Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1870-08-25
WHAT OF THE TARIFF.

! Az NlhN1NANAA ~ - 49, -
ticles imported into this country
from foreign ports, is being dis
cussed throughout the country, anC
is likely to enter into the politica
discussions in tic present contes
for Members of Congress. AL
agree that a tariff must be levied
upon foreign imports for the pur,
pose Of defraying the expenses o.
the Government. The question is
not, as some would have, whetAel
we shall have free trale or levy 0
tariff Free Trade, in our view
would be TO admit all importations
free Of duty. We apprehend that
in this view of the question but
few'persons in our country would
be in favor Of free trade, especially
as no other country will admit our
commodities into their ports on the
same conditions.
If there were no other reasons
for leyying a duty on foreign
goods, we would be justified in do
ing so as a means Of self-defense
But all, we think, must admit the
necessity Of levying duty on for,
eign imports for the purpose Of
raising revenue. Now the ques-
ton is, How shall this be done?
Admitting that a horizontal tar
if of from 20 to 30 per cent upon
imports increases the prlco
to the consumer equal to the
amount levied, (upon tea, coffee
and every other article we do not
produce ourselves, it is a protec-
tion to those articles we can manu-
facture equal to the tariff leyied.--
But we have been so long accus-
toned to believe that justice to our
own manufactures and produces
should be carefully guarded. and
our own industry and capital pro-
tected, that in the adjustment of q
tariff we still think that incidental
protection is the correct policy in
the adjustment of a tariff for revo-
nue..
Our Congressman, in the assess
ment of a revenue, make their esti.
mates of the amount necessary to
be raised from this source; and we
cah'tsee with proper discrimination
that the amount, while it afforded
protection, would increase the rev.
enue in the aggregate, or require
the consumer to pay more in the
aggregate for what his necessities
required him to buy, For instance,
if the duty on certain articles that
we eau manufacture at home sho'd
be increased above the 30 or 30 per
cent. (supposing that to be the
amount to bc leyied) II
you reduce the tariff upon articles
of necessity we cannot manufacture
or produce equal to the increase
of duty on those we can manufac-
ture.
Admit tea and coffee free of duty
if you please, and put the amount
that q horizontal tariff would i'm
pose, upon those articles Of prime
necessity, and the consumer would
pay no more on the score Of rev
cue, or a protective tariff, if you
choose to call it so, than he would
On a purely horizontal tariff, or an
equal per cent, of duty on every ar
,icle we import. Since we cannot
nave absolute free hade, Is it not
Justice then to our own manufactur.
ng institutions and industrial in
,erests, that they should be guarded
lgainst the capital and pauper and
'heapor labor Of foreign coun-
,ries2
We know it is said by a certain
lass Of aspiring politicians, that a
arilf discriminating in favor of ar
icles we can manufacture at home,
$ a tariff for the especial benefit of
. combined capital, and that com
)ined capital Expresses the laboring
classes. Now, in order to carry on
Is extensive manufacturing cstab.
ishments as the necessities Of all
,lasses Of our country require, ii
equires heavy capital it cannot !
,e done without it. And the CAPT
al of the country, where all labor.
rs are free men, and no paupers,
he capitalist is as much at the
mercy Of the free laborer to perform 8
lis work as the laborer is depend /
mt upon the capitalist for the 1
rice OF his hire, II labor cannot c
ind an equivalent in a manufacture I
ng monopoly, As some savans have a
ermed manufacturing establish t