Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1870-03-09

TaTIn on Coal - Letter from Hon.
FranoIg homas.
The Baltimore n riedR publishes the fol-
lowing letter from op. Francis Thomas In
defence OF the ca Interests Of Maryland.
kdthe matter an ID 10 was published also
In the RI Hit9S, We. transfer Gov.
Thomas lett X y osucolums.
CiNprnLAup. March T. IsIo,
DEAR SIRi / have this moment read In 1hs
Aiasriedn a sketch Of q speech made BY Mr..
Brooks, OF New York, 10 the House OF Rep.
resentatlves, on the tariff bill, and ask per-
mission to guard against an erroneous
Impression which this sketch IL calculated
to make, by the publication Of this note In
The American, | am unwilling to suppose
that this sketch furnishes q full report Of
Mr.. Brooks remarks, as It does not furnish
. fair statement Of what was said by himself
before tho Committee Of Ways and Means.
In speaking OF the advocacy, by certain
manufacturers Of iron and woollen and cot.
ton cloths, Of the repeal Of the duty on coal,
l characterized their course as unreasonable,
especially a. coal miners In Maryland we're
compelled 10 pay very high prices for manu-.
featured articles OF that character, by reason
Of the heavy duties levied upon rival oommo.
dltles Imported from foreign waters, and said
that coal miners might need little or no pro.
lection II all duties on imports and all our
excise taxes could DO or were repealed.
Gen. SchOnck, chairman Of the committee,
interrupted me by inquirlng II I would advo-
cate such O pollcyt smiled, and said
would DO very sorry TO go before tho public
as an advocate for direct tax to supply the
wants Of our Treasury.
Now this colloquy with General 8. ls omit
tod In the sketch which have asked per-
mission TO notice. And yet no one con read
II and fall to perceive that would consider
i ludicrous for any candidate for popular
favors to advocate the policy Of repsallng
our laws, impoaing duties on foreign impor-
tatlons, requiring licenses from dealers, and
leVylng excise taxes on certain commodities,
and OF relying upon taxes on Visible real
and personal property, according to its
value, TO supply the wants Of our national
Treasury. II ls true, as stated In thls
sketch Of Mr.. Brooks remarks, that I estl-
mated the contributions to the national Trea-
Sury, by miners Of bltumlnous coal for the
markets In our Atlantic cities, and by those
who are assisting to purchase that coal for
those markets, and by the railroad compa-
mics engaged In Transporting thls coal, At q
sum exceeding two millions Of dollars, and
In the accuracy Of that estimate have en-
tire confidence. But ! did not then intl-
mate, and do not now suppose that those
miners and their eoadjutors in the develop
ment Of vast and inestlmable domestic In
duStrY, desired to be relieved from contrib.
utlng their fair share Of taxes required for
administering our redeemed aud regenerated
Government, by repeal Of the tariff on i'm
ports, or the taxes imposed to collect inter.
nal revenue. They are ready to pay, as con.
sumers, fair proportion OF the revenues
called for. But they protest, and in their
namo l respectfully protested before the
Committee Of Ways and Means, against leg
islatlon which would ruin these tar paying
citizens, and would build up fortunes and
copgregRte crowds OF the Skilful laborers
(whom We want) outside Of the Jurisdiction
Of the United States, and beyond the reach
Of our tax gathererS, 10 Nova Scotia.
Very respectfully,
FRANcIs THOMAS.