The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-05-27

when was Secretary Of the Treasury / was
hunting iur the means 70 prevent smuggling on the
canadian bordrr,and gentleman Introduced Ia me
on individual who be- said, could give me all the
Information desired on that subject and sent him
tH one with little mote told him that the friend
VINO Introduced him g. me N.HlCd him To tell me all
Do. knew on The subject Well said he. when I
wa engaged boz smuggling there wa very little
pruht aHhssHs aa'y Uds - per cent. W. had 10
pay 10 per cent Tor running the goods 10 had
tn be- donC By the night Then W. had 20 make an
allowance OF 10 per cent 20 the merchants who pur.
chased OF ~: aud We could not hide the good
when w got them across aud II there was not .
OR 10 per cent left % "a there no profit IN the
business Hg explained 20 me how It was done,
and expect that he gave me a very accurate &C.
count 'HJ1wss guthrie IN ne URitsd states Sen
These words were uttered by the most
efficient Secretary Of the Treasury this
nation ever had. MIR Guthrie was prac-
teal man. He was Western man, ac-
qualnted with affairs. If he had been a
merchant instead Of lawyer he would
have been one OF the greatest Of his day
To him more than any one person the ma
ton was indebted for the beneficial changes
made in the tariff law Of 1857, which the
Republican party made haste to destroy
when II obtained power In March, 1861
II It had only reduced the rates its work
would not have been so mischievous. But
the changes they made in the manner Of
levying and collecting the rates were quite
as bad as the new rates themselves. Mr..
Guthrie was in the Senate in 1866 when
one Of the most abOminable specimens of
revenue legislation ever adopted by d free
country was under discussion. We mean
the law approved July Is, 1866. entitled
An act further to prevent smuggling. and
tor other purposes He and Mr.. Reyerdy
.IDltuaar and pfhnr Gapat,rs ,.Ao-.,s.al 4.
obtain amendments Of the measure in the
interest Of the accepted maxims of civil
liberty, but IN great part they struggled
in vain. II any one wishes to see what
the Republican party has done in order to
collect the rates of duty which il imposed
we commend a careful study of this legis-
lation. 1t was introduced into the Senate
March %, 1866, by Senator Chandler, of
Michigan fit sponsor for such scheme
IL was reported 10 the Senate from the
Committee on Commerce May IL, 1866, by
Morrill, another suitable god father lie,
in moving that the Senate go into discus
sion Of the measure, stated that il had
been prepared with great care at the
treasury Department In the House the
bill was under the patronage of Eliot, of
Massachusetts, Senator Guthrie pereeiv-
ing, like practical man with great official
experience, that nothing but such tremen-
uous penalties and punishments as almost
put az hazard the homes and liberties Of
our cltHens could enforce the collection of
the rates OF duty which the Republican
party hau imposed, announced that he
should vote lor the measure He rested
his vote distinctly upon the ground that
the country having embarked In this svs.
TEN Of protective duties il was tbs d1ty
of Congress to provide adeonote ,neoas
for their collection But In the co,rso 20
a contentious speech he uttered the worJ IL
which we place at the head Of this article
They contain in a nutshell the whole prob.
lem OF duties ON imports. They call atten.
ton 10 the fact that there is a point beyond
which the rates cannot lie carried and col.