Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-03-28
senator Morrill, on the Tariff.

L.
Secretary OF Civil and Military Affairs.
senator Morrill, or the Tariff.
Senator Morrill,, in his remarks in the
Senate on Thursday, (who is the author
of the present tariff system, expressed
the opinion that the revenue this year
can be reduced fifty million dollars. In
making this reduction he takes the
ground that the highest weight which
can be imposed, though internal taxes is
felt to be more oppressive than the
heaviest tariff. The universal desire is
TO set aside internal taxes of whatever
kind as soon as the eXigencies of the
Government which called them forth
shall have passed away. They have an
swered great national purpose, as the
reserved power of the country, and will
soon b. disbanded until again wanted.
by at once dismissing all of thom, with
the exception of those on tobacco, cigars.
spirits, malt liquors and possibly stamps.
We shall have then parted with 0nc-half
dollars more than can be spared from the
1ariff. Mr. Morrill, Is also of the opin-
Ion lat long list Of articles, producing
only the considerable sums of revenue,
and rarely produced or prOducable in
our own country, shall be transferable to
the free list This will not only cut off
revenue not needed, hut diminish the
labor anil expense of the Custom House
Department. and SO far rs any raw ma
tcuals Az included. it will be adyanta-
e.oU5 Ia the industry OF the country.
Tla h.il reported by the committee in
part, guided by thu report of the Treas
ly department., making long stride in
yhja objection and yet stopping far short
81 what tins committee anticipated, be
~a0@a Of the extent and surprising alert
ness Of American thrift Hardly an
ltem could lie proposed to be translated
co tlle free list h~foro it would be found
that somewhere in orr broad country it
hal home and diligcnt nrusing leading
10 the conviction that no fOundings are
tolerated in American trade. That ac-
counts to- the last amendment of the
committee. Hhich strike off some items
from the free Hst as originally reported.
The addition to the free list will reduce
the number Of taxable articles hereafter
10 De retained in the tariff. and those in
any tariff largely specified must be CON
siderable bat the falseh0od by which
iuoy have been exaggerated in relation
to on. present tariff deserves Il passing /
exposure 4 duty for instance has been
imposed upon all leather, every one
knows that to be a generic term. which /.
includes Whoio classes of every sort and /
description of leather. amounting per
hap, 10 fifty or more varieties In order .
TO make it appear that the tariff was a
bioated monster with an intermiDable .
taii, ,hnSc separate varieties are all
counted aud so on to the end With
everything else So swell the aggregate
number Of articles said to be enumerated.
Of course when such articles are exempt
ed tra!n duties they have to be specit-
cally uam"l. although they may not
nave been - uShcd when the duties
were originally imposed The speech
IF Mr. Morrill, was a forcible and telling
argument in favor Of retaining the main
features of the present tariff But it
get remains to be seen what disposition
viii be made Of the tariff by Congress.
The TARIFF QCEouoH.-Mr. Ere
inghuysen Of New Jersey, on Thursday,
uade an eloquent and able speech in fa-
'or Of protective tariff in the Senate.
lie took the broad ground that taxes
hould be removed from those articles
which are necessaries, used by all, and
which are uot produced in this country,
md should be imposed on those foreign
products which come In competition c
With the manufactures and productions c
II our own industrial classes so that !
Ut industrial classes may, un- /
Ter the system Of society in which they
i've be able to compete successfully
With the cheap labor of Europe also
hat the business Of our government is !
lot merely to protect the lives, liberties
nd property of the citizens also if 1t
als to see to it that the American arti- 4
an shall buy the productions of the
American farmer, and that the Ameri-
an farmer shall buy the productions of Il
ne American artisan, rather than that ri
tber shall patronage foreigners. The +,
enator from New Jersey has given d
Oble utterance in behalf of the Ameri- W
IN farmers, q
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