The daily gazette., 1881-11-29
TINE PRESENT TARIFF.

TINE PRESENT TARIFF.
Perhaps no tariff law since that of
1S42 has given such general dissatis-
faction IS the present law. It was not
made for times of peace but is in
most particulars war measure. 1t is
difficult thing to make tariff law
with incidental protection to give
satisfaction. There are so many va
rieties of business all claiming protec-
tion that any committee to whom the
subject 10 referred find the greatest
difficulty to perfect such measure, and
when reported to Congress the Com.
mittee Of the Whole are sure to tear
It to pieces. Hence the unwillingness
to 20 into alterations and difficulty OF
procuring the enactment of a new
tariff law.
The need Of change now is ad-
mitted by the great mass of lntelli-
gent men Of both parties. As an evi
dence Of this we copy the following
extract of an article from one of our
high tariff Republican party organs
"The very manner in which the ex-
isting tariff laws were placed upon
the statute books was fatal to their
clearness or efficiency. Each member
of Congress, no matter how little he
knew OF political economy, used his
best endeavors to get all the protec-
ton he could for the manufacturers
In his own district, without caring
how much he intorfered with the pros
peiity Of manufacturers of other stutfs
and very often he had duties imposed
upon articles which were the founda-
tions Of articles manufactured by per-
sons in the adjoining districts. There
was no comprehensive plan adopted
by Congress, and as consequence
the tariff Is wretched tumble OF in.
consistencies and iDjustices, which are
as obnoxious to the manufacturer a.
TO the importer.
The New York Convention proposes
to consider these Inconsistencies ant
iDjustices, and to suggest, if possible
revised tariff which shall be at ono
inteliigible, consistent, and just 10 al
domestic interests. That is precisel
the tariff that is wanted, for COM
merce and agriculture have as muc
right to protection from the Govern
ment as have manufactures. Undt
the present tariff their rights are ne
respected, but they must be, for, un
less they are, the war upon the tari
will 20 on, with the probability {
depriving the manufactures of tn;
protection to which they arc entitled
or, indeed, Of any protection at al
1t is therefore both wise and exped
ent for them 10 harmonic their di
ferences with commerce and agricu
ture''
There is no free trade party in th
country. Such party has no exis
ence even In England, since what
called free trade is only favorable to
lower rate Of duties than the hil
tariff party. Under what is term
q low tariff England has in the la
decade secured the largest amount
shipbuilding ever known to be do
in The world before.
The writer in the above extract d
clares that the manufacturers are ]
properly protected in tho prese
tariff, and that the differences wi
commerce and agriculture do not hs
monize,
That is a great truth. And it
one OF the most important matt,
that the tariff should be m ade to h
noniEe with commerce aad agricuItu
Az was stated yesterday in
GAZETTE the products of agricult,
have risen to be 90 great matter Il
their sale enabled the government to
turn to specie payments and gave
people hard money basis that, W
proper care in the construction o
tariff for revenue by Congress,
may be enabled to keep for all time
The produce Of the farm-the
reals alone-have risen TO a oomme
on land that had not been dreamet
even ten years ago. Shall we dest
this commerce on land reachin
Thousand miles from the CONNER
metropolis in several ways, and '
1t the commerce on sea and oceal
more value stillf Or, shall we
moderate tariff of duties continue
great and growing commerce on
and ssaf To do this is to protec
trades for the loss of the sales of 3.
100000 of -four, wheat, corn and q