, 1869-03-22
IHE TARIFF QUEBTION IN MhssACBU.
HETTH

a report has recently been msdc by q
committee of the Massachusetts Legisla-
ture which goes far to justly the conclu-
sions Of Henry G. Carey, thst that State
is unEcund on the great questt N OF
protecting American Industry BY mesns
OF exurbltant and unnecessary taxes.
The Governor having commeu I'd In bis
annual message upon the "depreasion Of
commerce." the suhjee. was referred to
JOINT committee, which has made ma-
jorfJ and minority report. The ma-
joriiy OF the committee In considering
the depression OF "c7mmerce" use the
term as applied to navigation. This
they call American commerce, ard
they a.sune that Its depression is result
OF the rebellion. They assume that our
tonnage and foreign commerce would
have 1ega1ned lis foo.ipg at the close
CT the wsr had the government At the
commencement Of the rebcll,on allowed
our merchants 10 place their vestcls under
foreign flags, and after wards 10 regain
their home registration. This not having
been done, they recommend that Congress
replace under the American Gag such
American ships as have not been bona fde
so!d to foreign owners.
They recommend, also, that the
government grant libe.al subsidies to
American steamships to enable them to
compete with the British steamers.
Alter repeating the recommendation 10
give the American ship builder bounty
Of seven dclla1s In gold per ton or q
drawback OF The duties ou all
imported materials as an additional en-
courRgcmenr to American ahip building,
they recommend that all articles like tcs,
coffee, sugar or Others used on American
vessels, be allowed to be imported free oi
duty. With return 10 specie payments
AID a cheap rate Of internal railway
transportation, tcgcsher with ner IAN.
tile marine thus built up, they think on,
country would move on TO her high dcs.
tiny. Upon the tsrif the committee ust
this language:
"1n rtcA1d 10 the tsz,f p1setd On the produc
Ions o. foreign connstfsa, yen! committee wauls
cuetd 70 poa, that, ~h,!c gtvitg incitcn Al pro
lection. will give : sestnue only 10 aid IN ii.
Psf 81 Els ea5 u n na,io1.1 oniissioIs .na no
euunmtfee can be retai ned vhich IL not mn
nasns.H oT so noth parties, anu prohibttory rat.
.. ouuee would deprive a. OF tie 1everue ntce.
Tas nsao11ayiepoi ~ 1sp 'fRRSE sg aed b, N.ta,u1el
G. Nash and Levi S. Gould, Is much
stronger document. The causes OF tht
decline OF our fc1elgu commerce they iu
siss are not 10 be found alone wt:hin the
years cf the war. Before the war VIZ
weIc comparatively free from taxa!iou
and because Of grester natural advsnta-
gts We could compete In agricultural ant
mechs nical product With other na'ions
ltwas our ability 10 exchange, and thl
necessity os France anu Eagland to pur-
chAse, cur productions that puilt mp on
commence. II cur commerce were nov
unahAckled, it would need no g,vernmea
til protection 10 sustain II In successtu
competition with any nation. Mutus
benefit IL essential to commerce, and tn.
nation which restricts 1t most Will
injur,ng ali, injuries itself moEe tha
others.
Foreign ahips are in the main the ca,
riers OF our Imports and exports. Our shll
building Is exunc.- Whgs It coss Is
ton in currency to build ship in Bo
ton, and only e45 In gold in the Brl.ia
Provinces. The registered tonnage {
the United States increased from 1913 IS
tons In 1853 to a.4es, 9e3 tons in 1857, N
declined to l,845, ,285 tons in 1867. Th
periods Of the greatest increase wes
during the wars between the martini
powers OF Europe and succeeding Il
discovery OF god IN California.
The committee denounce the cupi dlt
Of the railroads that have not reduce
their fares or treights stnce the war
they hlve watered their stocks TO an ez
tent exceeding in some cases the origin
capital, and On this fictitious capisa
the public are paying tx Of $25, ,0o0, O.
annually. The fact is pointed out tha
the Pacific Railway will be coustrucse
OCT OF the proceeds Of the first morsgaf
bords, while the government bonds au
the lAnd, a. we'll a. the stock, will be
mere gin or subsidy to the corporators
The excessive grants to this compzn,,
and it, e1tortionate charges may 1esd th
government 10 take possession of au th
rosds making direct communication be
tween New York and San FfAnc,act
Such II act would be great asd I
cheap tuter-communicatlon and CONNER
c!al success Il was the building of raj
roads that settled the Weat Tbs coz
st1uc'ion cl TIE Erie Canal 1ed1es