New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-02-15

alone of over One Hundred and Fifty Millions
Der annum-an amount wholly unprecedented
in our history. And, while our Internal taxes
(manly because of their reduction) yield less
and less annually, our Tariff still affords the
wherewithal for paying all the interest
on our Debt, and something over. III Is III
short the sheet-anchor of our National SOL
vency-the Malakoff of our National honor.
Collecting our Duties on Imports in coin, we
are able to pay our interest as we covenanted
to do; when, if we had to buy the gold, Its
price might be ruinOusy aggravated by the
arts and devices of gold gambling.
The Copperheads would like to upset the
Tariff, if only that the Government might thus
be driven to default in the payment of the IN
terest on its Debt. Hence, their representa-
tives in Congress vote for every scheme that
depletes the Treasury on the one hand and for
every one that diminishes the Revenue on the
other. They are equally at home in voting to
cut down the taxes and to pay twenty per
"cent. extrar to the Washington employees OF
the Government.
The steamship Cuba, from New Orleans via
Havana to Baltimore, recently attempted to
land lot of Struggled cigars from Havana,
but was caught and brought to grief Any
inspector must have known that the pretense
of bringing homemade cigars from New
Orleans to sell in the North was fraud, and
should be dealt with accordingly. Yet The
Herald observes that "the high duties on
foreign importations virtually offer direct
premium on smuggling" That objection
applies to our Income Tax, our Whisky
Tax, and many other domestic imposts
as well. Wherever taxes are imposed, knaves
will seek to evade them: we pay officers to
detect and battle these rogueries. We must
raise money by taxatOn-nOt less than Two
Hundred and Fifty Millions per annum-so. if
the fact that knaves try to evade the payment
of their taxes should impel us TO abolish or
reduce those imposts, we might rs well go into
bankruptcy at once But Move shall hold on
to our taxes and pay our honest debts.
The World thus "improves" the advance in
Sugars, growing out of the progress of civil
war in Cuba:
.Tne revolution Cuba and the abolition OF Slavery
that island are likely to have important effect upon
this country Raw sugars have advanced cent per
prices may regarded fully two cents higher than
wouid be obtnned had Cuba renamed tranquil This adj
Will undoubtedly greatly stimulate the production ofsugur
~ ~ Lcian' ana e ,p az 9ii have ibe sfdr on
hand for this stage Of the Stocks of swces IN
were one year ago The so comes early enough also
have it effect upon the produeen Of maple sugar aud
sorghum The higher cost Will likewise limit c0nsump-
tion facts must al be taken into the account IN
considering the future Of the sugar market
with the increased home production and the dImn-
i.hed importation which appear TO be IN IroSct, to
falling on In the duties on imports; nnd II becomes
practical question Of present interest whether reduc'
tion ia the tar sugar j. not necessary to prevent
total loss Of reyenue tnerefrOm serous burden upon
the people, to the advantage of spectators only"
Comments by The Tribune.
II was sagaciously observed by President
Madison, in one of his Messages more than half
a century ago, that an article might be imported
in time of peace cheaper than 1t could be made
at home, and yet be dearer in the long run,
because dependence on its production abroad
inevitably subjected our supply and its price
TO tho chances of War. This truth is now
brought home to us by the advance in the
price of Sugar. We are producing more than
we have done for years we are, probably, not
consuming so much as we have recently done;
no new demand for this staple has sprung
UP yet the price has suddenly risen upon us,
and is likely to rise still higher, because of n
CONFUSION in Cuba. France, which for half
century steadily pursued, unmovcd by torrents
of obloquy, Misrepresentation, and rdlcule, the
policy of Home Production cherished 10y Pro-
much cheaper than we do, and will hardly
feel the convulsion in Cuba, which will cost
our people Millions in the price of their Sugar
alone. Nearly all the countries of continental
Europe. following i'll the wake of France, are
now producing at home Sugar from Beets much
cheaper than its cost TO them while they de-
pended for their sweets on the product Of the
tropical Cane shall we not profit by the les
son Surely, the fact that imported Cane Sugar
grows scarcer and dearer should not ncite us
to reduce our duties, and thus discourage
home production, just when we are learning
that to depend OH importing our Sugar is to
lean on reed that is constitutonally frail and
habitually breaking.
The World, we are happy to see, perceives
that the advance in Cuban Sugar tends to
increase our Home product, not only of Cane
Sugar at the South, but of Maple Sugar ut tho
North, and of Sorghum Strip at the West
1--WE hope it may stimulate the production of
Beet Sugar alsO] The World could not see
that such would be the necessary effect of an
advance in the price of Pig Iron; but we are
happy to find it right once n month or 3d.
There can be no rational doubt that our people
will produce far more Sugar and Molasses this
year than last, unless prevented by bad
season. And this will afford some compensa-
tion for the present dearness of imported Sugar
But we protest against any reduction OF the
duties levied on imported Sugars. such
change would but aggravate the loss OF
revenue from this source. We shall import
less Sugar this year than last, because there Is
less to import but that obstacle will not be
cvaded by diminution of the impost On the
contrary, let us hold fast TO the present duty