The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-05-05
Mr.. BRIGHT ON THE AMERICAN
TARIFF.

TARIFF.
On a recent occasion Bright, the Britlsl
statesman, made remarks on free trade. IL
the course of nis speech he said it was III
dic.ous for the United States to invite foreigf
manufacturers to compete at an eAniol'iol
when protective tariff prevented them 1roH
comre.ing in American markets.
Now, if Mr.. Bright will tell American imam
ciers how to pay the annual interest on TWEEN
ty-,hree hundred millions OF dollars, to which
our national debt nearly amounts, twenty
| millions for civil expenses, thirty millions
for pensions, fifty millions for our army.
seven millions for our Indians, twenty-three
millions for our navy, ffty-four millions for
public buildings, lighthouses, revenue col
| lecting and miscellaneous civil expenses,
thirty millions to sinking fund, and other
necessary expenses, which swell the annual
outlay Of the United States Gov
eminent to more than three hundred
and twenty millions If Mr. Bright
will point ont the method by which this
formidable demand on our Federal Treasury
can be met without resor!ing to tariff fol
revenue purposes. he will confer great
benefit upon this country. Instead Of point
ing out pretended Inconsistency in an in
vitation which has been extended to British
as well as other manufacturers, let him under
take, if he will, to tell us how this great
financial miracle is to be performed. 1t is to
the great advantage Of the British mill
owner to exhibit at Philadelphia his fabrics to
several millions OF inspectors, for America is
and must long remain market for British
wares and goods. Yet tariff will con-
tinue to b put upon these wares for
the sufficient reason that our Gov
eminent has no other available
aud adequate means Of self support. BY the
tariff put on British goos;s We do not escape
the payment Of the amount of the duties. II
our tariff yields hundred and eighty mil
lions, it costs cur people all that sum, and, as
car easily be shown, great deal more. Ii it
were practicable to raise our revenue by .
direct tax on our own products, the result
would be much the same to the British manu-
facturer as that which he now experiences
from the tariff he would be obliged to pay
higher rates for American products, and
thereby sell no more and get no more for
what he sells to us than he gets under the
tariff Our coun:ry's importations are
limited by its expectations, its foreign
purchases by its home products. It is SUBJ
the same in effect to tax the articles
purchased as it would be to receive imports
free and tax exports. Our country could i'm
port no more nor pay higher for her imports
if received duty free than now. Shifting tho
necessary tax from production to
importation does not change the effect. Direct
tax on our exportable products being imprac-
ticab]c,a tax on that for which those products
ure exchanged is found necessary.
Mr. Bright will not pretend that We in
America are gamers by the duties which our
Government assesses on British goods bought
and consumed in this country. He must
know, and if candid would admit, that Amer
AN exports bear the loss of all the amount
paid as duties on American imports. Incl
dental benefit, Of course, accrues to American
manufacturers OF all articles on which an i'm
port duty is charged, but what is gained by
hem is more than outweighed by the still
greater consequent loss to the producers of
articles Of expectation.
The American tariff does not in any man |
Ter assess the expenses of the American gov
upon British or other foreign manu-
acturers. II We were not obliged to raise
evenue we should need no receipts from
luties, but since q revenue, and a very large
,ae, is a necessity, it comes from our own
people rs effsc,ualy and entirely, through the
machinery Of duties on imports, as it would
raised by tax en- cotton, tobacco, meat,
umber and grain raised for expectation.
Mr.. Bright should lament not the existence
ut the necessity Of the American tariff, and
ray with all sensible Americans for its great
nd speedy reduction whenever practicable.