The New York herald., 1877-11-17
T.r,a R.sorm I'm Congress.

outline of what the Committee on Ways and
Means will undertake to do in revising the
revenue system Of the government The
committee took the subject in hand yester-
day and referred it to subcommittee, con-
sisting of Mr.. Wood, the Chairman on
Ways and Means. and Messrs Tucker,
of Virginia. Gibson, Of Louisiana !;
Banks. Of Massachusetts,, and Burchard, OF
Illinois. This subcommittee is well dis
tributed geographically. including repre-
sentatives of all the great business sections
of the country, and, what is moro impor-
tant, it consists, with not more than one ex-
ception, of men whose ability and expert
ence qualify them to handle so great
subject with success. They are not imprac-
ticable doctrinaires, welded to theory or
q crotchet, but men of sound judgment and
practical business sense.
Mr. Wood, who is chairman both Of the
Committee on Ways and Means and Of the
subcommittee on which the duty has been
devolved of framing o plan. is strongly OF
the opinion that q patching up of the old,
cumbrous and confused revenue system
would not meet the present business situ-
alton of the country. He hopes to clear
away the old rickety structure and
build anew on better foundation. He
does not, however, contemplate radi-
cal change in favor of free trade
or of protection, or Of any other shibbo-
leth on which conflicting sects in political
economy have wrangled SO long with so
little profit He finds our revenue system
complex, and he wishes to make it simple
he finds it vexatious to importers and busi-
ness men, and he wishes to render 1t salts
factory he finds it and the endless Treas
ury decisions made under it n muddle, and
he wishes to render it clear and Ineligible
This part Of the proposed reform is
or the rates of duties or the
effect of the tariff on our industries,
but only to facility Of collection,
the convenience Of merchants and the
avoidance Of difficulties and disputes be-
tween those who pay the duties and the
government Every citizen who has had
occasion to transact business with the Gus
tom House has long felt the necessity tor
such reform, which can be accomplished
only by sweeping away the old system,
which is deformed by legislative patches put
on to cover holes in former legislation, with
other patches upon these in the shape OF
Treasury decisions or interpretations to
shut out the doubts which penetrated
through two thicknesses Of laws. A laugh
able comedy could be made out of our reve-
nue. regulations, although they are no
laughing matter to the people who are per-
picked and mulcted by their whimsical ab-
surdity. What we want is a new system Of
duties and collection SO simple that an
average merchant can understand it, and
SO fair as to create no feeling, of in
justice. But this is impossible SO
long as we tax such multitude OF articles.
levy distinct taxes on SO many shades of
quality ana complicate the business of col
lection by m ad valorem and n specific duty
on the same article. Congress cannot sym
plify the method Of collection without sim
plifying the tariff itself, and We are glad
that Mr.. Wood and leading members of his
committee have the sagacity and courage to
attempt comprehensive new creation in
stead of further tinkering and clipping the
present confused and confusing revenue
system.
The present is, on many accounts, we'll
chosen time for radical reconstruction of
the tariff. It can be done now without rails
ing the old free trade clamor or the old pro-
tectionists' clamor, for the country has
passed into O condition which renders both
of those shibboleths irrelevant. The great
need of our producing classes is larger
markets. For our great agricultural sta
Piles the domestic market has always been
insufficient, but it is only within the last few
years that the producing capacity Of our
manufacturers has outgrown the consuming
capacity of our own people But at pres
ent there is no great branch Of American
manufactures which has not the machinery
and other facilities for turning out once and
a half rs many goods as are required for
supplying the home market. To keep oil
their machinery running and all their
hands employed they need new and vast
outlets for the goods they produce.
In point of quality and cheapness
we are able to compete with Eng
land. American white cotton cloths,
American calicoes, American boots and
shoes, American agricultural implements
and sewing machines, even American hard
ware and other manufactures in iron, could
to-day make their way against oil competi-
ton from any country in the world if we
were as ready TO buy as we are to sell. The
trade Of the world is, in the main, barter.
A nation which exports much must also i'm
port much, for there would be no profit in
giving its goods away. and foreigners will
not buy them unless they can furnish
their own in exchange. 1t hence follows
that we must open our own markets to some
species Of foreign productions in order to
gain foreign market for such Of our own
MS are better and cheaper than the like