Wilmington daily gazette., 1872-05-11
REMARKS OF MR.. s,ccs.
The Duty on salt.

On Wednesday the Tariff Bill WIS called up in
the United States House of Representatives. and
discussed in three minutes speech. The question
of the propriety Of repeating reducing the i'm
mense duty OH salt was reached and Mr. BIaos
submitted the following objections to the continu-
ance OF the duty. HIS pain. concise and fcrc,hlc
speech cannot fail to strike and impress every can
did and unprejudccd reader;
''Mr. Riggs. Mr.. Chairman. propose to sub
INIT lew remarks against the amendment offered
ov tne gentleman from the State OF Michigan.
Ar Conger 1t seems to me strange that an ar
ticle OF such prime necessity that OF salt should
nave any tax whatever imposed upon IT. What
IS salt 1t IL something which enters into the
1000 81 every man, something which enters into
the consumption Of the family OF every man,poor
or rich Salt is life itself and yet. as was shown
by the gentleman from Maine, Mr.. Hale, the
duty now imposed upon it amounts to nearly two
hundred per cent; that Is, eighteen cents III bulk.
and twenty-four cents per hundred pounds IN
bags, or from one hundred to three hundred and
| nifty per cent, according to quality.
| Now, sir, will read statement OF a lew I'M
portations into the United States showing the
cost OF the cargo and the amount OF duty
| Cost A@omt
~ datl
| Cargo from Liyerrool sl63. s32ol
/ Cargo from Trapani ,,,.,.... l,9Us $50;
Now, I would like to ask any intelligent gentle
man i'll this House why duty amounting tc
nearly three times the original cost OF the art ,'
should be paid by the people OF the country
And paid for whose benefit For the benefit 0
one or two salt-manufacturlng establishments IL
the United States.
1t il estimated that we in tins country coisum
about forty million bushels Of salt annually. Put
ting the tax OH an average OF twenty-five cent
per busheI, the aggregate sum taken from tn
to nA1r ten dollars
I and the Government receives only about one mi
D lion aud quarter The balance Is collected frot
the people. and goes into the pockets OF sal
> makers.
u Let me read short extract from Western ps
# per to show the enormous profits OF the onondae
company in New York:
"The Onondaga New York; Salt Company HI
. been dissolved, but whether for effect or for re-
r causes is hot known. The history Of this con
" pany is remarkable The State OF New lo'
a owns the brine and salt, and pumps, and deive
- the water, receiving therefor tax OF one cent y
bushcl. Previous to 1861 the wells Were least
al and operated by number CT individuals.
ne that year these various persons unted each pu
ting Ill his lease, at high valuation, AS so Hu
IL capital. The aggregate valuation made by I
VI owners of these leases was sl6ooOo This col
NJ pahy soon absorbed ali the works at Syracuse,a
:, in 1865, the officers. being put upon oath, a
VI knowledged that the aggregate OF their profits
el the first five years was s5,s5S,ooo. on nomll
IN capital OF Sl600O0"
-, Sir, are we here to protect a few salt manuf
~ turers. We are here to legislae Tor the peop
'a' the great mass of the people OF this country
them have Iree salt rs well AS free coffee and /
tea Why, sir, the freights on salt are from
teen to twenty cents per bushel. Is that not sd
cient protection? That amounts to over one hl
dred per cent OH the cost OF the salt which, ~
TX ed to the tariff duty, makes it us much nole.
re- Here the hammer fell.