Ellsworth American., 1874-07-16

| isuue Huu tOukttuues or Oy the ut1Ier
ing interests which change Of section
and varying forms of industry have
developed. But the Maine Democra
cy assume that all Tariffs are more o
less Protective and hence they ar,
hostile TO them and pronounce fol
"<fee Trade" pure and simple, alb
sOlute and without qualification, to
quote their own words, for ''an unJet
tered and unrestricted commerce.
Without attempting to argue the
question in its relation to the Who'll,
country, let us see how this new doc
trine would affect Maine. The pro.
cess would be simple, the results read
lily deduced, the effect blighting and
disastrous TO the last degree. Fol
some years past, to deal in round mum.
bers, the Federal Government has
teen collecting a revenue of three hun.
dred millions Of third
from internal taxes, two-thirds from
tariff duties. 1t is now proposed by
the Maine democracy to abolish all
these duties, have absolute "free
trade with an "unfettered and unre.
stricted commerce." In other words
the Maine democracy propose to raise
the two hundred millions of dollars in
gold coin now obtained from tariff du-
ties by "direct taxation" or uv q svs.
TEN Of ''excises" which might prove
even more oppressive than direct tax
alton itself. There is no other mode
open under the Constitution bv which
the money can Re raised than the two
named. if the tariff be abandoned, and
Mr.. Titcomb declares for direct taxa
ton. Now if the money is to be Sc
cured by direct taxation, as Mr.. Tit.
comb proposes, it will be found TO be
Names great misfortune that the Con-
stitution requires the tax to be levied
in proportion to population and not
according 10 wealth. BY the ninth
census Maine has about onc-sixtieth
of the total population Of the United
States, ana her share Of two hundred
and a quarter millions of dollars in
gold coin-the single Congressional
District whose constituents | am adj
dressing would be called upon for sew
en- hundred thousand dollars. The pecu-
liar hardship of raising taxes in this
way is made manifest BY the simple
fact that Maine would be compelled 10
pay nearly one-half as much as Mas
achusetts, while in fact she has but
oneseventh of the wealth Of that high
ly favored and prosperous Common
wealth. To properly estimate the ex-
hausting and oppressive nature of this
enormous tax, you have but TO consid-
er that it would be three times as large
as the present State tax. and would be
necessarily be levied in addition there.
to.
But if against Mr.. Titcomb's policy
the direct tax were ayoidea. il wpaid ,be
TEN of excises as onerous and as odi-
Gus as human ingenuity could devise.
a heavy internal tax would inevitably
be levied on all manufactures and in
deed upon all the products OF the field
and the forest, the shipyard and the
quarry; and every form of industry
would be burdened and borne down by
the exactioIs of the ax.gatherer. Aud
these grievous hardships would be
imposed on our own people, in order
that foreign countries might have the
benefit OF our markets for theiI pro-
ducts, without duty and without tax.
Our lumber interests, embarrassed and
would have TO compete
with the untaxed products of the Cana
Gian forests our manufactures would
pay taxes for the benefit of European
fabrics; our ship-building would be
destroyed by the taxation, which
would render it incapable of compe-
ting with Provincial bottoms, and un-
der the magic spell Of Democratic free
trade our cOasting and Lake COM
merce, confined TO our own people
since the foundation Of the govern
ment, would be thrown open to the
whole world. Taxation in all forms is
one Of the burdens of civilization, but
instead Of ameliorating its severity
and, if possible, getting from it such
compensating advantages as these leg
islation can provide, our Maine Demo
Gratis propose to make it TO the last
degree oppressive TO our own people
and beneficial only TO the alien and the
stranger.
To the people Of Maine, at this very
moment, these extravagant declara-
tions of the Democratic party have
full significance, for it is we'll known
that the authorities Of Canada are try
iny to negotiate with our government
a Reciprocity treaty, which, like its
illustrious predecessor and namesake,
the reciprocity all on one
side. The treaty Of that name, which
was terminated in 1866, was cruelty
to the people Of Maine, and
inflicted upon our State, during the
seven years of its existence, loss Of
fifty millions Of dollars. 1t presented
the very singular anomaly Of giving to
the Canadians the control of our own
markets Of certain leading articles, on
terms far more favorable than our own
people had ever enjoyed. The utmost
stretch of the Divine command is to
love our neighbOr as ourselves, and l
can certainly see nothing in personal
duty or public policy which should
lead US to prefer our Canadian neigh
bors to our own people.
The treaty Of Reciprocity, now pro-
voao1 10 understood IN amhraoo tho
admission of Canadian vessels to free
American Registry, and the full enjoy
ment of our coasting and Lake trade.
Thus the ship-building and commercial
interests of the United States, reviving
30 prosperously Of late, and just re-
covering from the terrible blows dealt
by British-built cruisers during the
war, are again to be struck down by
giving advantages, hitherto undream-