The daily gazette., 1880-10-29
TARIFF FOR REVENUE ONLY

:
NOT MEAN FREE-TRADE-NORA A
CONTINUATION OF HIGH TAXA |
TION-NoR A MIXED SYSTEM OF |
DUTIES - BUT WHAT DOES 1T
MEAN.
The undersigned, having been re-
quested from various sources to ex-
plain what they understood by "a
Tariff for Revenue only" submit the
following statement:
First-A tariff for revenue does
not mean free-trade; for, under the
present system of deriving from du-
tics on imports large proportion of
the revenue necessary to defray the
large expenditure Of the national
government, tariff for revenue
necessarily means comparatively
and absolutely high tariff, and one
that IN all conscience, ought to sat
| isfy any reasonable demands for
protection.
Second-A tariff for revenue does
not mean further continuance of
high taxation Imposed originally and
solely to meet the exigencies of
great war) in time of peace, when
all necessity for such taxation has
happily passed away.
Third-It does not mean the fur
ther continuance of mixed system
of duties, so much specifically per
pound, per yard, per gallon, or per
bushel, and then, in addition, so
much advalorem. No ordinary per-
son-often not experts-can readily
tell what such duties amount to in
the aggregate. They were inten-
tionally made complicated to prevent
knowledge; they afford constant
temptations on the part OF importers
| to deceive, and on the part Of off
cials tc abuse their trust. Such du
ties ought to be repugnant to the
whole moral sense of our people.
Such duties, furthermore, act as pro
hibitors of imports, and so dry up
commerce, increase enormously the
cost of commodities to the people,
and prevent the treasury from OBJ
tanning revenue. -.
In support of these statements
take the following illustrator and
proof: In 1879-80 we imported $685.
100000 worth of woolen goods; in
this vast amount only SIS, ,032 in value
represent imports of blankets, and
the people of the United States use
annually blankets to the value of
$4,000 900. Now the reason why
only SIS 900 worth of blankets were
imported in 1870-80 is that on the
. commonest, cheapest class of blan-
kets, such as the poor man only can
buy and must have, that the miner.
traveller, the employees on our rail-
!, roads, canals, forges and furnaces
l generally buy and use, such blankets
! cost 80 cents per pound in Europe
the duty is 20 cents per pound an6
35 per cent ad valorem. New, bow
many persons know how much these
mixed duties amount to. They
amount to 100 per cent. How many
D persons, when the facts are explain.
. ed. would countenance such an out
and. out steal? How many members
of Congress would ever be returned
, by their constituents if they voted
a ave on a plain and simple PROPOSE
tion to tax an essential article o.
: consumption to our poor to such
/ degree? In 1889 the duties or
J. blankets were so heavy that almost
+ none were imported; the treasury
8 deriving from our imports the pitiful
). sum of 81 ,233,83 while the people
we're no doubt unnecessarily taxed
+ over and above what the blanket
4 mills could require for protection
several millions of dollars. A tariff
2 for revenue only las will be seen b,
!. the classification hereafter submit
9 ted) of 40 per cent would give som'
s revenue from this source to the trea-
sury and still protect the domestic
: manufacturer.
r Again, worstel yarns which cost IL
}, England 81 cents, are ci arged with dut.
8 Of 20 cents per pound and 80 per cen
I advalorem, equal to ove- 993 per cent
7 The consequence was that in 1879 VI
Il imported and consumed exactly 81
:, worth In value, and the treasury receiv
sd lust S43. 80 in revenue. Worsted yarl
g costing in England 40 cents, is subject t
Il a duty of 80 cents per pound and 35 per
1t sent adyalorem, or equal 10 o6a per cent
70 In 1870 we imported exactly $l03 wortl
IS IF such; the treasury received in revenu
q S99.43.
= Certainly no one will dispute thi
d demonstration, that ifthe above product
: we're subjected to duty OF 40 per cen
d advalorem the treasury would receiv
l. more revenue, and therefore diminis
/ the necessity for taxing other things 4
= order to secure revenue. A tariff 70
y revenue, therefore, means giving tn
d treasury something and taking load {
b taxation off the shoulders of the masst
A. of people.
ie Fourth-A tariff for revenue onl
" means simplification of our tax law
ia more receipts into the national treasur
( the lifting of load ofnot less than sevel
q, al hundred millions OF. direct and indire'
sr taxes from the people, and at the sam
As time insuring continuance Of protectio
e. to domestic manufactures, degree
- protection greater than was ever granite
"a under any tariff enacted from the found
}" ton Of the government up 10 1851.
re The undersigned, in order to mai
III their meaning clear IN detail, ha,
drawn up and here submit what, in u
~ present situation Of the country, the
n understand by tariff for revenue onl.
ri based on the impootations of 1870. Sue
IN a Tariff will insure ample revenues Of Il
Id county and give every reasonable degre
In of protection to domestic manufacture
re or course the tariff can in many Ii
4, 4, stances be made specific wherever 1t
40 10 practicable, but It should be. done uI
~ on the proposed basis, aud also civ