The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-10-28
THE TARIFF BUGAB0O.
what "a Tariff for Revenue Only" Means
David A. Wells. OF the Cincinnati
Platform Committee, and J. y.
Moore Explain Where the
Tariff shoe PInches.

From the New York World Of the goth, Dem. papsF)
The undersigned having been requested
from various sources to explain 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 duties on imports
a large proportion OF the revenue necess-
airy to defrsy the large expenditure Of the
National Government, tariff for revenue
necessarily means comparatively and
absolutely higtrtarif; and one that in all
conscience ought to satisfy any reasonable
demands for protection.
Second-A tariff for revenue does not
mean further continuance OF high tax
alton 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-1t does not mean the further
continuance OF a mixed system OF duties;
so much specifically per pound, per yard,
per gallon or per busliel, and then in ad-
dition so much ad valorem. No ordinary
person-often not experts-can readily
tell what such duties amount 10 In the az.
gregate. They were intentionally made
complicated to prevent knowledge; they
afford constant temptations on the part OF
importers TO deceive and on the part OF
officials to abuse their trust. Such duties
ought to be repugnant to the whole moral
sense OF our people. They have made
sinners faster than churches have made
saints. Such duties, furthermore, act as
prohibitors OF imports, aud so dry up
commerce, lncrease enormously the cost
OF commodities to the people, and prevent
the treasury from obtaining revenue.
In support OF these statements, take the
following illustration and proof: In 1879
and 1880 we imported $50, 900 600 worth
Of wooden goods; in this vast amount only
SIS 022 in value represent imports OF
blan kets, and the people OF the United
States nse annually blankets to the value
OF $50 600, 900. Now, the reason why only
SIS 600 worth OF blankets were imported in
lST9-S0 is that on the commonest, cheap.
est class OF blankets, such as the poor man
only can buy and must have, that the
miner, the traveller, the employees on
our railroads, canals, forges and furnaces
generally buy and use, such blankets as
cost so cents per pound in Europe, the
duty ia 20 cents per pound and S. per
cent. ad valorem. Now, how many per-
Sons know how much these mixed duties
smount to? They amount to 100 per cent.
How many persons, when the facts are
explained, would countenance such an
out.and.out steaT9 How many mem
bers OF Congress would ever be
returned by their constituents il
they voted yea on plain and simple prop.
osition to tax an essential article OF con-
sumption to Our poor to such degree?
In 1878 0 the duties on blankets were co
heavy that almost none were imported,
the Treasury deriving from our imports
the pitiiul sum OF 81, 233 So, while the peo-
pie were no doubt unnecessarily taxed
over and above what the blanket mills
could require for protection several mil
lions Of dollars. Atarif for revenue only
las will be seen by the classification here
after submitted) OF 10 per cent. would give
come revenue from this source TO the
Treasury and still protect the domestic
manufacturer.
Again, worsted yarns, which cost In
England 81 cents, are charged with duty
OF 20 cents per pound and 50 per cent. ad
yalorem, equal to over 99i per cent. The
consequence was that, In $780, we imported
and consumed exactly Si4 worth In value,
aud the Treasury received Just s43 so In
revenue. Worsted yarn, consisting In
England 40 cents, is subject to a duty OF
80 cents per pound and IS per cent I'D va.
loren, or equal to 96l per cent In 1873
We imported exactly sos worth OF such;
the Treasury received in revenue S99 u.
Certainly no enc will dispute this demon
stration, that II the above products were
subjected to duty Of 10 per cent ad valo'
rem the Treasury would receive more rev.
enue and therefore diminish the necessity
Of taxing other things in order to secure
revenue. A tariff for revenue, therefore,
means giving the Treasury something and
taking a load OF taxation of the shoulders
of the masses OF the people.
Fourth-A tariff for revenue only
means simplifcation Of our tax laws, more
receipts into the National Treasury, the
lifting OF a load OF not less than several
hundred millions OF direct and indIrec
taxes from the people, and at the SAME
time insuFing continuance OF protection
10 domestic manufactures, o degree o
protection greater than was ever grantee
under any tariff enacted from the tounda
lion OF the Government up to 1881.
The undersigned, In order to make thei
i meaning clear in detail, have drawn uI