Kept III view ana III
great attained Ia The respective acts o June 80
Notwithstanding those extreme rates higher than have
ever before levied by the United States or by any
civilized nation in modern times aud higher as we nave
Just shown. by minimum OF hye per cent thah h mo
als IN great gree to check mporatons or Ia give
that gree Of protection To which persons ongaged ~
cd 10 Congress that they are riehfuly entitled. -
The Commissioned states the reasons OF ths phenoine,
non 10 e the depreciation IN our paper money ana the
inmate levy OF high tariffs on nearly all imports,
in "oI tolatlon Of Tie principle Of protection 10 our
NAM md OF tho interests of Revenue or the effect
OF the tirr shp-bu'idiug Mr. Wells says -.
There ac tlnee things the importation Of which "a the
publications. aud ships In addition TO tbls measuis 81
Tor Tho benefit of American shipbuidcrs and eowhers
bounty IN me , resie1,9s Mhin m ths me ~ trade
aud yet to-day, speaking generny IN respect 10 ocean
traffic neither build' buy nor hcll an American
Tho same systcm moreover Of checks and balances
under The taun which we have thus thown TO exist In
spbudng has been also 10 far extended 20 every othor
trade to-day furnished TO hand without cost Their
use must be exceedingly limited for the renson mat tho
hrh prices 0f ai domestic commodities would eectualy
prevent that exchange with foreign countries wheh Ia
OF thS tafi OF 20 per cent on lumber he says that
such Is tie demand that lumber since 1861 has advanced
supply Of fore gn lumber o. g. from the British Pro
yncesj being absolutely essential 10 meet the feqre
incuts OF the countrY-a fact generally cOnceded-two
Things follow matter OF necessity aat, that whatever
duty imposed ON the foreign product Is pald wholly
by Inc consumer and is therefore equivalent 10 20 much
direct tax aud secondly, that tho price Of the Imported
article regulates and determines the selling price OF the
domestic product at least FOR al that portion o Ihe lale
when posed 10 tho competition oi 'he foreign supply
In the open and leading markets Whatever therefore.
under these circumstances enhances the price OF foreign
lumber be II tax or some other agency whinOn hcce5
same extent Or In other words, tax on the imporle-
ton foreign lumber becomes alfo tax upon the con-
tia difference that Ia the one case The proceeds o The tax
results to the benefit Of The national treasury ana IN Tho
other % the benefit exclusively Of private Interests
Let 10 what these respective taxes amount
The net invoice value OF the inporthtion e Ioush ui
half millions of dOllars While tho value Oi Tue domestic
product for the same period or thl I' Gl ~ Tv men t %
approximately estimated az ltyonr millions For every
dollar therefore that rs taken in the form oi direct nN
seven taken indirectly through the increase OF prices
or ~ other words 22loooo currency are received into
tbe treasury ~ an Indirect cost ofhbOut sixteen Millions
Aud this Is not ALL 70 per cent OH the Increased price of
lumber mems q per cent In tho increased price Of houses
70 per cent III the increased price OF vessels OF fences of
railroad tes, ana other constructions OF which wood 10
the principal constituent All these find their
IN he increase OF wages ana OF the cost OF other forms OF
raw ma'eral and these in turn augment the cost OF
manufactures and thus tile Of taxaon eInanaing
iuy cOhhOn center continues 10 extend and enlarge
llsi uhtii no man the breadth and power
moreover NE Increase IN Tie price ~ humber has been S1
IN odree Q atero0c increase "a he piee Of labor
The interest Of lumber production. therefore judged
simply by cOmpafOn, does stand terms OF c9aty
in respect 10 claim for protection with other products
and II 1t did, there can DO benefit shown To accrue
from taxation levied on the importation lumber that
wi In any degree, compensate for the Injury tlat
thereby inevitably etailed upon other branches OF in
dustry To tax lumber therefore, under the tariff even
10 the slightest extent 10 discriminate against rather
| than protect American industry
QuOtinK testimony and facts relative 10 manufacture
OF salt at saginaw and Jracuse Mr. Wells argues in IA
Of reduction OF tariff on salt He argues also that
manufacturers OF pig iron ought reduction of
the tariff that article the ground that their profits
| hfol.