Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-01-29
From the New York Tribune.
Proposed Tariff Changes.

the preparation of new tariff bill Is re-
ported as not desiring to be interrupted II
its labors by Populations from the various
industries concerned. The time to be taken
in making the report is said to be too shor'
for such indulgence. The new tariff is to
be evolved from the inner consciousness
of the sub committee. as was the famous
description of the camel by the German
professor The method has It's advantages
in point of facility 1t is also strikingly
unlike the mode of older aud eiiete civil
izations. In France. for instance, before
any change in the tariff is attempted iuII
reports are requested from every centre ct
commerce and industry as to what a'tera-
tons are desirable. A year j. spent il
obtaining full statistics and information.
Then tariff is announced. after due con-
sideralion of all the interests To be affect
ed but further time is given before ii
goes into operation. The commercial
treaties, which form The greater part OF
the French tariff. are generally made for
a period of ten years. Here, we have
had tariff changes in 1861, 81, ga, 90,
20, "A Revised Statu,es), 20, and we
expect change 10 the present year
though as yet nobody can guess what the
new alt, ralions will be, except that the
rates Of duty are To be reduced
We used To hear great deal about q
"revenue tariff that ought 10 take the
place of the present one. A revenue Ia
riff may be supposed to be one that will
produce more revenue. Evidently, then,
il is not revenue tariff that the sub-com
mittee is preparing, since it isleported
that the new project involves the loss OF
SAC, 600 ,000-more or less-of revenue.
Various means Of meeting this deficiency
have been said to be under consideration
by the subcommittee. The largest
amount is to be obtained, it is supposed,
by stopping the contributions to the sink
ing fund which is now paying off the pub
lie debt Possibly this is brilliant finan-
ciering. Mr.. Micawber used to thank
God that the debt was paid when he re-
newed his note. But even his financial
sagaci.y failed to discover that he could
gain so much by the non-payment OF his
debts as 10 be aole to dispense with OBJ
tanning large portion of his income.
there is no telling what novelties may be
found at any moment Minor suggestions
for making up the deficiency are said to
have foated over the minds of the sub
committee, such as an income tax, and
duties upon such articles OF prime neces-
sity as tea and coffee. The straits to
which the unhappy committee is reduced
by the proposed deficiency are clearly H.
lustrated by these wild graspings for re-
lief How the poor people are to be ben
Gifted by taking tariff off Of naAuiac
lures which they may not want, and put
ting ii on tea and coffee which they think
they must have, even if they cannot buy
imported silks and fine woolens, seems
puzzling to the ordinary mind. But per-
haps the sub committees hope is to protect
the cultivation of tea and coffee in this
country, under the wise guidance of the
Commissioner of Agriculture.
But the tariff is to be simplified by the
subcommittee. That, so far as we eau
recollect, was to be done every time the
tariff was amended. Yet there are two
or three thousand suits unsettled, which
have principally arisen out of the saga
cious amendments of previous Congresses
and millions of dollars hang in the scale
between Government and the importers,
dependent upon the Interpretation to be
given to the phrases of tariff makers. The
same goods have been charged with diff
ferent rates. being described b. different
names. Merchants have discovered
~ that they have only to call a thing
some special designation, and
straightway it can be entered at
lower rate of duty. Dress trim
ming, for instance, has always been i'm
ported; but by calling it "yak lace" its
entry was claimed at the lower rate OF
unenumerated goods. Gen. Tremain, in
an interesting pamphlet on tariff litigation
says that nearly 800. 600 awaits the de
termination whether tube is a clue
or "Aue is tube. Spectacles are made
OF glass and steel shall they pay duties
as manufactures of one or the other sub
stance ? There is one on iewelry and an.
other on Jet limitations; under which shall
vuleanite jewelry be classedP Question,
like these are started after no end of pains
has been taken TO improve tariffs so as It
avoid such difficulties. Yet the new tar.
fl, made in few weeks, without consul
tatlon with men engaged in trade or man
ufacture, is expected to revise the entr,
list Of articles, reform the whole system
and make everything lucid. Uuhapp,
subcommittee Unhappier importers
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, d. c, Jan. IS, 1873
To Tie Editor Of the Journal;
The Congressional hours are moving on with
ont any uracfcal le o slation If eonsaouenco ham